1868 Muslin dress

1868 Muslin dress
Date	1863-1868
Category	Women
Item	Dress
Fabric	Cotton muslin, printed
Decoration	-
Wearer	-
Maker	-
Acc. no.	HC.D-1.76-1 a,b

1863-1868 A printed white muslin dress.

The back of the dress
The top of one of the sleeves
Detail of the fabric

Description

The print design consists of spots, ⅜" wide, in a warm dark brown with three black dots spaced out on them, and part of a circle of rings of black dots, also ⅜" wide, on one side; these are spaced about ⅞" apart horizontally.

The dress is in two pieces: the bodice is joined to the skirt and there is a separate overskirt.

The bodice and the tops of the sleeves are lined with white cotton muslin.

There are 12 hooks and worked bars to fasten the bodice fronts, which are loose over the lining; they have three small pleats on the shoulders and the fullness is gathered in to 3" each side of waist. The front edges have been much darned and repaired. The bodice opens at the centre front but the skirt opening is 4¾" to the left; the ⅞" wide waistband is fastened by two hooks and worked bars.

The stand collar is ⅝" high and fastened with a hook and worked bar at the front.

The skirt is cartridge pleated into the waistband all round except for 4½" in the centre front, and has a gathered flounce, 16" deep, round the hem.

There are three rows of puffs at the top of the sleeves, and the lower sleeves are gathered under this; the sleeve ends are curved, with a 2" wide frill, including ⅜" above the stitch line. The armhole seams are piped.

The overskirt is flat for 7½" at the front, and then cartridge pleated into a 1¼" wide waistband, with two hooks and worked bars at the opening in the left side seam. There is one small pleat each side of the apron front into the side seam.

The hems are curved, with frills, 2¾" wide at the front, and 3" back including ⅜" above the stitch line.

The dress has been much darned and mended, and there are marks on the skirt which indicate that there might have been two flounces higher up. The dress might have been made in the early 1860s and altered as the fashion changed.