Little Black Dress: From Mourning to Night: Missouri History Museum, Saint LouisApril 2, 2016–September 5, 2016CatalogueLittle Black Dress: From Mourning to NightShannon MeyerSaint Louis: Missouri History Museum Press, 2016.160 pp.; 75 color platesPaper $35.00ISBN 9781883982843

Abstract

Previous articleNext article FreeExhibition ReviewsLittle Black Dress: From Mourning to Night: Missouri History Museum, Saint LouisApril 2, 2016–September 5, 2016 CatalogueLittle Black Dress: From Mourning to NightShannon MeyerSaint Louis: Missouri History Museum Press, 2016.160 pp.; 75 color platesPaper $35.00ISBN 9781883982843Laura PoluchaLaura Polucha Search for more articles by this author PDFPDF PLUSFull Text Add to favoritesDownload CitationTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints Share onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditEmailQR Code SectionsMoreFeaturing more than sixty black dresses from the Missouri History Museum collection, Little Black Dress explores the complex and often contradictory connotations of the color black in clothing over the past 150 years. With the aim of showing the somber nineteenth-century origins of the modern-day wardrobe staple and its transition from a symbol of grief to one of chic sophistication, the exhibition goes beyond the mere display of pretty little black dresses to raise more scholarly issues of social history regarding class and gender politics, and complex etiquette protocols. In addition to offering the obligatory and rather tired brief accounts of fashion’s key players, such as Gabrielle Bonheur “Coco” Chanel and Christian Dior, the exhibition highlights the city of Saint Louis’s often overlooked history as a hub of garment production. It also unexpectedly offers fascinating insight into the city’s high-society life through the inclusion of biographical snippets on the women from prominent local families who owned and wore the gowns on display.The exhibition opens with the side-by-side display of a silk moiré mourning gown from 1867 and a velvet cocktail dress from 1955, which immediately confronts the viewer with the narrative of the show. The mourning gown, with its long skirt, sleeves, and high collar, intends to modestly conceal the wearer’s body. The initial façade of unassuming modesty of the mourning gown is contrasted with a velvet cocktail dress in an iconic A-line silhouette, adorned with a large faille bow. The duo clearly illustrates the evolution of the little black dress from its origins in mourning to its iconic status as a fashionable wardrobe staple.At first glance, both of these dresses appear to be simple in their design. However, closer examination reveals that the mourning gown, perhaps surprisingly, is distinctly more intricate than the comparatively simple cocktail dress. Initially seeming austere and somber in its dramatic folds of black fabric, with optical discretion, the mourning gown emanates a quiet glamour that must have been apparent in the 1860s. The high sheen of the fabric, combined with the ruffle detailing on the cuffs and scalloped detailing at the front hemline of the skirt, trimmed with ribbons of fringe that one can imagine swaying with each step of the wearer, seems to contradict the expected somber simplicity of mourning dictated by strict contemporary sumptuary etiquette. This contradiction of black mourning’s ability to simultaneously resist the collective gaze and invite intimate attention, while not explicitly stated in the textual support for the show, becomes glaringly apparent through a visual analysis of the mourning gowns on display in the first room of the exhibition.The first gallery of the exhibition, titled “Black in Mourning,” is appropriately, and perhaps cheekily, sponsored by the local, historic Bellefontaine Cemetery. Here the mourning gowns on display, which span the years 1875 to 1904, illustrate the different stages of full, second, and half mourning, which strict social etiquette protocols of the nineteenth century demanded. Made of duller fabrics, such as crepe (the fabric of choice for mourning), the gowns at first appear plain and uninspiring. A mannequin modeling a two-piece wool crepe mourning dress from 1904 emanates an almost eerie presence owing to the long crepe veil that covers the face and trails down the back. Meant to shield the grieving woman from public view and create a physical barrier and disconnection from society, the veil also generates an air of mystery as the hidden woman beneath the veil becomes an erotic figure. Though the mourning costume may resist attention from a distance, closer inspection of the garment reveals elaborate embroidered floral detailing on the skirt and sleeves. Initially the subtle black ornament gets lost against the backdrop of black fabric. But a fleeting glimpse of a detail generates curiosity and interest, and one cannot help but approach the glass