George and Buddy - South of France - Summer 1951 - Photo is from the William Blackshear collection, which was donated to the Palestine Public Library.

Photograph of the side of Notre-Dame-la-Grande in Poitiers, France. In the foreground, a street is visible in front of the church. The city of Poitiers is visible past the church on the right side.

Photograph of Notre-Dame-la-Grande in Poitiers, France. The church facade is visible in the foreground. Multiple people are visible in front of the church. Buildings and trees are visible in the background.

Photograph of the Troyes Cathedral in Troyes, France. In the foreground, the west facade of the cathedral is visible. An empty street is visible in front of the cathedral. The cathedral has red doors.

Photograph of the town of Vézelay, France. The photograph was taken from the Basilica of St. Mary Magdalene looking down at the town. The city streets and rooftops fill the foreground. Surrounding fields and countryside are visible in the background.

Evening gown and stole of silk satin.

Two-piece gray faille moire wool and nylon suit. Jacket is long, with wide notched collar, is double breasted, has bound button holes, and buttons below waist. It has a sculptural double-breasted front panel, that maintains a vertical linear center front, rounded shape visually flanks stomach area. The skirt is straight; slightly below knee length.

(At Left) Evening ensemble of brown silk shantung. The camisole is sleeveless, with a boat neckline. Center back closure with 10 small circular buttons covered with matching fabric. The blouse is lined in dark brown silk, and has an inner structure of net and metal boning. The understructure extends below the top to give structure to the skirt. The inner net and boning layer has a center back closure of 14 hook-and-eyes, matching along same line as outer closure. The skirt is of matching materials, A-line, below-the-knee length. It has a 2" waistband decorated with horizontal ruching. Center-back zipper closure with two hook-and-eyes in waistband. The skirt has an attached black rayon gorgette underslip, and an attached black nylon petticoat. The petticoat has a horsehair braid incorporated in the hem for stiffening. The matching swing coat is calf length, with a rolled collar and short sleeves. It is constructed with several layers of organza for structure and a tuck panel around the coat for decoration and flounce. Lined in brown silk. There are no labels in the garment. Photograph is from the exhibition "Haute Couture - The Great Paris Designers", held at The Grace Museum, Abilene Texas, October 17 - …

Ensemble in black and oatmeal colored wool, consisting of: A) Jacket: Semi-fitted wool in abstracted herringbone weave with black and oatmeal yarns running double throughout; moderately rounded neckline with asymmetrical mandarin collar; full-length raglan sleeves with overarm seam and undersleeve; double breasted front opening with eight round, plastic, oatmeal colored buttons and four bound buttonholes supplemented by single hook & eye inside lap at waist; vertical welt pockets on front lined in black silk; fully lined in black silk. Designer's label at inside collar: "Balenciaga / 10 Avenue George V Paris" and "Made in France". Retailer's label at inside side seam: "Neiman-Marcus" B) Dress: Knee length dress; bodice of black wool gauze with jewel neckline; sleeveless; lapped center front opening with four round self-covered buttons and bound buttonholes supplemented by single snap and hook & eye; bodice gathers into seam at natural waistline; gathered hip yoke of same gauze; straight skirt of matching herringbone has three snaps at center front opening; folded hem; gauze is lined in black silk organdy; skirt is unlined.

Cocktail dress of fuschia (cranberry) silk with black feather print; bodice has round neckline and three-quarter length sleeves; skirt is knee-length and very full, gathered at waist and covered by a short piece of self fabric.

Evening ensemble consisting of gold brocade evening gown trimmed in white mink with matching coat and detachable train. A) Evening coat of gold brocade. Ballerina length with short, dolman sleeves. Banded neckline. Center front opening is cutaway in front below waist and tapers to hem. Lined in gold metallic organdy. B) Evening dress of gold brocade with white mink fur trim at the neckline and hips. Full length with princess seaming and slight A-line to skirt. Scooped back. Fur trim around neckline and back goes over shoulders to form straps of dress. Center back zipper. Belt of fur at hips closes in back the 3 covered hook & eyes. Skirt lined in white tulle. Bodice is boned and lined in white netting and closes in back with hook & eyes. Designer's Label: "Balenciaga / 10 Avenue George V Paris" Model label behind designer's label: "74184" C) Detachable train of gold brocade. Train is rectangular in shape and gathers into smocking where it attaches to back of dress with snaps and hook & eyes. Floor length. Unlined.

Ball gown of pink silk taffeta. The off-the-shoulder design has several layers of cream colored Chantilly lace around the neckline/shoulder edge. The dress itself is of bright fuchsia pink silk taffeta with ties over each arm. The bodice is seamed and fitted, with a left side seam zipper. The attached matching taffeta skirt is gathered and draped horizontally, and has several layers of Chantilly lace at hem. The skirt has three hoops under the lining.

