Label Type
Cultural/Historical ContextLabel
White cotton lawn dresses first became a staple of summer wardrobes around 1900; they continued to be stylish until about 1915. Trimmed with an array of ruffles, applique, lace inserts, and embroidery, they were covered with a wealth of decorative detail. However, they were also quite easy to make at home. Patterns were readily available, there was a wide variety of affordable machine-made lace on the market, and all that was required was a sewing machine, a nearly ubiquitous household appliance by this time, to put it all together. After the dress was stitched up, the lace trim was applied, the fabric underneath was cut away, and an elaborate-looking lace insertion was left behind. If this was too much trouble, or the necessary needle skills were lacking, it was always possible to simply order such a frock such as this from a mail order catalog. In the early 1900s, Sears and Roebuck offered a variety of white lace-trimmed summer dresses in a range of affordable prices ($5-$11).