case (and fight the unfortunate harsh glare) to get a closer look. The variations in textures, addition of intricate and elaborate ornamentation, and stylish silhouettes of the mourning gowns emphasize their alignment with contemporary high fashion. While in mourning, women still had a desire to remain fashionable. Judging by the profuse ornamentation, one could even conclude that some women used monochromatic black mourning attire as an opportunity to exhibit excesses of luxury, which, while subtly abundant, would have appeared vulgar or ostentatious in any other color.1880 evening dress. Two-piece silk and silk faille moiré evening dress, ca. 1880. Made by Josephine G. Egan, New York. Gift of Julia Maffitt Lamy, Mary Lamy Phillips, and Isabel Lamy Lee. Courtesy of the Missouri History Museum.The concept of fashionable mourning is clearly illustrated through the display of a page from an 1879 issue of Harper’s Bazaar, which educates women on how to remain properly stylish during periods of mourning. The vitrine also features accessories of mourning, such as intricate hair-work jewelry, exquisite glass lachrymatories, and mourning embroideries crafted by grieving women. Black jewelry and necklaces made from jet, which, when worn, would have created a subtle sparkle against the dull fabric of a mourning gown, are also prominently featured, as they were the preferred material for mourning accessories. This display of mourning accoutrements serves to emphasize both the pervasiveness of mourning and its codified rules, as well as the business opportunities to be had from the required outward display of grief.1928 evening dress. Velvet evening dress with silver-bead and rhinestone trim, ca. 1928. Made by Cohen-Jackson. Gift of Mrs. Frank M. Mayfield. Courtesy of the Missouri History Museum.The following gallery, “Early Uses of Black in Fashion,” effectively illustrates how the lines between mourning and fashion were blurred between the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, and that women were beginning to adopt black clothing not for mourning, but as a style statement. The exhibition furthers the generally accepted notion that World War I was a turning point for black clothing, as whole nations were sent into mourning and black became a color in everyday wardrobes. However, this rather simplistic explanation neglects the complexities of social change and the growing freedoms and rights for women, along with a gradual loosening of strict moral codes. Black, in addition to its long-held status of being austere and somber, was also considered to be sensual and erotic, and therefore inappropriate for young women. The risqué allure of a young woman in black is widely demonstrated through characters in period literature, such as Leo Tolstoy’s mid-nineteenth-century adulteress Anna Karenina, in her infamous black velvet gown, as well as Charles Dana Gibson’s illustrated satirical tale A Widow and Her Friends (1900–1901), which documents a young widow and her slew of male suitors. Additionally, the public scandal that ensued from John Singer Sargent’s painting Madame X (1883–84), which highlighted the exposure of Madame Pierre Gautreau’s ivory skin against a slinky black gown, further illustrates the impure connotations of a young woman in black. As women gained more freedom, the color was no longer only reserved for mature women or somber occasions. The lines between stylish black evening gowns and mourning gowns were becoming increasingly indistinguishable.Differences between the two were generally dictated by fabric choice and trim material, such as luxurious satin and sequins over the duller crepe and jet of mourning. Without knowing the provenance of a black gown from this period and biographical information on its owner, it can be difficult to determine the intended purpose of a gown. The evening gowns on display, owned by local women of means, serve to further illustrate the growing ostentation of black gowns. A silk faille moiré evening dress from 1880 is overwhelmingly elaborate in its asymmetrical layers of draping of exquisite fabrics and long, ruffled train and large bustle. Elaborate layers of lace, threaded with beads of varying sizes and materials, some of which dangle in a three-dimensional fashion from a fabric flower, line the neckline of the dress. This gown, in addition to being worn for evening wear, is thought to have doubled as a mourning gown, perfectly illustrating the growing ambiguity of black dresses at the turn of the century.The following gallery, “Chanel and the Little Black Dress,” emphasizes Chanel’s role in popularizing black dresses and her focus on comfort and elegance in women’s wardrobes. The gallery titled “Black and Everyday Versatility” furthers this narrative and illustrates the ubiquity and versatility of black in fashion after World War I. Showcasing dresses from the 1920s through