Description

Chestnut brown silk satin coat-dress cut in the DB 'H-line' (princess line, without waist seam). Three quarter length sleeves ending in turn-up cuffs. Very wide revers. Double breasted with 5 pairs of self fabric covered buttons (two pairs concealed by the turn-down revers). Lined in black with stiffened interlining in skirt to create full shape. Labelled 'Christian Dior, Paris'
Belonged to Faith Eaton, the Queen's doll restorer who lived in Little Venice. The suggestion has been made that this outfit was far to grand for her, so was a perquisite from the Queen or Princess Margaret around 1954-5.
The Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York has a similar coat-dress dated a/w 1955 (C.1.67.2.8).