Description:
Dress with a matching pelerine made of finely woven printed cotton with a monochromatic design of brown on a white ground, which was acquired from Historic Northampton (accession # 1976.80.1a-b). The pelerine or fichu has two matching, gathered flounces, piped seams, and the dress has full sleeves and closes with a center back placket that fastens with brass hook (proper left) and eye (proper right) closures. After the severely columnar aesthetic in dress characteristic of the early 19th century, women’s dress once again increased in volume by the 1820s. By the 1830s,
women’s hemlines had become significantly wider, balanced in scale on top by extremely large sleeves, known as leg-o’-mutton, in reference to their shape. As with this example, sleeves became so wide that piecing was required. Sleeve fullness was tightly cartridge pleated into each armhole. Sleeve plumpers, pillows through which the arm was inserted, supported the sleeve shape at the upper arm. Cotton continued to be an important fabric for day wear. It could be printed in a variety of patterns relatively inexpensively, and was the impetus to America’s own Industrial Revolution. Because it took dyes well, cotton could easily be laundered, thereby extending the life of garments made from it.
Link to share this object record:
https://museums.fivecolleges.edu/detail.php?t=objects&type=ext&id_number=HD+2008.4.6 |
