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Hi, I want to list this very old, possibly Victorian, long dress. It appears to be a maternity dress.It's a silky fabric. Had 25 black military card loop buttons [7 are missing]. It has a pouch type draped front section that hooks to the waist. The skirt part is open in the front. Any info on date and if in fact it is a maternity dress, would be greatly appreciated. Phyllis
http://members.sparedollar.com/phyllis76/old_dress1.jpg
http://members.sparedollar.com/phyllis76/old_dress2.jpg http://members.sparedollar.com/phyllis76/old_dress3.jpg http://members.sparedollar.com/phyllis76/old_dress4.jpg
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very civil war era looking
do you know anything about its history, any providence whatsoever.
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So, are you saying there's actually no skirt in the front??????
It's pretty!
Is it silk?
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Hi, I purchased it at an auction a couple years ago and don't know anything about it. I figured it was a maternity dress by the style. Yes, the skirt is open in the front...pouch covers the belly...I guess. It's a silky, shiny fabric...could be silk but don't want to list it as silk if it's not. Have to get more info before I list. Thanks for your help. Phyllis
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I don't know anything about it but I would guess there is a guy with some tatoos that recently sold a wedding dress on eBay that would model it for you. http://community.here.com/infopop/em...on_biggrin.gif
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Ya, heauctionqueen I saw him! I even heard them talking about him on my favorite morning radio show. Funny! http://community.here.com/infopop/em...on_biggrin.gif Phyllis
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I'm still trying to figure out how the skirt works in the front. Is there an underlayer? How does the wearer walk without her petticoats (or legs) showing? