Description:
Woman's one piece, white cotton, embroidered dress with a square neckline decorated with embroidery, small back, short, and puffed sleeves with basted long sleeve attachments. The straight, simple lines and white fabric of this dress are a neoclassical interpretation of ancient clothing styles; the white color and clinging lines were believed to be suggestive of statuary. Easily laundered, these gowns remained popular until about 1820. Made of cotton muslin probably imported from India, this dress was embroidered after it was constructed. The square neckline is gathered along a drawstring in both front and back; the meandering floral embroidery on the bodice front panel is done in chain stitch, a filling/satin stitch, French knots, and drawn and pulled work. The bodice front is gathered into waistband. At the back, a topstitched seam begins at each armscye and angles in towards center as it descends to the waist. The back is fairly narrow at its widest part; the tops of each topstitched backseam. The waist at the CB is gathered with a drawstring. A 14" CB placket fastens the garment, extending into the skirt about 7 1/4". The long sleeves partially covered wearer's hands. Each sleeve is actually composed of a shorter, upper sleeve & a longer sleeve attachment. The drape of each upper sleeve is actually wrapped around the arm, secured w/ a vertical, topstitched seam. The upper sleeve is gathered at the top back 3", which also visually aids in making the back appear smaller. The longer sleeves are attached to the upper sleeves using long stitches, which may have been done for ease in removing them. There is embroidery on the vertical direction of the shorter sleeves and around the cuffs of the longer attachments, none of which exactly matches each other or the bodice front embroidery. The skirt made up of two wider pieces (CF & CB) and two gores (at ea. side), none of which are selvage-selvage widths. The front edge of each gore attaches to the seam at an angle, back edge on the straight. Each edge of the CB panel attaches to the seam at an angle. This use of grain at the seams, along with pleating at the waistline of skirt CB, allows the skirt to drape down and back, providing a smooth skirt front. Horizontal tucks and embroidery decorate the hem. The hem embroidery does not exactly match embroidery anywhere else. The cotton bodice lining is partially removed.
Link to share this object record:
https://museums.fivecolleges.edu/detail.php?t=objects&type=ext&id_number=HD+2001.25 |
