antique gown

The material is beautiful on this antique gown. It is a bodice and skirt dating to the late 1890's. The bodice is very fitted with a rounded neckline and a center front hook/eye closure. The bodice is lined in a light blue cotton material with a very small design and is boned. The back of the bodice has a wide waistband with horizontal pleating. This waistband continues around to the front and has a side hook/eye closure. Pleats fan out from the waistband towards the neckline, giving fullness to the shoulders. Attached to the front portion of the waistband is a wonderful cream collar with goldtone trim swirling throughout. This collar consists of three vertical strips of material on each side. It is only attached at the waistband and flips over the neckline to wrap around the back. I'm not sure if this was added later, or never finished, but it does need to be attached is a more secure manner and the upper edges are raw. I'm not sure how it goes, but I'm sure an experienced seamstress or clothing collector would be able to put it in shape. The sleeves are slightly puffed at the shoulders and straight to a wide cuff of matching cream material. The cuff is also decorated with the gold trim. The skirt has a center back hook/eye closure and is slightly gathered. It is fully lined in black polished cotton and has a velvet hem protector and stiff ruffle which is sewn to the underlining. Both pieces of this vintage gown are in very good condition. The material is sturdy and the gown is wearable; however it is a very small size. I have it displayed on my size 0 dress form which measures: bustline=30"; waistline=21". The skirt waistline is larger and has been taken in. It currently measures approximately 23".

The material is beautiful on this antique gown.