![Irma G. Bowen Historic Clothing Collection](../../assets/md5images/79fb2d13d6420897fde6225f0710bbc3.jpg)
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![image preview](https://scholars.unh.edu/bowen_collection/2042/preview.jpg)
Creator
Tee-Ca New York
Date Created
1960s
Subject
Costume; Clothing; Main garments; Dresses
Description
1960s. One-piece black crepe sleeveless A-line knee-length cocktail dress with a black chiffon overlay and a black and white rhinestone standing band collar in the pattern of a Greek key.
The crepe dress is made of three pieces: one front panel with one horizontal dart from each side seam to the top of the bust and two back panels with a center-back seam with a 58.4 cm / 23 in. zipper. The panels are cut to curve in at the waist and out over the hips before narrowing slightly again toward the hem. A crepe standing band collar, 3.8 cm / 1.5 in. high, is completely covered by rhinestone trim with two hooks in back. A trapezoidal overlay of black chiffon with one front panel and two back panels with a center-back seam is sewn into the crepe at the neckline, scyes, and shoulder seams. Its side seams are cut on the diagonal and it drapes in soft folds down the length of the dress, floating freely over the figure-hugging garment beneath and extending slightly past its hem. A quarter-length lining made of the same crepe as the dress acts as a facing for the neckline and scyes and is just 6.4 cm / 2.5 in. long at its side seams.
Professionally made, with one label reading “Tee-Ca New York” and a store label reading “The College Shop, Manchester, N.H.” This dress shop was owned by Christine Recoutes Nassikas Costibos, who emigrated from Greece as a young child in 1909. While she herself was never able to fulfill her desire to further her education, her poignantly-named business and determination helped send her two sons to college. A scholarship for female students in need was established at the University of New Hampshire in her name by her family. Machine-sewn.
Extent
Bust: 91.4 cm / 36 in.
Waist: 76.2 cm / 30 in.
Shoulder: 6.4 cm / 2.5 in.
Hem (dress): 101.6 cm / 40 in.
Hem (overlay): 480.1 cm / 189 in.
Length (dress overall): 90.2 cm / 35.5 in.
Length (overlay at longest drape): 99.1 cm / 39 in.
Provenance
Gift of Christine Nassikas, UNH 1983, in memory of her grandmother, Christine Recoutes Nassikas Costibos. Worn by Christine Costibos.
Museum Number
2014.1.3
Publisher
University of New Hampshire Library
Medium
Crepe, chiffon
Contributor
Astrida Schaeffer, photographer/curator
Date Digitized
6-21-2019
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Keywords
Dresses, Cocktail dresses, 1960s, Manchester, New Hampshire, United States, One-piece dresses, A-line, Knee-length, Crepe, Chiffon, Overlay, Black (color), Rhinestones, White (color), Standing band collar, Greek key pattern, Darts, Hooks, Professionally made, Machine-sewn, Nassikas Costibos (donor)
Comments
The Irma G. Bowen Historic Clothing Collection digital catalog was produced by the UNH Library Digital Collection Initiative, supported in part by a grant from the Mooseplate program and New Hampshire State Council on the Arts. Additional funding provided by the E. Ruth Buxton Stephenson Memorial Fund.
Photography copyright, Astrida Schaeffer.