Wedding Dress
Original OwnerOriginally owned by
Libbie B. Tuller
(American, 1856 - 1924)
Clothing MakerMade by
Mrs. G. P. Fox
(American)
Date1892
MediumMachine-stitched and hand-stitched silk and cotton, with cotton wadding, machine-made appliqué, metal and glass beads, brass hooks and eyes, ferrous and non-ferrous metal boning, and machine-made cotton lace
DimensionsPrimary Dimensions (length x width across shoulders): 72 x 12 3/4in. (182.9 x 32.4cm)
ClassificationsCostume
Credit LineGift of Edward H. Kendall and Karen K. Kendall
Object number1994.176.1
DescriptionWoman's wedding dress of brown velvet and gold silk brocade, woven with a design of long-stemmed lily-like flowers. The dress has a V neckline at front and back. In the front, the neckline is edged with ruched brocade, while in the back it is edged with the velvet, pleated and knotted in the center. The bodice front has a vest effect made of the brown velvet, trimmed with two vertical rows of machine-made appliqué of white embroidery on black net, embellished with silver- and gold-tone beads. These appliqués are stitched in an approximate V-formation from the shoulders to either side of the dipped waist at the center front. The pointed center back waist is trimmed with a band of pleated velvet. The full sleeves are elbow-length. They are gathered into the shoulder and pleated at the outside of the arm into the seam of the sleeve lining, which is straight and slightly shorter than the outer sleeve. The sleeve is pieced with a gusset under the arm. The center front opening fastens with hooks and buttonhole-stitch-covered eyes, arranged in alternating directions for extra security. There is a drawstring encased around the neckline for adjusting its fit. The bodice is fitted with two eight-inch-long darts on either side of the center front opening, while the back is cut from eight pattern pieces to achieve a close fit. All seams and darts are boned; there is additional boning between the outermost darts and the side seams. A petersham of cream-colored grosgrain silk ribbon encircles the waist, and there are dress shields mounted in the underarms.
The skirt has an apron front, in which the side seams are open for about eight inches (twelve inches on the proper left side) and the center front panel is stitched to its own waistband, which fastens around the waist under the bodice. The skirt has a train, and it is trimmed around the bottom edge with a narrow gathered ruffle of the brown velvet, over a pleated ruffle of the gold silk brocade. The front of the skirt is flat, and the sides are closely fitted, while the center back of the skirt is layered in box pleats, meeting at the point of the center back waist of the bodice. The center back panel of the skirt is interlined with cotton wadding for extra shaping and fullness. The skirt is lined with tan-colored cotton, except in the center back panel, which is lined with a netting-like, loosely woven, white cotton. The inside of the skirt hem is bordered with a pleated ruffle of stiff, white cotton and machine-made lace (a "balayeuse").
The skirt has an apron front, in which the side seams are open for about eight inches (twelve inches on the proper left side) and the center front panel is stitched to its own waistband, which fastens around the waist under the bodice. The skirt has a train, and it is trimmed around the bottom edge with a narrow gathered ruffle of the brown velvet, over a pleated ruffle of the gold silk brocade. The front of the skirt is flat, and the sides are closely fitted, while the center back of the skirt is layered in box pleats, meeting at the point of the center back waist of the bodice. The center back panel of the skirt is interlined with cotton wadding for extra shaping and fullness. The skirt is lined with tan-colored cotton, except in the center back panel, which is lined with a netting-like, loosely woven, white cotton. The inside of the skirt hem is bordered with a pleated ruffle of stiff, white cotton and machine-made lace (a "balayeuse").
Status
Not on view
Object/Object
