Material Type

Artifact

Date Range From

1975

Date Range To

1980

Materials

SYNTHETIC FABRIC

No. Pieces

1

Length

117.0

Description

GOLD/BROWN COLOUR; MATERIAL IS SOMEWHAT SHEER. FLOOR LENGTH. SHOULDER SECTION IS SEPARATE PIECE; CREATES A TIE AT FRONT OF DRESS. BELOW TIES A DEEP V IS CUT OUT OF BODICE, CREATING A KEYHOLE NECKLINE. FULL LENGTH SLEEVES ARE GATHERED AT SHOULDERS AND CUFFS. CUFFS EACH HAVE 2 METAL SNAPS. BODICE IS GATHERED TO SHOULDER SECTION AT FRONT AND BACK, AS WELL AS BAND AROUND WAISTLINE. SKIRT IS ALSO GATHERED AT WAISTLINE. THERE IS A ZIPPER ON LEFT SIDE OF DRESS, HIDDEN BY SEAM. TAG INSIDE NECKLINE READS "DAYMOR COUTURE MADE IN CANADA".

Subjects

CLOTHING-OUTERWEAR

Historical Association

PERSONAL CARE

History

BELONGED TO DONOR. DONOR WAS BORN IN INDIAN HEAD SASKATCHEWAN; HER FAMILY MOVED TO LETHBRIDGE IN 1955, WHERE SHE HAS REMAINED EVER SINCE. HER FATHER WAS A REPRESENTATIVE FOR FROSST PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANY IN LETHBRIDGE. DONOR IS PAST EMPLOYEE OF GALT MUSEUM. DONOR'S HUSBAND ANDREW IMMIGRATED TO LETHBRIDGE IN 1980; IS PAST CHAIRMAN OF THE GALT MUSEUM & ARCHIVES BOARD OF DIRECTORS. *UPDATE* IN 2018, COLLECTIONS ASSISTANT ELISE PUNDYK CONDUCTED A SURVEY OF PERSONAL ARTIFACTS INCLUDING SOME DONATIONS MADE BY JEAN JOHNSTONE (NEE POTTS). AN INTERVIEW WITH THE ORIGINAL DONOR JEAN JOHNSTONE WAS CONDUCTED. WHEN ASKED IF SHE REMEMBERED THE ARTIFACT SHE STATED, “YES IT WAS A SPECIAL DRESS I GOT... I HAD LOTS OF CLOTHES AND REALLY GOOD CLOTHES BECAUSE I’M TALL AND I COULD NEVER - I HAVE TO BUY FAIRLY DECENT CLOTHES EVERYTHING DIDN’T FIT RIGHT. … WHEN I HAD TO GO TO SOMETHING FANCY OR BE FAIRLY DRESSED UP… I WORE IT TO MANY, MANY FUNCTIONS BECAUSE IT WAS A CLASSIC SORT OF DRESS AND I HAVE THESE PAIR OF SHOES THAT GO WITH IT THAT ARE SO HIGH THAT I COULDN’T - I KEPT THEM BECAUSE THEY’RE FUN AND THEY’RE - THEY MUST HAVE THREE INCH HEELS, AND I’M TALL SO I WOULD NORMALLY BE TALLER THAN EVERYBODY WHICH CAME TO AN ADVANTAGE IN SOME WAYS SOME TIMES WHEN YOU WANTED SOME POWER. … I THINK THEY MUST BE A TWO AND A HALF/THREE INCH HEELS WHICH IS TALL FOR ME BECAUSE I’M FIVE, I WAS FIVE EIGHT AND A HALF WHEN I WORE THAT DRESS AND SO THAT MADE ME QUITE TALL AND IT IS A GORGEOUS DRESS.” “…THIS DRESS WOULD HAVE BEEN FROM THE ‘80S AND I DON’T REMEMBER IF I BOUGHT IT AT THE PICTURE BUTTE DRESS SHOP BUT THE PICTURE BUTTE DRESS SHOP IS TO - THE LADY THERE, ANN GIBBONS, WAS WONDERFUL. …SHE WOULD PHONE ME UP AND SAY “I HAVE SOME CLOTHES FOR YOU THAT I’VE PICKED OUT” AND I WOULD GO OUT AND TRY THEM ON AND INVARIABLY BUY QUITE A LOT OF IT. SHE WAS A GREAT PERSON, SHE KNEW WHAT LOOKED GOOD ON A PERSON AND WHAT DIDN’T. EVEN IN 1988 WHEN I WAS GOING TO GET MARRIED SHE PHONED AND SAID “I THINK I HAVE YOUR DRESS” SO I WENT OUT TO PICTURE BUTTE AND SURE ENOUGH… I EITHER BOUGHT IT FROM HER OR IMPERIAL WOMEN’S WEAR WHERE SHE USED TO WORK. IN LETHBRIDGE, AND IT WAS A DELIGHTFUL DRESS TO WEAR. YOU FELT GOOD IN IT.” THE INTERVIEW AND A FULL TRANSCRIPT OF THE INTERVIEW CAN BE FOUND IN PERMANENT FILE.

Catalogue Number

P20000011016

Acquisition Date

2004-06

Collection

Museum

Less detail