Dress
Clothing MakerMade by
Unknown
Dateabout 1845
MediumHand-stitched silk and cotton, with metal hooks and eyes
DimensionsPrimary Dimensions (CF length x shoulder span x waist): 55 × 20 × 26in. (139.7 × 50.8 × 66cm)
Hem (circumference): 115in. (292.1cm)
ClassificationsCostume
Credit LineGift of Frances F. Armstrong in memory of Eleanor Wells Farnsworth and Frances P. Farnsworth
Object number1987.211.2
DescriptionWoman's day dress of beige silk with lighter beige plain-woven and satin-woven stripes, and variegated yellow satin-woven stripes woven in a plaid design. The bodice is fashioned with a pointed waistline and fan pleating from the center front waist to the shoulders. The pleating at the waist is criss-crossed with a cream and light blue silk braid. The neckline is a shallow V-shape, and the shoulders are covered in front with a wide V-shaped collar, which is incorporated into the neckline and armscye seams. This collar is also trimmed with the cream and light blue silk braid. The sleeves are tight, with a 1 1/4-inch-wide band of self-fabric ruching edged with the silk braid stitched around the top of the arm like an armband. The sleeves are stitched smoothly into the armscye. The center back closes with hooks and eyes. (It has been altered from its original position in order to make the bodice slightly larger. Old stitching marks and spots of corrosion from the original positions of the metal eyes are evident about 3/8-inch from the current position along the right edge of the opening. This appears to have been done by the original owner.) The neckline and armscyes are inserted with narrow self-piping; the waistline is edged with heavier piping. The bodice is pined with plain-woven natural cotton. The center front seam is boned; the front darts were also originally boned. The sleeves are lined with white glazed cotton.
The skirt is gathered to the waistline; it is stitched around the center front point. Old stitch marks on the bodice lining and along the top edge of the skirt fabric indicate that the skirt was originally stitched straight across the center front point. The hem of the skirt is lined for a depth of six inches with plain-woven, light tan glazed cotton.
The skirt is gathered to the waistline; it is stitched around the center front point. Old stitch marks on the bodice lining and along the top edge of the skirt fabric indicate that the skirt was originally stitched straight across the center front point. The hem of the skirt is lined for a depth of six inches with plain-woven, light tan glazed cotton.
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