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.