This traveling jacket with black velvet accents was worn with a matching full length skirt. It is probably from the 1910-1915 era. Notice the pleated front and that the sleeves are capped with tucks. The skirt would have been slightly flared and most similar to the straight skirts of the 1950's but slightly fuller. It is made of wool and belonged to Lula Margaret Launer Stansfield (below). Lula was born July 31, 1889 in Mt. Carmel, IL. She was the mother of Margaret Rue Stansfield.
This beautiful party dress is in the flapper style of the late 1920's, designed to be showy when dancing. It is made in two pieces. The overdress is sleeveless and has a skirt divided into several sections. These sections trimmed with matching gray fringe would swing and sway with the dancer's movements. The fringe is sewed diagonally. The underdress is plain but the top is made of flesh-colored fabric. The large cut beads at the waist are made of the semi-precious stone jet black. The dress was owned by Matty Hastings of Salem, IL and was purchased by Margaret Ruth Thompson Liddle at the Hastings estate sale. It sold for $1500 in 1975. The dress has been donated to the Wabash County Museum in memory of Mrs. Don Liddle.
