What I Wore to the Election, November 1920

Day dress, c. 1920/1921. Silk with embroidery, paneled skirt, belt, and cotton underbodice.

In case you hadn’t noticed…..

Today is election day. And for the first time, a woman is a real contender for President of the United States. Whether you support her or not, we can’t deny that this is history in the making, which of course has got quite a lot of us women thinking about our right to vote.

Now, I voted early, a couple weekends ago, and there was no fanfare, not even much of a line. In, Vote, Out. Easy. Today, however, I am seeing many of my historical costuming friends going to the polls with some nod, however small, to the women’s suffrage movement. Some are wearing gold and purple ribbons or jewelry; some are wearing original, antique “Votes for Women” pins; and some are wearing full historic dress with yellow sashes. So, of course, even though I already voted, I wanted to show my support-remembrance-respect-pride not for any particular candidate, but for our nearly-and-only 100-year-old “right” to vote.

The nineteenth amendment, that which prohibited any US citizen from being denied the right to vote based on sex (but let’s be real here, we’re talking only white women still), was ratified on August 18, 1920.

Day Dress, c. 1920/21 – found on eBay, this dress was marked as plus size, but fits 34 bust / 29 waist perfectly. The loose lines of the 1920s can be deceiving.

The dress I am wearing today is an original frock I found on eBay. Made of brown silk with rather heavy turquoise and black embroidery, the dress has an interior strong cotton underbodice, and a bajillion hooks and eyes. It was labeled as “plus size,” but fits my 34-29-38 measurements perfectly, like it was made for me. I’m proud that today, Election Day, is its first wear.

 When I got the dress, I was giddy about the condition and the fit. I wasn’t sure of the date – late teens? early 20s? – so I leapt down the Research Rabbithole with gusto and found, as if by magic, this dress in Everyday Fashions of the Twenties: As Pictured in Sears and Other Catalogs for the year 1921.

Sears catalog, 1921 – The dress pictured in the middle bears an uncanny resemblance to my dress.

The dress in the illustration does differ – just by looking at it, the motifs are different, the belt is broader, the sleeves taper, the neckline shape is different. In the description, the differences increase. It says:

31F5155 – Navy Blue 

31F5156 – Black 

31F5157 – Taupe 

One material that ever figures in fashion’s scheme of things, regardless of the season is all silk satin messaline. Youthful grace has been displayed in the lines of the divided panels, so artistically trimmed with iridescent bead motifs. The generous girdle is adjusted in a novel way – the long fringe trimmed streamer slips through a loop, having the appearance of a knot. The waist lining of good quality batiste, is neatly finished at the top with a lacy looking edging.

The parts I marked in bold are where the two dresses differ rather greatly. Still, the design is almost exactly the same. It does make me wonder…where did my dress come from? Perhaps a competing catalog retailer? Perhaps it was made by a dressmaker? Maybe it even is a Sears dress (the Dover book is a survey, not a complete catalog), but from a different season, or pictured later or earlier in the same catalog.

Putting on the dress starts with the cotton underbodice. This is a sturdy cotton that hooks closed at center front. It is attached at the back and around the armscyes. There are additional bars on the left side (here seen on the right) to then hook the front of the silk bodice to.

The skirt has a hook and bar closure on the left side, along with a horizontal hook to keep the waist of the skirt attached to the underbodice.

The inset panel then hook across the underbodice, and the left side of the dress hooks to the panel. The belt isn’t tied, but snaps together on the left side.

Whatever the origin of this piece, it’s fascinating, rather sturdy, kindof fun to put on (unless you’re in a hurry), and easy to wear. I’ve not got a hat as befits it (yet), but I badly marceled my hair and have worn black stockings and Gibson shoes, along with a gold, purple, and white ribbon.

Worth it in every way, to pay homage to the women who courageously fought for our right to vote, and who wore their best dresses to the polls this day in 1920.

All put together. Notably, there is no staybelt in this dress. The underbodice is quite fitted but not tight (I don’t think it is too large or too small; just right). The rest of the dress is loose, not restricting in any way. Even the belt is loose. It’s quite wonderful to wear.