Description:
A woman's sheer, white, embroidered cotton dress, possibly fitted to be worn by an adolescent due to the presence of a high neckline. The dress is back fastening, and the bodice has all the hallmarks of 1840s fashion: a fan front that begins at the shoulders and ends at a center waist plate, puffed short sleeves, and keratin boning encased in a white cotton lining. The embroidered muslin skirt has a floral pattern along the hem and up the center front, and is indicative of earlier fashion designs. There is similar embroidery along the dress shoulders. At the waistline, there is evenly stitched cartridge pleating to add volume to the skirt and possibly hide any alterations. Due to the sheerness of the dress, an underdress or a petticoat would've been worn underneath. Embroidered muslin had long been an Indian export since the early 1800s. The fabric was woven and embroidered for European and American markets and used in dress making.
Link to share this object record:
https://museums.fivecolleges.edu/detail.php?t=objects&type=ext&id_number=HD+F.617 |
