Material Type

Artifact

Other Name

ENSEMBLE

Date

1985

Materials

COTTON, POLYESTER, PLASTIC

No. Pieces

7

Length

143

Width

37

Description

A. DRESS: PINK DRESS WITH WHITE LACE HIGH-NECK COLLAR, SLEEVE TRIM, AND LACE SURROUNDING WHITE RIBBON FLOWERS ON SKIRT. DRESS HAS PUFFED SLEEVES THAT NARROW FROM ELBOW TO WRIST; SLEEVES HAVE FOUR TAN PLASTIC BUTTONS WITH FOUR WHITE COTTON BUTTON LOOPS AT CUFFS. DRESS HAS WHITE LACE HIGH-NECK COLLAR WITH FOUR PINK FLOWER-SHAPED BUTTONS DOWN BACK AND FOUR WHITE COTTON BUTTON LOOPS. DRESS HAS MACHINE-STITCHED SEAM AT CHEST AND SLEEVES, AND SEAM BELOW KNEES TO CREAT RUFFLED TRIM. INSIDE OF DRESS HAS FRAYING AT LOWER SEAM; INSIDE OF DRESS HAS WHITE COTTON PADDING AND PINK STITCHING TO ATTACH RIBBON-FLOWERS TO FRONT. DRESS HAS SMALL STAINING ON FRONT LOWER RUFFLED-TRIM AND ON FRONT LEFT-WEARING SIDE; DRESS SHOWS LITTLE VISIBLE SIGNS OF WEAR; OVERALL VERY GOOD CONDITION. B. CRINOLINE: CREAM CRINOLINE, 85.5CM LONG X 30.5CM WIDE. HAS CREAM COTTON SKIRT WITH FLORAL LACE HEMS AND MESH COVERING SKIRT HALFWAY DOWN. SKIRT HAS SLITS UP SIDES RUNNING HALFWAY UP SIDES; FRONT MESH LAYERS HAVE CREAM TULLE EDGING; BACK MESH LAYERS ARE LONGER THAN FRONT. SKIRT WAIST HAS TWO SILVER SAFETY PINS ATTACHED; FRONT AND BACK LAYERS OF MESH HAVE CLEAR, WAXY STAINING IN PATCHES. OVERALL VERY GOOD CONDITION. C. HAT: PINK HAT, 10 CM TALL X 38CM DIAMETER. HAS CREAM LACE TRIM AROUND BASE AND RIM, WITH TWO LOOSE LACE STRANDS AT BACK. HAT IS WOVEN WHITE POLYESTER WITH ADDED PINK CLOTH COVERING. LACE IS MACHINE-STITCHED TO HAT. BACK OF HAT HAS THREE CREAM RIBBON ROSES ATTACHED AND PEARL HAT PIN. HAT HAS PINK CLOTH PADDED INSIDE OF BRIM AND PADDING HALF INSIDE. WHITE TAG ON INSIDE OF HAT HAS BLACK TEXT “R4001, MADE IN TAIWAN, FABRIQUE A TAIWAN, OLEFIN 100% OLEFIN, CA-00230 LAVABLE/WASHABLE”. HAT SHOWS LITTLE VISIBLE SIGN OF WEAR; OVERALL EXCELLENT CONDITION. D. CUMBERBUN: PINK CLOTH CUMBERBUN, 96.1CM LONG X 12CM WIDE. CUMBERBUN HAS PINK BOW AT FRONT AND TWO ROWS OF FOUR SILVER HOOK-CLASPS TO SECURE ENDS AROUND. BACK HAS FOUR DECORATIVE FOLDS ACROSS. BOW IS SECURED WITH HAND-STITCHING; LEFT WEARING SIDE HAS STITCH TORN FROM BOW TO CUMBERBUN. CUMBERBUN SHOWS LITTLE VISIBLE SIGN OF WEAR; OVERALL VERY GOOD CONDITION. E. SASH: PINK CLOTH SASH, 148.6CM LONG X 12CM WIDE. SASH HAS HALF-FOLD OVER BEGINNING AT END THAT TAPERS TO NO FOLD ALONG SASH AT OTHER END. EDGES ARE MACHINE STITCHED; SASH HAS DARK STAIN ON INSIDE. SASH SHOWS LITTLE SIGN OF VISIBLE WEAR; OVERALL VERY GOOD CONDITION. F. SHOES: PAIR OF SHOES, 14.6CM TALL X 19CM LONG; THREE INCH HEELED SHOES, BROWN WITH PINK BOWS AT TOES; SIDES AND TOES OF SHOES ARE MESH; INSIDE SOLES ARE WHITE LEATHER. INSIDE ON HEEL IS EMBROIDERED FLAG WITH RED STITCHING “9 WEST TM”. INSIDE SHOES ARE BLACK WEAR MARKS AT HEELS AND TOES. BOTTOM OF SHOES IS BROWN LEATHER; LEATHER IS WORN AND STAINED; HEELS ARE SCUFFED AND WORN AT BASE. BOTTOMS OF SHOES HAVE EMBOSSED TEXT IN LEATHER “L-CARLOTTA, MADE IN BRAZIL, LEATHER SOLE, 8M”. OVERALL VERY GOOD CONDITION. G. BAG: PINK DRAWSTRING BAG, 69CM LONG X 21.3CM WIDE. BAG HAS CREAM FLORAL LACE OVERLAY ON PINK CLOTH, WITH FLORAL LACE TRIM AT BOTTOM AND PINK-PEACH CORD HANDLES. BAG HAS PINK LINING; SMALL STAINING INSIDE BAG AND SMALL STAIN ON FRONT LACE. BAG SHOWS LITTLE VISIBLE SIGN OF WEAR; OVERALL VERY GOOD CONDITION.

