Black shift-style dress with beaded neckline by Gene Bailey

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.

This is a black shift style dress with a beaded neckline. The dress is very slightly A-line with a slight outward flare at the hem. It is knee-length and has long sleeves. The V-neckline fastens closed in back with a loop and button. The button is black faceted plastic. This fastening creates a small keyhole opening at the back of the neckline, edged in crochet. Surrounding the neckline is an area embellished with beads that is scalloped along its edges and terminates in three fringed and beaded tassels that hang from the rounded point of the V-neckline. There are also black beads and crystal embellishments cascading in a line down the left front of the bodice of the dress. This line of embellishment begins near the neckline of the garment and fans out into a spray pattern about the mid-thigh. The dress has shoulder pads attached to the inside shoulders.

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