Dress, Early 1900s

Two piece woman's white organdy dress with full skirt with panel on center front of skirt is trimmed lace and net through which is woven a white satin ribbon; a similar panel of lace, net and ribbon runs around the bottom of the skirt. Blouse has vertical gathers and tucking both front and back, running through center of garment; at both top and bottom of tucking are strips of net, lace and ribbon as on the skirt; blouse has small lace collar and a 6" piece of gathered net and lace falling from the shoulders giving the effect of a small cape; sleeves are three quarter length and trimmed at the bottom with a flounce of net, lace and ribbon; buttons down back with small pearl buttons.

Around the turn of the last century, women's fashion became less formal and confining, ushering in a new trend in separates. The shirtwaist became hugely popular and one of Fort Wayne and Indiana's biggest industries was the manufacture of shirtwaists. Samuel M. Foster who ran the Foster Shirtwaist Factory here in Fort Wayne is credited by some as the inventor of the ladies shirtwaist. Another local shirtwaist company, Wayne Maid, was producing fine lawn tailored shirtwaists trimmed with lace which were selling at the Wolf and Dessauer Department Store for $1.00 in 1912.