Subjects

CLOTHING-OUTERWEAR

Historical Association

PERSONAL CARE

COMMEMORATIVE

History

ON JUNE 21, 2017, COLLECTIONS TECHNICIAN KEVIN MACLEAN INTERVIEWED PEGGIE STICKEL REGARDING HER DONATION OF A HOME-MADE LETHBRIDGE CENTENNIAL DRESS AND ACCESSORIES. STICKEL WORE THE DRESS IN THE CENTENNIAL PARADE AND FOR THE FESTIVITIES IN 1985. WHEN ASKED ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE DRESS ENSEMBLE, STICKEL RECALLED, “WOODWARD’S…HAD A FLOAT IN THE PARADE FOR THE CENTENNIAL, AND I WAS ON THE FLOAT, WEARING THIS DRESS. IT WAS JUST A REMINDER OF THE GOOD OLD DAYS.” “[WOODWARDS WAS] ALWAYS VERY DRIVEN TO BE ACTIVE IN THE COMMUNITY. THEY DID A LOT OF CHARITY THINGS…ONE OF THE MANAGERS HAD AN OLD, BEAT UP…FARM TRUCK, AND THEY GOT THIS IDEA THEY WERE GOING TO DO A FLOAT…THEY DID A FLOAT [FOR THE CENTENNIAL], AND THEY ASKED MYSELF AND TWO OTHER GALS TO PARTICIPATE, AND WE WERE GOING TO DRESS IN THAT TURN OF THE CENTURY ATTIRE. MY SISTER-IN-LAW [GAIL STICKEL], WHO IS A SEAMSTRESS, SPENT WEEKS PUTTING THIS DRESS TOGETHER. SHE RESEARCHED IT. SHE RESEARCHED ALL THAT AGE, THE TYPE OF LACE…EVEN THE BUTTONS THAT THEY WORE. IT TOOK HER WEEKS TO MAKE IT AND I WENT DOWN [TO COUTTS] ABOUT EVERY WEEK AND WE’D FIT IT, AND MESS WITH IT AND TRY IT ON AGAIN. SHE FINALLY HAD IT DONE AND THEN PARADE DAY CAME, AND THERE I WAS ON TOP OF THE FLOAT.” “I WAS WILLING TO MAKE THE EFFORT TO BUY THE MATERIAL, AND ARRANGE TO HAVE MY SISTER-IN-LAW MAKE IT FOR ME…NOT EVERYBODY WANTED TO GO TO THAT MUCH TROUBLE. THERE WERE PEOPLE THAT RODE ON THE FLOAT OR DROVE IN IT, BUT WE WERE THE ONLY ONES THAT WERE ALL DRESSED UP.” “I MUST HAVE GONE DOWN [TO MY SISTER-IN-LAW’S] AT LEAST FOUR TIMES WHEN I WAS OFF ON THE WEEKENDS, SO IT MUST HAVE TAKEN HER OVER A MONTH [TO MAKE]. SHE WAS WORKING FULLTIME TOO BUT SHE’D WORK [ON THE DRESS IN] EVENINGS. I’D COME DOWN THE WEEKEND AND SHE’D WANT MORE OF THE LACE OR FORM FOR THE HAT, SO IT WAS GOOD TIMES WITH HER TOO. WE GOT VERY CLOSE.” “[GAIL] COULD REALLY SEW. SHE MADE CLOTHES FOR HER GRANDKIDS. SHE COULD PUT SOMETHING TOGETHER OUT OF NOTHING…SHE WAS RELAXED AND HAPPY I WOULD BE JUMPING OUT OF MY SKIN.” ON HER TIME WEARING THE DRESS, STICKEL NOTED, “THE ONLY THING I REALLY REMEMBER WAS WE GOT IN FRONT OF THE OLD…YORK HOTEL ON 13TH STREET. IT STARTED UP AT THE NORTH END AND WENT DOWNTOWN. WE GOT TO THE YORK, AND FOR WHATEVER REASON THE PARADE STOPPED. THERE WAS SOME SORT OF [STOP] UP AHEAD. THERE WE WERE ON THE FLOAT, AND THE CAMERAMEN FROM THE LOCAL TELEVISION STATION ARE UP ON THE ROOF. WE’RE LOOKING AROUND, ESPECIALLY ME, “WHAT’S GOING ON? WHY ARE WE STOPPED, WHY ARE WE STOPPED?”