Casgliadau Arlein

Dress worn by Rosemary James (1930-2019) when she was crowned Miss Llyswen, 1950s. Blue nylon with a flock print. Manufactured by Emenson.

pale blue, sleeve-less, shawl collar style dress with wide petticoat skirt. The front of the bodice is constructed from three parts joined by two vertical seams. The back of the bodice is constructed from two pieces and has a waist dart on either side of a CB metal zip. The zip starts 14cm below the collar seam and extends 18cm below the waist seam. The bodice has shoulder straps that are just under 2cm wide at their narrowest point. The wide collar has two pleats and is attached to the dress at rear neck and front but drapes loosely over the shoulders and upper arms. Upper fabric is a semi-transparent, tabby woven Nylon fabric with a white floral flock print. Below is an underlayer of opaque pale blue synthetic fabric. In addition, the skirt has a stiffened petticoat of white tabby woven cellulosic fabric. The petticoat is made from a single piece of fabric joined with a vertical seam at CB and a 29cm wide section of fabric, which has been gathered into this petticoat. The join between the two sections has been reinforced from the inside with a 2.3cm wide white cotton twill tape which has been machine-stitched in place. Inner seam allowances have been finished with overlocking stitches. Some hand sewing along arm holes.