Charcoal gray wool two-piece suit. a) Jacket: Fitted jacket of gray diamond twill wool; V-neckline with notched collar and peaked lapels; full-length, two piece, set in sleeves; lapped center front opening with two round, black, plastic buttons and bound buttonholes with snaps between buttons; fronts have shoulder and waist darts; two pairs of faux pocket flaps with buttons on fronts at bust and hip; back has low-slung, self fabric belt buttoned on above two faux vents at hem; fully lined in gray silk. b) Skirt: Matching princess line, knee length skirt with narrow rolled waistband; straight hip yoke all around; inverted box pleat falls from yoke at center back; offset left side back zipper closure supplemented by one hook&eye closure on waistband; hem is faced with gray silk; fully lined in gray silk.

Pillbox hat covered with draped silk scarf of black with pink polka dot print. Knotted accent on back states "Balenciaga" on pink border with frayed ends.

Pillbox hat of black velvet. The low, cylindrical, slightly domed hat is completely covered in black velvet. Affixed to the center front of the hat is a roughly fan-shaped aigrette of simulated gems and metallic braid with a surmounting spray of white feathers. The crown is lined in black fabric, and has a black grosgrain ribbon running along the inside bottom edge. Sewn to the inner ribbon is a plastic comb to secure the hat to the wearer's head.

Light and charcoal gray two-piece daytime skirt suit with leather belt. Fitted jacket of light gray heavy weight wool, having a V-neckline with moderate shawl collar. 3/4 length sleeves are cut in one with jacket body and supplemented by one triangular shaped gusset under the arm. Lapped center front opening with two large, round, gray plastic buttons and bound buttonholes supplemented by single hook&eye at waist seam. One pair of faux pocket flaps at bust level. Leather belt. Plain slim skirt of dark charcoal gray wool, just below knee-length.

Suit of brown and black wool tweed consisting of jacket, skirt, and vest.

Hat of reddish-pink wool. The derby style hat has a domed crown made of four sections of cloth that meet at center. Each section has chevrons of stitching, which point towards the center of the crown, giving a subtle quilted effect. Narrow brim rolls upwards at sides and back. A black suede(?) bow is applied to base of crown at center left. Inside base of crown is a band of pink grosgrain ribbon. Sewn to inner ribbon band is maker's label: "Balenciaga / 10 Avenue George V Paris" and label "Made in France"

Cocktail hat of violet silk satin. The hat is formed of a low, cylindrical, flat-topped pillbox-style crown covered in drapes of violet/purple silk satin fabric. At center front/top of the crown are two large sculptural stiffened loops of the fabric. Crown is lined in cream fabric. Along inside lower edge of crown is a cream grosgrain ribbon band.

Hat with long flowing black feathers falling from a sculpted black silk tulle crown.

Cloche hat of tan milan straw. The high crown is slightly dished, and narrows to brim, with wide band of tan/very pale green grosgrain ribbon at base with large "bow" at side. The straw brim is down-turned. The crown has an inner brown grosgrain ribbon hatband. Designer's label sewn to inner hatband: "Roger Heim / Made in France Paris", and retailer's ribbon sewn just above designer's label: "Made in France for / Neiman-Marcus".

Hat of gray felt. The domed crown is constructed with the the outline of a rounded square, with attached stiffened double-brim, which turns up on all sides, forming a point at front and at sides, but rounded in back. At the back of the hat the brim extends downwards, forming a point. The hat is unlined, and edged with a black grosgrain ribbon inner hatband. A small stitched star on the hatband indicates the front of the hat. Visible behind the ribbon in one section is the woven straw backing used to stiffen the brim. Designer's label inside crown, sewn to ribbon band: "Hattie Carnegie / Custom Made" Stamped inside crown on felt: Circular mark containing a logo of three rabbits and partly missing word "... URLAP", and below logo ".... en France".

Hatlet of burgundy fabric covered with artificial flowers. The hatlet is formed as an oval of stiffened burgundy fabric intended to be worn across the top of the head. The hatlet is almost entirely covered with artificial flowers of velvets, silk, and other fabrics. The flowers are primarily in pinks/purples/reds, with green stems and leaves. The hat is lined in black satin and edged with an inner hatband of black grosgrain ribbon. A small stitched mark on the ribbon indicates the front of the hat. Designer's Label: "Lilly / Daché / Paris New York". Label is very large, extending across the full width of the inside of the hatlet, the word "Paris" partly obscured by the grosgrain ribbon.

Calotte hat of brown velvet. One hatpin with black, avocado shaped head. Brim and top center seam meet to form V-shaped opening. Designer's label on inside hat band: "Balenciaga Hats . Paris" Retailer's label beneath designer's label: "Neiman-Marcus / Salon"