Duster Coat
Period1900- 1910
Place MadePossibly New Jersey, U.S.A.
MediumLinen, cotton
Dimensions54 in. (137.2 cm)
ClassificationsCostume, Women's
Credit LineMuseum Collection
Object number2021.507
DescriptionA woman's traveling coat known as a duster, made of lightweight brown linen. The coat includes a button front closure, small pointed flat collar, long sleeves, and large gathered pockets at both hips. The coat is highlighted with brown cotton piping, applied along the front closure edges, collar, cuffs, and along the shaped princess back seams. The piping is used additionally in decorative pointed tab panels on the cuffs, pockets, and down the back vent.Curatorial RemarksLightweight long linen coats were necessities for both men and women in the early days of automobile travel. These coats, known as "dusters" or "duster coats," were practical garments constructed to be loose-fitting and lightweight. Almost always made of linen, dusters protected the wearer's clothing from the dust, dirt, oil, and mud kicked up while driving. This particular woman's duster includes some interesting and elegant details. The slight fitted back, with its long princess seams highlighted with dark brown piping, along with the decorative pointed tab trim on cuffs, pockets, and along the back vent, setting it apart from the usual baggy dusters.
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