Description:
Ivory wedding dress, with accessories. Largely machine-sewn with some hand-stitched detailing. Lace tacked on by hand. Lace is mixed bobbin and needle lace.
1-Bodice: Ivory satin bodice with three-quarter length sleeves with lace around sleeves and high collar. Three moire silk bows along length of bodice, which cover the four hook and tie closures and 11 mother of pearl buttons (only 5 buttons left). Bodice is V-shaped at bottom and is built with a panel with whalebone (baleen) stays. Structure of the bodice likely is inspired by 17th century fashions.
2-Skirt: Ivory satin skirt with pleated gathers at each hip joint - front falls to ankle or floor length. Waistband with button closure and thin lining. Thick train of satin, lined with soft muslin, and trimmed with lace. Pleated in back. Front of skirt has panels of moire silk and the back is entirely silk satin twill. Hip pleats further reference 17th century dress.
3-Sash: White silk ribbon, 6" thick, tied in a bow. (Likely not a sash for Mrs. Skinner, but may have been worn by Joseph Skinner or used at the wedding.)
4-5-Shoes: Two ivory satin shoes, pointed, with thick kitten heel. Leather lining, wood and leather sole.
6-Handkerchief: White muslin with thick bobbin lace edging.
7-Sachet: Ivory silk satin twill, tied with a small ribbon. May be a perfume sachet, as at the time it was considered uncouth for upper class people to wear pefume on their skin so it was common to either scent clothing or carry a scented sachet.
8-Extra materials: Clippings of the silk satin twill dress material, and of lace attached to starched and pleated muslin from the train. Ivory headpiece, with wire rim on outside edge and small trim on inside edge. Appears to have had decorations or lace sewn on. Pleated at three intervals and bent to go around head.

Tags:
clothing

Link to share this object record:
https://museums.fivecolleges.edu/detail.php?t=objects&type=ext&id_number=MH+SK+2006.2478.1-8.INV

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