Blue Bow Clasp, or A Perennial Motif in Fashion
A bow can be a real thing in fashion. Think two actual lengths of cloth tied into a bow that closes a dress or shoe. Pull on it and the dress or shoe falls open. Or it can be an unreal thing. Think a bow on a dress that looks tied but does not untie because it is really one length of cloth looped prettily and another length tacked around it keeping the pretty loops in place. Or a bow can be a motif. For example, the trompe l-oeil, French for “fool the eye” of a dark sweater with a an apparent pale collar and bow which was really only the use of two different colors of yarn which became a fad that made Elsa Schiaparelli famous for designing it in 1927. Bows have been tacked all over dresses as well, again serving no purpose but decoration.
This clasp serves a purpose and is decoration, but is only a reminder of a snappy little bow. This would have clasped shut an evening cape or coat and is made of base metal and blue glass gems. See on the back of the bow the bar on each half, each has two little holes for sewing the clasp to the edge of the garment. This could date almost any decade of the 20th Century because bows have been a perennial motif. It is over three inches long and is making me think that I really need to build up my outerwear for evening.
