Dress c. 1937

Ray Price created this watercolor drawing of a dress, sometime between 1855 and 1995. Price’s rendering of the dress is fascinating because fashion is so often a marker of identity and social position. Made in America, we can consider how the dress might reflect changes in social structures, economic conditions, or political movements during Price's lifetime. Was it intended to evoke an earlier, perhaps idealized, era of social grace? Or did it challenge contemporary fashion trends? The inclusion of a schematic outline on the right suggests that Price was concerned with the design and construction of the garment, rather than just its appearance. By examining fashion magazines, social histories, and museum collections of clothing from the time, we can start to understand the place of this dress within a specific cultural and historical context. Understanding the social and institutional context is crucial to unlocking the full meaning of this artwork.