Every little girl remembers playing dress-up — wearing her mother's heels and dreaming of elegant ball gowns.
The Kimball Art Center in Park City is bringing that dreamlike feminine elegance to life in its current exhibit of the dresses of Miss America 1953, Neva Langley Fickling.
Orignally from Georgia — she was Miss Georgia 1952 — Langley is a part-time Park City resident. She has performed piano with the Utah Symphony on a number of occasions.
Each of the 11 original gowns on display tells a chapter of Langley's Miss America story.
The seashell gown is coral with sea foam green. Sequins are carefully lined over the entire dress in a swirling pattern. The off-the-shoulder sleeves have long, hanging, veil-like sheens and are gracefully hung to show the drama of the dress. Langley wore the dress when she crowned her successor, breaking the tradition of Miss America ending her reign in white.
A black dress with a red undertones seems like an oddball in the bunch because it is so dark. Langley wore it during the talent competition as she played the piano.
To date, she is the only Miss America to win each category of the competition.
A gown made of what must be hundreds of yards of creamy, white tulle is accented with large rhinestones and small mirrors in an asymmetrical pattern. This dress seems modern, even by today's standards, which speaks to the collection's timeless appeal.
Another item that stands out is a simple pink dress with a long, gray cotton jacket. As was the style in the 1950s, a dress and matching coat was standard. The gray jacket has a pink rose print that accents the pink hue of the dress. Complicated ruching along the bust, knees and feet add a little something extra to this otherwise plain dress.
When Langley appeared in President Dwight D. Eisenhower's inaugural parade, she wore a textured, white, floral gown that she said was comfortable because of the addition of matching straps. The beading accents on the dress added a richness only appropriate for the event.
The standout dress in the collection is the champagne and pink gown, weighing in at 60 pounds. The pink of the bodice continues past the waist and meets delicate gold roping, which begins the transition to a champagne color. The silhouette is simply stunning.
A black and white gown with a dramatic sweetheart neckline has dramatic, wing-like extension from the bust. White and black sequins form a beautiful feather pattern. Although it has maintained its original beauty, obvious wear shows the age of this dress, which adds to the mystique of the exhibition, as it reminds you to notice the wear on some of the others.
Ceil Chapman, a prominent gown designer in Langley's era, designed an exquisite gown from Everglaze fabric in a pink rose color. The strapless gown is uniquely gathered at the waist and bodice. Langley said the she liked how the bow on the gown added a dramatic element.
Ballerina inspired, a simple ivory gown with a bell silhouette is strikingly simple and is even more so when you find out it was hand sewn by Langley's mother.
A colorful silk quilt, also hand made by her mother, is made of the silk ribbons from the flowers Langley received at her pageants.
Also on display are the crowns Langley wore during her reign as Miss America, as is her Miss America trophy.
One wall is dedicated to photographs from Langley's life. Some photos feature her with movie stars and family members and portray the personal life of a Miss America.
If you go...
What: Neva Langley Fickling Miss America 1953 gown exhibition
Where: Kimball Art Center 638 Park Ave., Park City
When: through Sept. 13, days and hours vary
How much: free, but donations accepted
e-mail: jnicholls@desnews.com