Apron-Front White Cotton Dress
White cotton empire waist apron front dress. Square neckline trimmed in lace and attached to the sleeves by means of two small buttons, one in front of each shoulder. Small puff sleeves and scalloped hem. Darts in front bodice which is on the bias. Princess seams in back bodice, skirt is gathered into center back. Front skirt is open on both side seams below the bodice and ties around the back.
HCT.2007.29.5
1800-1815
1820-1825 Silk Empire Waist Dress
Off-white stripe silk empire dress, short sleeves
- Fabric consists of vertical stripe with damask leaf design on satin alternating with sheer mesh, both in off-white color
- Scoop neckline: casing at center front and back drawing up fabric for gathered effect
- Cording over neckline section at shoulders
- Sheer chiffon oval shaped sections with small loops toward neckline and longer sections/loops (4" long) below neckline at center front and center back. Sheer units finished on edges with satin bias; satin covered ball buttons stitched to points/end sections of small loops at neckline and longer loops below neckline
- Short sleeves gathered across cap from front to back; sheer petals with satin bias edging, similar to neckline treatment, forms second or top layer on sleeve; satin ball buttons, similar to those at neckline, stitched to petal sections near sleeve cap
- Empire line with 2" band; each side of band trimed in satin bias
- Skirt hangs smoothly from empire band in front; skirt back gathered to empire band
- Center back opening with silk ties at neckline and at empire line; open placket for 8" below empire line band
- 8" slit in right skirt seam 4" below empire line
- Garment completely stitched by hand
HCT.1994.318.2
1820-1825
1815, Changeable Silk Dress
Blue/gray/tan iridescent silk floor length dress with raised "empire" waistline. Front square neckline has gathering controlled with casing and small diameter (string) drawstring that ties at center front through opening in the casing. Front fullness pleated into narrow 5/8" waistband. Bodice side pieces extend over shoulders to meet with back and create square back neckline, and around sides to meet at sb princess seams. Waistline slopes down slightly at center back. Princess seams in back bodice going into armscye with seams overstitched with fine hand backstitches. Six blue glass ball buttons (5/8" diameter) at center back closure with six hand worked buttonholes. Completely hand stitched including very fine, small backstitch topstitching on bodice.
Over-long full sleeves are cut on the crosswise grain. Hems are turned up selvages. They attach to bodice sides and back underneath decorative draped piece. This detail features a strip of fabric approximately 4-5 inches wide, gathered up every three inches across top of sleeve, stitched to neckline but also underneath armhole front to back, covering armhole seam. Sleeves very full and loose at hem edge but controlled with strip of ribbon (not original) at wrist forming a ruffle edge.
Skirt: Smooth front skirt hangs from empire seam and is entire width of fabric. Side back seams are (no side seams) selvage to selvage. Another full width of fabric creates the skirt back with 2 triangular godets between the front and back panels. Eight small pleats going toward center back on left and right give center back fullness below the waistline seam extending fullness to hem of garment. An open placket, approximately 6" long, at center back skirt below bodice buttons allows for garment entry. There is no center back seam. Hem is 1/4" turned up twice. Dress trains slightly in back.
HCT.1988.318.124
<span>Additional fiber images and information available at <a href="http://cameo.mfa.org/wiki/1810-1819,_changeable_silk_dress,_silk_fiber" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">the CAMEO Materials Database at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston.</a></span>
1800-1809, White embroidered cotton dress
Sheer white cotton floor length dress with embroidery on bodice front neck and hem; short sleeves with tassel trim. Dress has above-waist empire waistline with front bodice slightly gathered at waist and having a one-sided drawstring at the neck edge.
HCT.1988.318.127
1800-1809
<span>Additional fiber images and information available at <a href="http://cameo.mfa.org/wiki/1800-1809,_white_embroidered_cotton_dress,_cotton_fabric_and_embroidery_thread" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">the CAMEO Materials Database at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston.</a></span>