dress

Summary

Finely corded green silk, skirt figured in black with cut and uncut velvet. Three piece. Bodice : Lined with white twilled cotton. High round neck. Fastening cntre front. Pointed waist. Ornamental lacing centre back. Three quarter sleeves. Piped. Front trimmed with bars of openwork green silk ribbon figured with flowers in black velvet. Jacket bodice : Lined with brown cotton. V neck. Front fastening. Padded above bust. Flared basque. Black and green silk fringe trimming. Three quarter sleeves with flounces trimmed with green silk ribbon figured with flowers in black velvet. Skirt : Lower two-thirds figured with large cone and stem design in cut and uncut black velvet. Fastening centre back. Green woollen braid at hem. Bodice is re-cut from earlier bodice, possibly originally an evening bodice - style 1857-8. Jacket bodice is made of a different green silk, probably re-cycled from another garment, probably 1856-8. Skirt is re-pleated at waist from original arrangement.