Girl's Dress
Original OwnerOriginally owned by
Clara Victoria Preston
(American, 1891 - 1966)
Original OwnerOriginally owned by
Clara Victoria Richards
Clothing MakerMade by
Unknown
Dateabout 1901-1903
MediumMachine-stitched and hand-stitched machine-made cotton lace, silk ribbon, and cotton and silk fabrics, with mother of pearl buttons and non-ferrous metal hooks and eyes
DimensionsPrimary Dimensions (center back length x width between shoulders x hem circumference): 43 1/4 x 12 x 75in. (109.9 x 30.5 x 190.5cm)
ClassificationsCostume
Credit LineGift of Mrs. Clara Eyers Sanford
DescriptionGirl's formal dress, constructed of strips of machine-made bobbin lace sewn together to form a fabric. Every other row of lace is woven with a pink silk moire ribbon. The dress has a yoke of net lace with a 1 5/8-inch-high band collar edged with scalloped lace. The yoke has a 4 3/4-inch-wide flounce of lace with a single pink ribbon woven through it. The bodice front is pouched above the waistline. The lower edge of the waistband is pointed at the center front for a maximum width of 4 1/8 inches. The sleeves are constructed with an elbow-length oversleeve made of the lace strips and ribbon fabric. The undersleeve is made of net lace lined with sheer, white cotton. It reaches the wrist and is gathered at the outside only into a narrow lace wrist band, creating a pouchy effect at the outside of the wrist. The skirt is gathered into the waistband. The center back opening extends 27 inches and fastens with hooks and eyes on the lace fabric and with mother of pearl buttons on the plain, white, glazed cotton lining fabric. The lace strips and ribbon fabric is lined throughout the dress with cream-colored silk satin. A knot of multiple loops of the silk ribbon decorates the opening at the waistband. The bottom of the skirt is edged with a three-inch-deep lace ruffle.
Object number1989.101.1
NotesHistorical Note: Clara Victoria Preston lived on Edwards Street in Hartford, Connecticut. Her son, Miles Preston, was County Sheriff of Hartford, and was Mayor in about 1900. The owner of this dress, Clara Victoria Preston Eyers (1891-1966), was the daughter of Mayor Preston.On View
Not on view
