Popular culture, like movies and radio serials, emerged in the 1930s. Locally, Minnesota's frozen lakes fostered the growing sport of ice skating. The highly popular Ice Follies originated in the Twin Cities. St. Paulite Dorothy Snell (b. 1922) was coached by one of the Follies' founders and won acclaim for her amateur figure skating.
Dorothy Snell wore this yellow wool practice dress, hand-knitted by her mother, Clara Snell, about 1940. The one-piece costume has long sleeves, a fitted bodice, and a full, circular short skirt. Three white angora stripes decorate the skirt hemline and three white wool stripes decorate upper chest. A pair of matching shorts were worn with the costume.
The skates shown here were also worn by Dorothy Snell while skating competitively in the late 1930s. The skate blades were made by her uncle, J.E. Strauss of St. Paul.
Creator: Mrs. Clara Strauss Snell; J.E. Strauss
Publisher: Minnesota Historical Society
Dates: 1937–1940
Identifer: accession 2001.110.3,4
