Hobble skirt, queue de Paris, crinoline and corset; the fashion silhouette demands much of the female body through the ages. The Vereeniging voor Verbetering van Vrouwenkleeding (in short, the V.v.V.v.V.) was established in 1899. The members' protests against the existing fashions included the wearing of a train outdoors, tight stifling collars, high heels, and especially the tightly corsetted waists and heavy, closely woven fabric. One of the designs which aimed to improve the situation was developed by the Dutch woman Marie Thierbach-Paris, who aspired to simple clothing styles not dictated to by the fashion of the moment. The tunic-like ankle length Thierbach design, of which this pale green dress is a fine example, is based on minimal cutting of the material. The shape of the dress should be tailored by pleating the back and using soft material. The V.v.V.v.V. even established a special vocational school in 1909. One of the committee members and wearer and donator of this silk dress with macramé and beads was Mrs J.L. Redeke-Hoek.