Skip to main content Smithsonian Institution

Wedding dress designed by Ann Lowe and worn by Florance Trevor

Catalog Data

Designed by:
Ann Lowe, American, 1898 - 1981  Search this
Worn by:
Florance Colgate Rumbough Trevor, American, 1927 - 2008  Search this
Medium:
silk satin, lace, gauze, buckram, tulle, and metal fasteners
Dimensions:
H x W (flat): 83 × 60 in. (210.8 × 152.4 cm)
Type:
wedding dresses
Date:
1951
Description:
Ivory silk satin and lace wedding dress designed by Ann Lowe and worn by Florance Colgate Rumbough Trevor. The dress has a sweetheart neckline with off-the shoulder puff sleeves. The bodice is fitted to the natural waist, and then extends into a full floor-length skirt with long train at the back. The neck opening is trimmed in ivory floral lace, with one layer extending above the silk satin top edge. The tops of the shoulders are made from the lace trim, with the puff sleeves below made from the ivory satin. The center front bodice is embellished with the ivory floral lace, which extends down the center in a triangle, ending just below the waistline in a point. Three-dimensional decorations made from flowers fussy cut from the floral lace are tacked on top of the lace and left to flutter with the breeze. The center front panel of the skirt has seven (7) tiers of ivory floral lace sewn on top of the satin, with the bottom edges left unsewn. Each front side of the skirt has an extra panel of the silk satin sewn at the side seam and extending to the front side, partially covering the edges of the lace tiers and ending at the bottom with rounded corners. These flaps are lightly tacked in places and are self-lined. Two strips made from the satin are sewn in a geometric design on each back side of the skirt near the floor for tying up the train. The dress closes at the center back with a zipper and three (3) hooks into thread loops at the top where the lace extends above the satin.
The dress is not lined except for the center back panel of the skirt, which is lined in stiff off-white gauze. The bottom of the skirt, except the center front panel with the lace tiers, is trimmed in plastic buckram covered with ruffled off-white tulle. Wire is sewn into the lace around the tops of the shoulders to keep it in place and provide structure. There is a white fabric label with black embroidered text sewn at the interior proper left back side that reads "ANN LOWE / A. F. Chantilly, Inc. / NEW YORK" with a woman wearing a ball gown at the right side of the label.
Topic:
African American  Search this
Clothing and dress  Search this
Design  Search this
Fashion  Search this
Fashion design  Search this
Marriage customs and rites  Search this
Credit Line:
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of the Estate of Florance Rumbough Trevor
Object number:
2014.73.1.1
Restrictions & Rights:
No Known Copyright Restrictions
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
See more items in:
National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Classification:
Clothing-Fashion
Data Source:
National Museum of African American History and Culture
GUID:
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd53f39c08f-3a78-4516-85df-241e590d6c9d
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:nmaahc_2014.73.1.1