Silver Mylar dress, 1960s - All That Glitters...

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Silver Mylar dress, c. 1960s

Mylar, a polyester film developed in the early 1950s, was quickly adopted by a multitude of industries for its high tensile strength and overall stability. Its useful applications include food packaging, archival storage, electrical insulation, and space blankets–in addition to shiny dresses, such as this novelty example from the 1960s.

Details

Silver Mylar dress with applied paper flower decoration

Early 1960s

The Museum at FIT, 81.251.1

Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Maxime Hermanos

Metallic silver Mylar tent-silhouette dress with high-low hem. Dress has applied paper flower and butterfly motifs along the wearer’s right side and another at the back inside hem.

Skirt of metallic silver Mylar tent-silhouette dress with high-low hem, applied paper flower and butterfly motifs along the wearer’s right side and another at the back inside hem.

Back of metallic silver tent-silhouette dress with high-low hem. Dress has applied paper flower and butterfly motifs along the wearer’s right side and another at the back inside hem.

View of applied paper flower and butterfly motifs on silver Mylar dress

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Crystals, rhinestones, sequins, & beads

Fashion has used applied embellishments for centuries, using shiny facets and the movement of dangling pieces, such as beads and crystals, to draw the eye. Sequins are often made of plastic, though environmentally conscious designers have experimented with seaweed-based sequins, to maximize glamour while minimizing the ecological impact.