Bear Hugs Sewn for a Hum Ec Class in the ’50s, Alum’s Dress Comes Home Ithaca resident Peggy Flynn Dunlop ’59, MS ’63, has donated the striking red garment to the Fashion + Textile Collection “Bear Hugs” celebrates heartwarming stories of Cornellians on the Hill and around the world. Have an idea? Email us at cornellians@cornell.edu! By Melissa Newcomb As a sophomore, Peggy Flynn Dunlop ’59, MS ’63, made a red dress for a pattern-design course in Human Ecology. Now—68 years later—that garment has made its way back to the Hill to join the Fashion + Textile Collection. Dunlop sewed the dress from silk—with Chinese motif circles woven into the fabric—that her father had brought her back from a business trip to the Far East. providedDunlop (front row, far left) with members of her Dickson V corridor before a formal event. She created the side-slit, below-the-knee-length dress in a Chinese-inspired style—partly in homage to Hong Kong, where she was born to expat parents. “I designed it with the idea of frogs as closures—but the only frogs that you could buy were in black, and I wanted them to match the dress,” recalls the longtime Ithaca resident, now aged 87. “I knew I’d have to figure out how to make them myself.” So she headed to CALS’ Mann Library, where she found a book with instructions on constructing the frog-shaped closures. jason koski / Cornell UniversityA detail of the left side, with Dunlop’s handmade closures. She hand-crafted each one from cording that she covered in the same red silk fabric before carefully stitching it to the dress so it could function like a button. Dunlop doesn’t remember exactly how long the dress took to make—but it did require a trip to NYC’s Garment District during spring break, after she ran out of red silk before making the underskirt, and bought the closest match she could find. The dress earned her high praise in class—and although Dunlop only wore it to a few fraternity Christmas parties, she never parted with it. providedA senior portrait from her Cornell days. “I guess there was a reason that I held on to it all these years,” she observes. The dress is currently on temporary exhibit in a display case in the Human Ecology Building. As part of the fashion collection, it joins more than 10,000 items of apparel, textiles, and accessories from the 18th century to present day. “The design showcases an exceptional level of craftsmanship and originality for a student garment,” says collection director Denise Green ’07, an associate professor of human centered design. “The dress is also deeply personal, and reflects so much about Peggy—including her attention to design and eye for both modesty and movement.” Dunlop’s love for sewing began at age 11, when she learned the craft from her mother and grandmother. I guess there was a reason that I held on to it all these years. As she explains, she honed her skills as a seamstress for reasons both personal and practical. Childhood polio had left her with curvature of the spine, which made it difficult to find off-the-rack clothing that fit comfortably. The red dress, while one of her more memorable creations, was just one of many garments she sewed for herself. providedWith her mother (left) and mother-in-law at Commencement for her master’s degree. Now, she says, “it’s such a wonderful feeling to know it’s someplace where it can be appreciated.” After earning her undergrad degree in what’s now known as design and environmental analysis, Dunlop moved to San Francisco with a Delta Gamma sorority sister and worked as a high school home ec teacher. The design showcases an exceptional level of craftsmanship and originality for a student garment. Collection director Denise Green ’07 She spent two years in what she calls an “absolute dream job,” before heading back to the Hill to earn a master’s degree, which was required to obtain a permanent teaching certificate. She’d taken a leave of absence, intending to return as quickly as she could—until fate intervened. jason koski / Cornell UniversityDunlop holds a newspaper photo of herself (far left) wearing the dress. “I ran into a classmate who would become my husband,” Dunlop recalls. “Previously, we had only met the first week of classes, when we were both freshmen.” She and ILR alum David Dunlop ’59 were married for 60 years until he passed away in 2023. David, who worked as a University fundraiser for nearly four decades, had been a Big Red star wrestler and football player. He was inducted into the Cornell Athletics Hall of Fame in 1991. (Their children include a fellow Hum Ec alum, Lauren Dunlop Schler ’00.) Also an avid quilter, Dunlop collected more than 2,000 bolts of fabric over the course of many years. providedWith David on their wedding day. In 2022, she donated all of it—eight box trucks’ worth—to help start Ithaca’s Community Quiltmaking Center, where local residents can quilt for free. Says Dunlop: “The gifts that I have given are giving back to me in very special ways.” Published July 17, 2025 Top: Dunlop with the dress, currently on display in the Human Ecology Building with other items from the Fashion + Textile Collection. (Jason Koski / Cornell University) Comments Lynn Leopold 17 Jul, 2025 Peggy’s donation of her lifetime collection of fabric to the Community Quilt-making Center at Finger Lakes ReUse has not only created a warm, inviting space for anyone to come to learn to sew and quilt, regardless of personal circumstances, it has created a community. The best thing about Peggy’s generous donation is that it has brought together a circle of people who admire her and what she has done with her life, and in the process these have all become new friends and comrades who enjoy sharing their talents with others. Several of us got a field trip to see the famous red dress and were just amazed at its beauty and timelessness of design. Reply Amy Spaziani, Class of 1999 17 Jul, 2025 The dress is beautiful and I enjoyed learning about how the frog-shaped closures were made. Reply Jean McPheeters, Class of 1972 18 Jul, 2025 Dave and Peggy were stalwarts of the Brooktondale community, and I am thrilled to read this article about Peggy’s amazing skill. Imagine making frogs! Reply Judith Rossiter 22 Jul, 2025 A lovely story about one of the nicest people in Ithaca. Judge Judy Rossiter (retired), JD’86 Reply Pat Castaldo Hobbie, Class of 1959 22 Jul, 2025 Hi Peggy, Loved the article . Took me right back to Cornell and ignited wonderful memories of the clothes we wore to formals and other happy occasions and so much more. Happy times. Thanks. Patty Castaldo Hobbie Reply Harry Petchesky, Class of 1959 22 Jul, 2025 a beautiful story about a beautiful classmate Reply Dan Martin, Class of 1958 23 Jul, 2025 Dear Peggy, As you might imagine, I know very little about sewing or fashion. But when I saw your picture and that stunning red dress I dived into the article. I learned some new things about you – that you were born in Hong Kong and had polio as a youngster. I also learned a new definition of “frog”! You are indeed one of (if not THE) nicest people in Ithaca! Am still planning to go there, probably this Fall – I’ll get in touch. Fondest greetings and congratulations on your fashion skills, Dan Reply Paula Friedman, Class of 1960 24 Jul, 2025 Peggy, this is still a strikingly beautiful dress. What also strikes me is how incredibly similar the clothing styles, hairdos, and postures of the Class of ’59 girls in Clara Dickson V were then to those of us Class of ’60 girls in Clara Dickson V a year later. Unless one knew our features–faces–*selves*–I don’t think someone looking at the photos could tell us apart. Reply Kit Palmer Antinozzi 24 Jul, 2025 Dear Mrs Dunlop, I will share this story with my Dad, David Palmer. Sending you our best wishes and excitement on this new adventure for your dress and recognition for you. I am an avid quilter now as well. Best, Kit Palmer Antinozzi Reply Joan (Jo) Ellis Jones, Class of 1959 24 Jul, 2025 It was such a pleasure to have shared a visit with Peggy in June when she stopped over to say Hello while I was visiting our classmate Bobbie Greig Schneider at Kendall. Peggy mentioned that her red dress now had a new home as part of our fashion history at Human Ecology! We also learned about the successful start of the Community Quilt Making Center that Peggy made possible. This article and the photos brought back so many memories of “our old days on the hill”! Peggy’s life has been and continues to be an inspiration as a special, caring friend to all. 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