Dress c. 1940

Syrena Swanson sketched this dress with pencil and watercolor. Note the bows which adorn the gown. Bows, throughout history, have signified a range of meanings from unity to servitude. In earlier times, a bow might symbolize a binding agreement, the tying together of two parties. In ancient Rome, the knot represented a strong marital bond, a promise of fidelity and commitment. Yet, in the context of fashion, particularly during the Victorian era, bows took on a more decorative, even subservient role, adorning garments to emphasize feminine virtues. Here, do these bows suggest an agreement or a form of display? As we reflect on this image, remember how symbols evolve and reappear, echoing through time and culture in a continuous, twisting thread.