Playsuit

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 is a jaunty playsuit of yellow cotton, made unique with the use of wooden ball buttons. The halter bodice which crosses at front is a characteristic found in many of McCardell’s designs. The open back, which is slightly revealing, adds to the youthfulness of the piece.