wedding dress

Summary

Khaki corded silk dress trimmed with machine made black lace. 1 skirt with 2 seperate bodices. Bodice 1; Cut en polonaise. Narrow stand collar. Bodice fronts in 1 section with 2 boned darts each side and horizontal waist darts. Fastens down centre front with buttons and button holes. Gilt metal buttons with Japanese design (identified as French). Small watch pocket at left waist. Bodice back; In 4 panels extending into polonaise skirt. Ruching at sides and front with tapes to hold polonaise shape. Bodice lined in white cotton. Sleeves; Tight fitted to elbow, cut in 2 pieces. Bodice 2; Originally evening bodice with V neck, now with later additions to form high neck with stand collar. Bodice front; cut in 1 piece, fastening down centre front with hooks and eyes. 2 boned vertical darts each side and horizontal waist darts. Lower edge of front forms a shallow V. Bodice back; in 4 panels extending to form short pleated 'tail' over bustle. Bodice lined in white cotton, neck alterations with seperate lining. Original neck line and centre front trimmed with black levers lace, neck line alteration disguised with coarse black machine lace. Sleeves; Fitted and cut in 2 pieces with self band and pleated edge.Three quarter length. Skirt; in 4 panels. Straight and tight fitting with 1 deep and 2 shallow pleated self flounces at hem. Skirt extended with 2 side panels in matching silk covered in black lace. Fastens centre back with hooks and eyes. Mantlet; Black corded silk, cut in 6 panels. Waist darts. Extends to hip level. High stand collar with heavy beaded decoration, bows on shoulder and flounce of black lace replacing sleeve. Unlined. Dress in several parts, of different dates. Original 1880 dress probably consisted of princess-line long fitted bodice, fastening centre front with metal buttons, worn with skirt with pleated frills. Alteration c.1886 consists of second fitted bodice, trimmed with black lace, worn with original skirt with some alterations, draped with a black pusher lace shawl and with additional black lace flounces at sides. Black silk mantlet is probably c.1890 but not part of outfit.