. THESE GUYS ARE UP ON THE ROOF AND THEY’RE GOING “SMILE, SMILE” AND WE’RE STUCK THERE FOR FIVE MINUTES. I COULDN’T SMILE THAT LONG. THAT’S MY ONLY REAL STRONG MEMORY OF THAT DAY.” “THERE WAS ANOTHER PARADE AND I DID WEAR THE DRESS IN THAT TOO…IT COULD HAVE BEEN THE [HUDSON’S] BAY…BECAUSE THEY BOUGHT OUT WOODWARD’S… THEY HAD WAS THAT BIG BOAT AND I WASN’T WORKING [AT THE BAY]…SOMEONE THAT WORKED THERE KNEW THAT I HAD THIS DRESS AND SO THEY INVITED ME TO COME AND RIDE IN THAT PARADE. SO I DID. MY HUSBAND WAS IN IT TOO. THE THEME WAS “TRADING DAYS” WITH THE BAY…THAT’S THE ONLY OTHER TIME I WORE IT.” “I THINK BACK THEN I WAS PRETTY PROUD OF MYSELF. THE IDEA OF RIDING IN THE PARADE, GETTING THE ATTENTION, HAVING MY FAMILY SEE ME IN THE PARADE, AND I THOUGHT I WAS VERY PRETTY. I WANTED TO SHOW OFF A LITTLE I GUESS. THAT WAS A BEAUTIFUL DRESS SO IT WAS A GOOD TIME.” STICKEL ELABORATED ON HER TIME AT WOODWARDS, “I STARTED AT WOODWARD’S IN THE EARLY ‘80S. I WORKED THERE FOR 15 YEARS. I WAS A SUPERVISOR [FULL-TIME IN COSMETICS], AND IT WAS ONE OF THE BEST PHASES OF MY LIFE. THE MOST FUN. THAT’S WHEN PEOPLE REALLY GOT OUT AND DID THINGS, AND WEREN’T ALWAYS LOOKING AT THEIR PHONES AND PLAYING GAMES. WE USED TO SIT AROUND AND TALK, AND VISIT, AND GO OUT. THE DRESS JUST MEANT MY YOUTH.” ON HER MOTIVATION FOR DONATING THE DRESS ENSEMBLE, STICKEL NOTED, “BASICALLY, WE’RE GETTING OLDER, AND WE WANT TO DOWNSIZE. I WANTED TO PUT THE DRESS SOMEWHERE WHERE IT COULD BE POSSIBLY ADMIRED. I REALLY DIDN’T HAVE ANYONE ELSE THAT I COULD THINK OF OTHER THAN THE GALT THAT MIGHT WANT TO HAVE IT.” “IT WAS A PART OF MY LIFE IT’S OVER NOW, AND IF SOMEBODY CAN LOOK AT IT AND SAY “WOW, YOU KNOW SOMEBODY PUT A LOT OF WORK INTO THAT” OR “WHAT A GORGEOUS COLOUR”…IT’S BETTER THAN SENDING IT OFF TO THE DUMP OR TEARING IT UP FOR RAGS. I WOULD HATE TO SEE THAT.” THE LETHBRIDGE CENTENNIAL CELEBRATIONS ON APRIL 6, 1985 INCLUDED A PARADE, BALL, AND FASHION SHOW WITH CATEGORIES FOR STYLING FROM EVERY DECADE FROM THE 1880S TO THE 1980S. ARTICLES FROM THE LETHBRIDGE HERALD INDICATED ATTENDANCE REACHED APPROXIMATELY 300 PEOPLE AT EXHIBITION PARK, AND ATTRACTED FAMILIES WITH THE PARADE, A PENNY ARCADE, CARTOONS, WAGONS AND AN ICE CREAM PARLOUR. FOR MORE INFORMATION INCLUDING FULL INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPTION AND LETHBRIDGE HERALD ARTICLES, PLEASE SEE THE PERMANENT FILE P20170021000-GA.

Catalogue Number

P20170021000

Acquisition Date

2017-06

Collection

Museum

Less detail