Maternity dress
Costume, Dress - Green Striped Dress with Sash
1916 (Date manufactured/created)
1910s (Date manufactured/created)
1910s (Date manufactured/created)
Silk, Netting
A one-piece dress made from a lovely, very thin striped silk. The bodice is lined with white net, and the skirt is unlined.
The bodice of the dress has an unusual cut. The long sleeves are not sewn to the main body of the gown, but instead sewn only to the bodice lining. The main body of the gown thus "floats" over the sleeves. The sleeves are darted 3 times at the inner elbow and have a turn back cuff. They close with snaps at the wrist. The bodice is cut with a yoke, to which the front is gathered. It has a small jacket collar. The bodice is pleated to the waist. The dress fabric of the bodice hangs free, but the net lining closes with hooks and thread bars. The lining has lace edging at the neck. The waist of the gown is formed with a 3" petersham ribbon, to which the bodice is stitched. The ribbon closes with hooks and eyes and is pleated at regular intervals. Two twill tape loops are stitched to the ribbon on the inside, though their purpose is unknown.
Only the left side of the skirt is attatched to the bodice, and is pleated at the back. The right side of the skirt is not gathered, and attaches to the bodice with hooks and bars. However, the skirt closes at center back with snaps inside a placket. This indicates that the dress has been altered, perhaps for pregnancy. The skirt has a gathered panel inserted into the main body of the skirt at the front. It stops at the sides and reaches halfway up the skirt. The insertion is piped where it meets the main body. The hem is also piped in a wider cord. The dress has a 2 1/4" wide sash that is tacked to the center front of the dress. At its ends, it is trimmed with three bobbles shaped like acorns covered in the dress fabric. Two are missing.
Condition: fair; silk deteriorating under arm and at pressure points such as closures.
OL 48".
Waist: 25 1/4"
Gift of Elizabeth Scranton Pierce Wright
The bodice of the dress has an unusual cut. The long sleeves are not sewn to the main body of the gown, but instead sewn only to the bodice lining. The main body of the gown thus "floats" over the sleeves. The sleeves are darted 3 times at the inner elbow and have a turn back cuff. They close with snaps at the wrist. The bodice is cut with a yoke, to which the front is gathered. It has a small jacket collar. The bodice is pleated to the waist. The dress fabric of the bodice hangs free, but the net lining closes with hooks and thread bars. The lining has lace edging at the neck. The waist of the gown is formed with a 3" petersham ribbon, to which the bodice is stitched. The ribbon closes with hooks and eyes and is pleated at regular intervals. Two twill tape loops are stitched to the ribbon on the inside, though their purpose is unknown.
Only the left side of the skirt is attatched to the bodice, and is pleated at the back. The right side of the skirt is not gathered, and attaches to the bodice with hooks and bars. However, the skirt closes at center back with snaps inside a placket. This indicates that the dress has been altered, perhaps for pregnancy. The skirt has a gathered panel inserted into the main body of the skirt at the front. It stops at the sides and reaches halfway up the skirt. The insertion is piped where it meets the main body. The hem is also piped in a wider cord. The dress has a 2 1/4" wide sash that is tacked to the center front of the dress. At its ends, it is trimmed with three bobbles shaped like acorns covered in the dress fabric. Two are missing.
Condition: fair; silk deteriorating under arm and at pressure points such as closures.
OL 48".
Waist: 25 1/4"
Gift of Elizabeth Scranton Pierce Wright
81.387