1864 Printed wool dress
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1862-1867 A dress in printed wool
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The back of the dress
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One of the shoulders
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Detail of the fabric
Description
The fabric is barège a semi-transparent wool in a leno weave; the beige warp has black stripes, ³⁄₁₆" wide and 2⅞" apart, and the weft has alternating stripes of ivory and pale green, about 2" wide, which all make a check pattern. Alternate spaces between the warp stripes have warp printed speckles, and there are warp-printed floral clusters in alternate squares.
The bodice is lined with white cotton and the sleeves with a lighter cotton; there are bones on the right centre front edge and the side seams, and a bone on one of the darts on the right front which is missing on the left front. The front edges of the lining have 13 hooks and 11 worked eyelets, with two worked loops for the lowest two hooks on the wool bodice at the waist. There are worked loops ³⁄₁₆" nearer the edge of the lining next to the six lowest eyelets, presumably added as the bodice was a little tight on the wearer.
The bodice fronts have tucks 2¾" deep on the shoulders next to the tops of the sleeves; at 1⅜" above the waist, these are gathered into 2" each side, held by three rows of stitching to the lining; the front edges are loose over the lining and have no fastening. The lower edge of the bodice has a waistband, ¾" wide.
The stand collar is ½" high with a 1" wide band of cream silk round the inside, the edge of which sticks up ¹⁄₁₆" above the top; the seam with the bodice is piped, and the collar is fastened by a hook and worked bar.
The tops of the sleeves have a mancheron, or short oversleeve, which is 3" at its deepest; the edge is trimmed with green silk taffeta ribbon, ⅞" wide, box-pleated over gathered ivory silk ribbon with satin edge stripes, 1½" wide. This trimming is also on the ends of the sleeves which have a bias cut facing of 1⅛" wide ivory silk. The seams with the bodice are piped.
The skirt has wide box-pleats into the piped seam with the bodice, which are double round the back. The opening is 2" to the right of centre front and the bodice waistband extends 2" to the right, with an added 1" on the top, and two eyes on the end but only one corresponding hook inside on the right front. There is a watch pocket in the seam, 2½" to the left of centre front, and a 6" opening 6½" down a side seam on the right which would give access to a pocket underneath; this has tears at each end further down the seam.
The skirt is unlined and the hem is faced with cream cotton, 4½" deep, with green wool plaited braid, ¼" wide, on the edge. There is some piecing at the top of the skirt at the back, and tears have been darned.
Contemporary illustrations
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Detail from a fashion plate in The Englishwoman's Domestic Magazine, August 1860
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Photograph of an unknown woman, 1862-1865
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Detail from a fashion plate in The Englishwoman's Domestic Magazine, January 1863
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Detail from a fashion plate in The Englishwoman's Domestic Magazine, June 1863
