Creation Date

1906

Description

Bodice only, worn as part of a bride's wedding outfit. Blouse is cotton with a silk liner sewn inside. Sleeves are full length, and very poofy. The front of the bodice is pleated symmetrically with smaller pleats on the shoulders coming down successively further down the length of the bodice until there are two (2) large strips of fabric pleated down the entire front and center of the bodice. There are also similar pleats on the back of the bodice. On the back of the bodice are five (5) fabric loops, and five hooks on the outer heavy cotton (?) layer of the bodice. Attached to the inner silk layer there are sixteen metal eyes/loops and 17 hooks, the hooks are located on the right side of the fabric, and the loops on the left side. There are three (3) strips of fabric sewn to the inside silk layer one side and free hanging/attached to loops on the second side. Two of these loops are located on the left side of the bodice, and one is located on the right. It appears that one loop/fabric strip is to attach to the extra hook on the right side of the back of the bodice. The other two strips appear to attach to a skirt which is not present (the skirt does not appear to have been accessioned) Two (2) fabric strips are also sewn in at the waist one on each side, each end of the strips is sewn to the bodice. The sleeves have a lace fringe, and pleated chiffon (?) ruffles underneath this. In between where the lace is sewn to the hem of the sleeve, around the entire circumference is a ribbon braid, composed of three (3) thin strands of ribbon, where the ends of the ribbon meet they have been tied into bows and knots have been tied in the loops and tails of the bows at random. There is also lace (different from the sleeves) located around the collar on the front and back of the bodice, it is lined only with the inner silk liner underneath.
The entire bodice has yellowed with time, there are small hole across the front and back outer cotton (?) layer of the dress, and the inner silk bodice is very shattered.