Object: Afternoon dress
Date: c. 1880
Medium: Ivory wool and brown silk taffeta
Country: USA
Credit Line: Museum purchase
Object number: P86.66.1
DescriptionTwo-piece day dress in ivory open weave wool with contrast brown silk taffeta trim and buttons, self pleated ruffle fringed edging; fitted bodice with round neck, deep V-ruffle, long cuffed sleeves; long skirt with front swag, draped bustle extending to long train; unfinished
Label Text:Although rendered in a masculine, tailored style, the cuirass bodice of this dress, which form-fitting and long-waisted, would not have afforded the woman who wore it a wide range of motion. Nevertheless, such garments made fashionable walking outfits suitable for a wide range of activities, including shopping, visiting, and afternoon socializing. This bustle gown is embellished with an unusual, raw-edged trim, but what is even more intriguing is that the design was never completed. In several areas, the trim remains basted on rather than properly stitched. Women’s clothing was costly during the nineteenth century, and it is rare to find an example left in the process of creation.
Exhibitions:
- The Tailor's Art
- Fashion Unraveled
- RetroSpective