Description

This garment is a two-piece hand made dress made of black fabric, probably cotton moire. The fabric has a sheen on the outside and a matte finish on the inside.
a. The bodice is waist length with long sleeves. The sleeves are a bit puffy and have cuffs made of taffeta and decorated with a row of brown braid. The dress has a mandarin collar and a front insert of taffeta. The insert has a button front with 7 white buttons. The bodice front is decorated with 5 rows of taffeta pleats. There is also a row of hooks and eyes on the front closure, and all but one hook is missing. There is a row of vertical braid on each side of the front bodice insert. The bodice has a tan lining of cotton fabric. The seams on the bodice are bound to prevent fraying.
b. The skirt has a 1 1/2 inch waistband lined with tan cotton fabric, and the skirt is gored. The floor-length skirt has an attached gored ruffle, 11 inches in length. The hem on the ruffle has a velvet backing and 3 rows of machine stitches. There is a brown braid between the main skirt and the skirt ruffle. There is a side placket that is pleated and 12 inches in length. The closure is a large snap at the waist.