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Claire is a fashionable young lady of the first decade of the 20th century. She reflects the style made popular by the artist
Charles Dana Gibson in his drawings of the stylish and fun-loving "Gibson Girl" with her shirt-waist dress, delicate
features, upswept, bouffant hair-style and prodigious hats. The style after the turn of the twentieth century was for a smoother,
simpler line than in the Victorian period; there were no hoops under the skirts and bustles were less pronounced. The defining
fashion accessory in this look was the "straight front" or "s-shaped" corset which threw the bust forward,
the hips back and cinched the middle to a tiny wasp-waist; this corset was said to make ladies look as though they were leaning
into the wind! Emphasis was also placed on the blouse or bodice which was either man-tailored with a bow or tie, or delicately
feminine with elaborately embroidery, lace and pin-tucks. Sleeves were often pouffed and the front of the blouse very bouffant,
all to emphasize the tiny waist. Skirts were tailored and smooth in front and over the hips, with a hint of a train and more
fullness at the back. The hat was the finishing touch to the outfit and were often very large and elaborate, with bouquets
of flowers, plumes of feathers and yards of chiffon and ribbons--perhaps this is what kept them from blowing away!
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Claire is all set for a promenade in the park to enjoy the flowers of Spring. Her ensemble comes in two parts: the skirt and
the blouse. The elegant, tailored skirt is of rose-colored taffeta, with a tiny waist, accented with pink braiding and the
hem embellished with rose, green, and cream fringe. The blouse is of rose velvet burn-out in a floral pattern on a translucent
café-au-lait base, and it is lined with material of the same color. The sleeves are long and full but gathered at the shoulder
and wrist and trimmed at the wrist with the pink braid, which also forms the high neck. The blouse is also gently gathered
at the waist in front. The result is a very delicate and faithful representation of the Gibson Girl-styled shirt-waist.
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Accessories include a pretty, rose colored, heart-shaped ornament tied at the throat with pink ribbon, as well as a parasol
and, of course, a hat. The parasol is of the same rose taffeta as the skirt, trimmed with cream lace and ribbon, and the
handle is also wrapped in cream ribbon with a large pearl at the tip. The hat is also of rose taffeta; it has a rounded crown
with a hat-band of cream grosgrain ribbon. The brim is extremely wide and wired so that the shape can be adjusted; currently
the brim is swept up toward the crown on one side, showing off a bouquet of cream ribbon roses, and low in the front, back
and other side. A pale pink chiffon veil is gathered over the crown of the hat and cascades down the back Over the veil
at the back of the hat crown is a bunch of looped green and cream ribbons held together with a rose bud and the ends trailing
down the back. The hat is held on with a pearly pink hatpin. The doll also comes with gold earring and ring and pink boots.
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