Wedding Dress
Clothing MakerMade by
James McCreary & Co.
(American)
Dateabout 1892
MediumMachine-stitched and hand-stitched silk and cotton, with horsehair padding, wire, brass hooks and eyes, baleen (probably) boning, and handmade mixed Brussels lace
DimensionsPrimary Dimensions (length x width across shoulders): 83 x 12 3/4in. (210.8 x 32.4cm)
ClassificationsCostume
Credit LineConnecticut Museum of Culture and History collection
Object number1986.235.0
DescriptionWoman's formal dress, probably for a wedding, of cream-colored silk woven with large circles shaded to suggest spheres. The dress has a high, round neckline in the front and a V-neckline in the back, bordered with a wired, standing collar and a self-fringed ruffle of the dress fabric, along with a gathered edging of three-inch-wide mixed Brussels lace. The lace continues down the center front opening edges. The fabric of the bodice is pleated towards the opening edges, with the fullness released over the bust area to the shoulders. The edge of each pleat is embellished with feather-stitching. The three-quarter-length sleeves are gathered very full at the shoulder and taper to the opening below the elbow. The sleeve opening is trimmed with the self-fringed ruffle and lace, like the neckline. The bodice is fitted by means of two ten-inch-long darts on each side of the front, while the back is cut in six pattern pieces in order to achieve a close fit. All darts and seams are boned. The bodice is lined in plain, cream-colored silk, and seam allowances are bound with cream-colored silk tape.
The back of the bodice and back panel of the skirt are cut as one piece, with the skirt closely pleated into the lower curved side back seams flanking the center back. The rest of the skirt is stitched into a narrow waistband, with the front being smooth and the center back being cartridge-pleated. The waistband fastens with a large hook and eye at the center back, under the back panel extending from the bodice. There is a horsehair-stuffed pad mounted at the lower center back to form a small bustle. The skirt is trained, and has a braid of self-fabric stitched around the hem. The skirt is draped with self-fabric over the proper right hip. The skirt has a separate lining of cream-colored silk. The back panel of the skirt is wadded (probably with cotton) and has an attached lining of plain, brown cotton. The separate silk lining has a self-fabric pleated ruffle stitched around the hem, with a scalloped self-fabric ruffle (or "balayeuse") mounted along the inside edge. The back panel of the separate lining is itself lined with stiff, white, plain-woven cotton, with an additional eleven-inch-deep lining around the hem edge of cream-colored wool. Two casings for elastic or boning are stitched horizontally across the back of the skirt inside, to control the fullness of the skirt towards the back.
The back of the bodice and back panel of the skirt are cut as one piece, with the skirt closely pleated into the lower curved side back seams flanking the center back. The rest of the skirt is stitched into a narrow waistband, with the front being smooth and the center back being cartridge-pleated. The waistband fastens with a large hook and eye at the center back, under the back panel extending from the bodice. There is a horsehair-stuffed pad mounted at the lower center back to form a small bustle. The skirt is trained, and has a braid of self-fabric stitched around the hem. The skirt is draped with self-fabric over the proper right hip. The skirt has a separate lining of cream-colored silk. The back panel of the skirt is wadded (probably with cotton) and has an attached lining of plain, brown cotton. The separate silk lining has a self-fabric pleated ruffle stitched around the hem, with a scalloped self-fabric ruffle (or "balayeuse") mounted along the inside edge. The back panel of the separate lining is itself lined with stiff, white, plain-woven cotton, with an additional eleven-inch-deep lining around the hem edge of cream-colored wool. Two casings for elastic or boning are stitched horizontally across the back of the skirt inside, to control the fullness of the skirt towards the back.
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Not on view
