Cocktail ensemble
Claire McCardell is remembered as a pioneer of American fashion. After studying at Parsons and living in Paris, she returned to America to design functional, affordable clothes for the American woman. Her simple use of natural fabrics, such as cotton, denim and wool combined with flattering silhouettes filled a vacancy in women's fashion. Her first success was the tent-shaped Monastic dress, which had no form, but when belted became body-revealing and flattering. For the length of her career, McCardell designed inventive, sometimes daring looks that were mass-produced down to every last spaghetti tie and brass hook.
This ensemble is a classic example of McCardell's use of sportswear fabric for eveningwear. The black corduroy is cut in such a way that flatters as well as elevates the status of the rather casual fabric. The feminine cut of the peplum jacket accents the waist, but this femininity is off-set with the utilitarian brass hooks. The pairing of the dress and the jacket are quite handsome and show the diversity of this outfit, for with the jacket and scarf, it can be worn about town for errands during the day, and with the simple removal of the jacket, it is perfect for the cocktail hour.
This ensemble is a classic example of McCardell's use of sportswear fabric for eveningwear. The black corduroy is cut in such a way that flatters as well as elevates the status of the rather casual fabric. The feminine cut of the peplum jacket accents the waist, but this femininity is off-set with the utilitarian brass hooks. The pairing of the dress and the jacket are quite handsome and show the diversity of this outfit, for with the jacket and scarf, it can be worn about town for errands during the day, and with the simple removal of the jacket, it is perfect for the cocktail hour.
Artwork Details
- Title: Cocktail ensemble
- Designer: Claire McCardell (American, 1905–1958)
- Manufacturer: Townley Frocks (American, 1929–1938; 1940–ca. 1968)
- Date: 1947
- Culture: American
- Medium: cotton
- Credit Line: Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of the Brooklyn Museum, 2009; Gift of Claire McCardell, 1956
- Object Number: 2009.300.235a–c
- Curatorial Department: The Costume Institute
More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Claire McCardell
1948
Claire McCardell
ca. 1955
Claire McCardell
ca. 1956
Claire McCardell
ca. 1953
Claire McCardell
ca. 1950
Research Resources
The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.
To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.
Feedback
We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.