Dress
Original OwnerOriginally owned by
Fanny Griswold
Clothing MakerMade by
Unknown
Dateabout 1855-1860
MediumHand-stitched wool/silk barège with cotton lining, silk ribbon, brass hooks and eyes, and silk-covered buttons (possibly over wooden button molds), unidentified boning, and wool hem tape
DimensionsPrimary Dimensions (length x width across shoulders): 54 x 19in. (137.2 x 48.3cm)
ClassificationsCostume
Credit LineGift of Mrs. James Monks
Object number1950.107.0
DescriptionWoman's barège day dress, woven with a checked design of variegated brown and black, and black on cream. The flounced skirt incorporates the fabric's woven border of green stripes flanking a broad band of green, red, black, yellow, and blue plaid. The bell sleeves of the bodice are trimmed with a 3 3/4-inch-wide silk ribbon striped with red, black, black/white pin stripes, and green. The top of the sleeves are pleated into the dropped armscye; they are decorated an inch below this seam with ruffled medallions of red and green picot-edged silk pleated under a black and white striped silk-covered button. The bodice closes at center front with ten small, dome-shaped buttons covered with black, green, red, and yellow silk worked in a swirling pattern, supplemented with hooks and eyes. The high, round neckline retains its original whitework collar, which is about three inches wide at the front edge. The bodice is fitted with two five-inch-long darts on either side of the opening; the darts are boned, as are the side seams. The bodice is lined with white twill-woven cotton. The skirt is cartridge-pleated to the bottom edge of the bodice. It opens to the left of center. Stiff, open-weave cotton lines the skirt, and the bottom edge is bound with green wool tape.
Status
Not on view
