Dress worn by Lupita Nyong'o as Patsey in the film 12 Years a Slave

Source catalog description

This description refers to material held by Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Visual details below describe the original material.

Lupita Nyong'o wears this dress as the character Patsey in the film 12 Years a Slave. The dress is designed and weathered to resemble an early 19th century Regency era gown that survived until the 1840s setting of the film.The dress is a faded blush pink color with short sleeves and an empire waist. There is pleated detail at the front waistline. The bottom of the dress has a hidden hem which follows the frayed bottom edge and prevents additional tears. The back fastens closed with three buttons and four sets of hook-and-eye fasteners. The buttons are off-white and have circular detailing. The sleeves are puffed with interior snaps and tabs of fabric used to secure undergarments. Inside the proper left side of the back shoulder is a barcode [Western Costume/40982797]. There is an additional barcode on the proper right hip inside the dress that is struck through in red ink [Western Costume/40445971].

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