Front
Woman's Bathing Suit
circa 1900 (Date manufactured/created)
Textile
Woman’s two-piece bathing suit costume of navy blue wool, consisting of a blouse and bloomer garment with a button-on overskirt. The square neckline and the waistband of overskirt are trimmed with off-white soutache and braid.
The outfit is an example of early women’s ready-to-wear clothing, and bears a store label from Howland’s, one of Bridgeport’s long-standing department stores. A) Main garment is a short-sleeved, front-buttoning blouse stitched to a flat waistband with bloomer-type leggings also stitched to the waistband. The blouse opening is concealed by a false placket. Lower edges of the puffed sleeves and the loose, knee-length leggings end in a casing with elastic to gather in the fullness. Buttons are stitched to the waistband to which the overskirt was attached. B) The just-below-knee-length overskirt is made with deep flat pleats stitched into a waistband trimmed with white soutache. Buttonholes are stitched around waistband.
The outfit is an example of early women’s ready-to-wear clothing, and bears a store label from Howland’s, one of Bridgeport’s long-standing department stores. A) Main garment is a short-sleeved, front-buttoning blouse stitched to a flat waistband with bloomer-type leggings also stitched to the waistband. The blouse opening is concealed by a false placket. Lower edges of the puffed sleeves and the loose, knee-length leggings end in a casing with elastic to gather in the fullness. Buttons are stitched to the waistband to which the overskirt was attached. B) The just-below-knee-length overskirt is made with deep flat pleats stitched into a waistband trimmed with white soutache. Buttonholes are stitched around waistband.
Gift of Mrs. Edwin Murphy
1977.27.1AB