Day Dress Detail

In the first decade of the 20th century, the French fashion designer, Paul Poiret (1879–1944), promoted a high-waisted, columnar silhouette to replace the wasp-waisted styles of the late-19th century. In “the name of Liberty” Poiret “proclaimed the fall of the corset.” This example of the new, comfortable and neoclassically inspired silhouette was owned by Sweet Briar College graduate, Ellen Howison Christian (1895–1966).