Black silk taffeta blouse with back drawstring

Source catalog description

This description refers to material held by Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Visual details below describe the original material.

A black silk taffeta blouse with a back drawstring. The blouse features a 1" band collar made from one panel of fabric. The front of the blouse is made from two panels of fabric that are pleated at the shoulder seams. They close down the center front with five metal snaps hand sewn to a 1 ¼” wide button placket. Both sleaves are made from one panel of fabric that are seamed at the inner arm. They are gathered and sewn into both the shoulder seams and 3” cuffs. Each cuff has a 4” placket leading to it. The interior and exterior cuff panels encase a layer of stiffener (possibly buckram) between them. The back of the blouse is one panel of fabric that is slightly shorter than the front. The back is gathered near the hem and sewn to a 1” self-fabric drawstring channel that contains a 3/8” width self-fabric drawstring. The interior of the blouse is unlined and there is no label.

Catalog date

1900s

Recorded subjects

African American; Clothing and dress; Craftsmanship; Fashion

Explore Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture ↗