Shirtwaist
Clothing MakerMade by
Unknown
Dateabout 1905
MediumMachine-stitched cotton, with machine-made lace, brass hooks and eyes, non-ferrous metal eyes, baleen boning, a mother of pearl button, and thread-covered bone buttons
DimensionsPrimary Dimensions (center back length x width between shoulders): 19 1/2 x 16in. (49.5 x 40.6cm)
ClassificationsCostume
Credit LineConnecticut Museum of Culture and History collection
Object number2003.127.0
DescriptionWoman's blouse of fine, cream-colored cotton. The blouse has a standing band collar, which is boned. The collar is made of strips of machine-made bobbin-type lace insertion, edged with a ruffle of the same type of lace. Below the collar, the center front of the bodice is embroidered in a U-formation with stylized flowers. Three narrow tucks run the length of the bodice from each shoulder to the narrow hem along the bottom on both the front and back. An insertion of the lace is set over the shoulder area towards the center back. Pin tucks are taken from the shoulder to the hem alongside the center back opening, which fastens with ten small, thread-covered buttons in the body, hooks and eyes in the collar, and a mother of pearl button at the waistline. While the front of the blouse falls loose and straight in front, in the back, there is a twill-woven cotton tape sewn across the waistline, with the fabric slightly gathered under it on either side of the opening. The tape extends about seventeen inches on each side so that it may be tied across the front to hold the fabric in the fashionably full, "pouter pigeon" silhouette. The long sleeves are slightly wide from the shoulder to below the elbow, then they become narrow over the forearm. They are decorated with a series of narrow tucks around the top and another series of tucks in the elbow area, with an insertion of lace outlining an embroidered floral spray in between. The sleeve in the forearm area is stitched with pintucks and more insertions of lace across the top and bottom, and around another embroidered floral spray. The wrist openings are edged with a narrow ruffle of the lace. Four thread-covered buttons and thread loops pull the fabric together above the wrist to make the sleeve tightly fitted in this area.
Status
Not on view
1910-1915