the 1980s, and emphasizing their adaptability for everything from cocktail parties to office workdays, the gallery almost feels like a department store in its profusion of mannequins that line the walls and crowd a central pedestal. Organized chronologically, the display seeks to present a visual, evolutionary progression of the little black dress over an approximately seventy-year period. This is perhaps where the narrative of the show begins to lose some focus, but the gallery maintains interest by the sheer number and variety of dresses on display. Each dress continues to give insight into an interesting snippet of Saint Louis history, such as a 1938 Doris Dodson dress, which shows how fashion designers in Saint Louis took the lead on spreading the trend of specialized junior-wear lines across the nation. Though many of the gowns illustrate the expected milestone fashion trends, such as two Traina-Norell dresses exemplifying Dior’s iconic “New Look” of the late 1940s, the unexpected pieces are far more noteworthy. For example, a 1945 dress from Smink Maternity Clothes illustrates the growing demand for maternity wear during the post–World War II baby boom. Its built-in snap on each side and ties at the back ingeniously allow a woman to customize the size of the dress through varying stages of pregnancy. Elegant in its simplicity, the gown’s short sleeves and knee-length skirt are modestly enlivened with a simple decorative tie at the front of the collar. This maternity dress would have been the perfect opportunity to call attention to the fact that black’s associations with mourning had become significantly less prevalent: not only was black no longer reserved exclusively for mourning, but it was valued for its slimming qualities and could even be worn by women who were about to bring new life into the world. It is with this maternity dress that the exhibit seems to come full circle.The final gallery, “Black at Night,” once again shows a profusion of black gowns arranged in chronological order, meant to show how black was, and still is, a prominent color in evening fashions. Similar to the gallery addressing the transition from black being used for mourning to its function as a style choice, this part of the exhibition shows that the luxurious materiality of the fabric and ornamentation distinguishes these gowns from day dresses and classifies them as evening wear. Iconic fringed flapper dresses and art deco pieces from the 1920s are displayed near the more subtly dramatic gowns of the 1930s. A bias-cut halter crepe evening dress with a turquoise beaded cape collar from 1932 by an unknown maker is particularly enchanting. The long gown’s elegant simplicity is given a pop of drama with the collar that covers the back and shoulders, still leaving a tiny hint of skin showing at the lower back. Another bias-cut halter crepe evening dress from 1932–35, made by Gottlieb, New York, is surprising in its theatricality. The modest front of the gown is embellished with a jewel-encrusted brooch resembling a heart at the center of the breast. A built-in cape, lined with emerald green, lends an air of mystery. The unexpectedly open back of the gown is given additional drama by a long train resembling a mermaid’s tail. Elegant and classic designs from Halston and Dior in the 1960s and 1970s are juxtaposed with the more shocking and trendy designs of the 1980s and 1990s, such as a Morton Myles shift dress from 1984, with its comically large ruffled sleeves and broad shoulders, which seems quintessentially representative of 1980s style. Dresses displayed from the 1990s to 2014 further emphasize that the rules dictating appropriateness of clothing styles, and the color black, have completely broken down. Black, once a color reserved for mourning or the wealthy (owing to the expense of dyes) or the mature (owing to its seductive and alluring qualities), was now fair game for anyone of any background, class, or age. As a black Enzoani wedding dress from 2014, the final piece in the show, illustrates, black is now nearly always appropriate for any occasion, and remains forever chic.1930s halter evening dress. Bias-cut halter crepe evening dress with green accents, ca. 1932–35. Made by Gottlieb, New York. Gift of Mrs. Eugene D. Nims Estate. Courtesy of the Missouri History Museum. Notes Laura Polucha is pursuing her MA in art history at Columbia University. Her thesis analyzes portraits of widows and fashionable mourning during the nineteenth century. Previous articleNext article DetailsFiguresReferencesCited by West 86th Volume 24, Number 1Spring–Summer 2017 Sponsored by the Bard Graduate Center, New York Article DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1086/693808 © 2017 by The Bard Graduate Center: Decorative Arts, Design History, and Material Culture. All rights reserved.PDF download Crossref reports no articles citing this article.