Wedding Dress
1922
1922
Silk, glass, wax
Worn by Mildred Virgina Kidder
Gift of Lila Coleman
Mildred Virginia Kidder (1899 – 1931) married Totton Peavey Heffelfinger on January 3, 1922. Their daughter, Lila Coleman, donated the dress and the images of her mother. Lila moved to New Canaan with her husband, Henry, in 1954 and has been an active member of the New Canaan community for over fifty years.
Mildred Heffelfinger’s dress is a beautiful example of 1920s wedding fashion. The loose, straight tailoring of the gown and short hemline reflect the popular styles of the decade, along with the elaborate embellishments of European lace. The train features pearl decor and the ever popular wax orange blossoms, symbolizing virtue and fertility. The veil has remained with the family and has been worn by generations of brides since 1922.
