A 1948 Wedding Dress

The objects in the Costume Collection of the Maryland Historical Society are a cross-section of Maryland life, reflecting changing trends and technological advances. Many garments entered the collection without information about the people who wore them or made them, so finding objects that do have such documentation is always exciting. 

MdHS 1972.111.13a+b

Unlike many objects we’ve processed this summer, we know for certain both the maker and wearer’s names for this wedding ensemble. Martha Bokel made the dress and train for her niece Marcia O’Brien’s wedding on November 27, 1948.

Ms. Bokel included an embroidered commemorative card when she donated the garments, along with the slip the bride wore, to the Historical Society in 1972.

The dress and train are matching ivory satin. The dress has a high neckline and long sleeves with pointed cuffs. The decoration is subtle: silk cord at the neck and waist, covered buttons at the back and cuffs, and four gathers at the elbows. These simple additions draw the viewer’s attention to the heavy, luxurious fabric, and would have been relatively easy for a dressmaker working alone to make. Other details point to the ensemble being altered. The dress hem is higher in front, and the dress closes with a concealed side zipper, making the buttons in the back purely decorative. An extra panel has also been added at the back to make the dress a bit wider. These changes might mean that the dress originally belonged to another bride and was altered to fit Marcia. They might also mean that the dress’s design changed over repeated fittings.

The waist seam is open in the back to allow the attachment of a separate train. This train is cathedral length, measuring 99” from waist to hem. Marcia O’Brien, the bride, was fairly tall, but the train still has a dramatic sweep. The train attaches to the dress with a row of hook-and-eye closures and has its own waistband, so the train’s weight is spread out and it attaches to the dress without an obvious connection. The train’s lining is heavily stained, likely from contact with the ground.

Wedding dresses tend to follow contemporary trends. Patterns first published in 1948 show dresses with similar necklines and sleeves, so this dress would have been both fashionable and practical for a November wedding. MdHS has many garments that the donors saved as reminders of important events in their lives, and the wedding dresses are no exception.  They allow us to have a glimpse into the lives of Marylanders throughout its history.

MdHS 1972.111.13a+b. Gift of Martha Bokel.