Maine Memory Network

Blush pink "Harold Levine Original" dress, Scarborough, ca. 1975

Contributed by: Maine Historical Society Date: circa 1975 Location: Scarborough Media: rayon, silk

Margaret Payson's Delphic-style gown, Portland, ca. 1938

Contributed by: Maine Historical Society Date: circa 1938 Location: Portland; New York Media: rayon, glass beads
This record contains 10 images.

Fashionable Maine: early twentieth century clothing

Maine residents kept pace with the dramatic shift in women’s dress that occurred during the short number of years preceding and immediately following World War I. The long restrictive skirts, stiff collars, body molding corsets and formal behavior of earlier decades quickly faded away and the new straight, dropped waist easy-to-wear clothing gave mobility and freedom of movement in tune with the young independent women of the casual, post-war jazz age generation.

Dressing Up, Standing Out, Fitting In

Adorning oneself to look one's "best" has varied over time, gender, economic class, and by event. Adornments suggest one's sense of identity and one's intent to stand out or fit in.

Historic Clothing Collection - 1950-1960 - Page 4 of 4

"Said to be a Dior design, but lacking any labeling, the collection's 1960s bouffant short prom dress and matching stole could fall into the category…"

Historic Clothing Collection - 1940-1950 - Page 2 of 3

"It is labelled: ‘Ceil Chapman,’ a designer known for her provocative dresses. The draped front styling is reminiscent of a 1946 afternoon dress by…"