Dress
Original OwnerOriginally owned by
Sarah Ann Kinne
Clothing MakerMade by
Unknown
Date1849, with later alteration
MediumHand-stitched silk and cotton, with silk fringe, baleen boning, and brass hooks and eyes
DimensionsPrimary Dimensions (center front length x width across shoulders ): 51 x 23in. (129.5 x 58.4cm)
Hem (circumference): 123in. (312.4cm)
ClassificationsCostume
Credit LineGift of Mrs. Dorothy Clift Moore
Object number1964.38.2
DescriptionChangeable green/tan silk day dress, with bell sleeves. The bodice, which has a dropped shoulderline, is decorated with a scarf-like drapery that is stitched from either side of the center front of the bodice at the waistline, over the outside of the shoulders, and around across the back of the shoulders. This drapery is trimmed with olive-colored silk fringe, and the stitching line is covered with figure-woven silk tape of a matching color. This drapery covers the top of the double-bell sleeves, which are also trimmed with the olive silk fringe. The center front closes with brass hooks and eyes; a line of decorative buttons (dark glass set in a gold-tone metal bezel) decorates the proper left edge of the bodice opening. The bodice waistline edge is finished with piping. The waistline was originally pointed, but it was turned up to create a round waistline probably in the following decade. The bodice and sleeves are lined with brown glazed cotton; the bottom edge of the lower bell sleeve is lined with about 4 3/4 inches of self-fabric. The right front opening edge and front side seams are boned with baleen. The side back seams also have casings, but the boning is missing.
The skirt is cartridge-pleated directly to the bodice waistline edge. It opens to the proper left of the center front. There is an in-seam pocket on the right side. The cartridge pleating is lined with a brown and white leaf-printed cotton. The bottom of the skirt is lined for about six inches with brown cotton. There is a loop for hanging the dress for storage, mounted at the center back of the inside skirt. (The practice was to turn the dress inside out, tuck the bodice down inside the skirt, and hang the dress from the loop.)
The skirt is cartridge-pleated directly to the bodice waistline edge. It opens to the proper left of the center front. There is an in-seam pocket on the right side. The cartridge pleating is lined with a brown and white leaf-printed cotton. The bottom of the skirt is lined for about six inches with brown cotton. There is a loop for hanging the dress for storage, mounted at the center back of the inside skirt. (The practice was to turn the dress inside out, tuck the bodice down inside the skirt, and hang the dress from the loop.)
Status
Not on view
