Woman's dress in two parts

Claire McCardell was one of the most influential American designers of the 20th century, best known for her sportswear and for creating simple, comfortable clothes to suit the active lifestyle of modern women. She avoided heavy understructures and superfluous decoration, instead using creative and unconventional cut and draping to create elegant lines. She was particularly fond of wrapped and tied closures, finding them more practical than the traditional (and inconvenient) back buttons and zippers commonly used on dresses in the 1930s-50s. She often used very long "spaghetti string" ties to create a graceful pleated effect at the waist, as seen here. But the subtle and unusual two-tone color scheme (reversed in the bolero for balance) make this ensemble a particularly distinctive example of its type.