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Dress

Description

Gertrude Poe (1915-2017) was used to standing out in a crowd. Throughout her long journalistic career, she was often not just the only woman in a room, but the first woman permitted in the room, as when Poe became the first woman inducted into the now Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association’s Hall of Fame in 1987. This beaded silk net evening dress was worn by Poe at the Olney Theatre’s premiere of The Wizard of Oz. Covered entirely in two-tone green beads and sequins, the boldly-colored gown evokes Oz’s Emerald City. With its heavily padded shoulders, clingy drape, and beaded fishtail train that glimmered with every movement, this dress was a favorite of Poe’s and she wore it numerous times over the years, including in 2004 to the Laurel Historical Society Gala. Poe’s support of the Olney Theater continues today and, each year, one production a season is supported by her generosity.

Date

1980s

Contributor(s) Notes

Dress designed by Judith Ann Creations and sold in Neiman Marcus Group Inc. stores.

Materials

Silk, pearls, beads, sequins

Object ID

2018.2.34

Resource ID

287

Credit Line

Gift from the estate of Gertrude L. Poe

Digital Publisher

Digital resource provided by the Maryland Center for History and Culture

Rights

This digital image is made available here for private study, scholarship, and research. Commercial and other uses are prohibited without the permission of the Maryland Center for History and Culture. For more information, visit the MCHC’s Reproductions and Permissions web page.