Historic Clothing Collection

Made of sturdy linen, a straight skirted day dress features areas of bold crochet lace embellishing the skirt, the wide sleeve cuffs, inset waistband, and moderately pouched bodice front. Another dress with reduced bodice blousing is made of mulberry colored heavy satin, with a fitted tailored front pleated skirt and no flare, a sign of the straightening silhouette.

Towards the decade's end, the emergence of the one-piece dress simplified the silhouettes, as seen in a modest gold silk satin print dress with horizontally tucked sleeves and black piped detailing, and in Margaret A. McGuire's July 5, 1909 exquisite tussah silk wedding dress, made by the Misses Macdonough of Portland, with neatly fitted pin tucked hips, tucked sleeves and silk cord scrolling at the square neck.