This is a reproduction
of a Civil War/Victorian 1860's era day dress. This dress is newly sewn
by me and is constructed from authentic period patterns (based on
actual garments from the period). This two piece dress would be
perfectly for church on Sunday, an afternoon tea, or a stroll around
the shops.
The fabric is a wonderful woven plaid in brown,
black, and ecru. The bodice is trimmed with black fringe and accented
with beautiful black mother of pearl look buttons. The collar is
trimmed with lace, and has the appearance of hand-crocheted lace. The
lace is 100% cotton. The dress is shown on a dress form with a bust
measurement of 48 inches and a waist measurement of 42 inches. The
dress is displayed over a 6-bone hoopskirt, which is not included. The
skirt measures 46 inches at the center front from waist to the hem.
This dress is unhemmed, and is slightly longer in
the back to give a more graceful appearance. This is a period correct
method for hemming a dress of this type as it allows the skirt to fall
gracefully over the hips and not ride up in the back. The skirt has a
generous 176 inch sweep. The skirt is trimmed with a wide band of solid
black to offset the beautiful black fringe used on the bodice.
The bodice closes with hand sewn hooks and
eyes. The collar is a very fashionable 1 1/2 inches wide (the preferred
collar width at the time) and is basted in so that it can be easily
removed if it should require bleaching, but is fastened very securely
so that you don't have to worry about it coming off. The bodice is
lined with cotton muslin which will help this dress to retain it's
shape and style for a long time to come. The pagoda sleeves and
underside of the peplum are lined with the same plaid as the rest of
the dress. The sleeves are trimmed with the same black fringe as the
dress bodice. Please note that the white spot on the third photo is NOT part of the dress, but is some glare from my camera.
The skirt fastens in the back with a hook and
bar closure.
*** Only 100% cotton has
been used to give breathability to the fabric in hot weather. All
fabric was pre-washed before this outfit was made so that no shrinkage
should occur.
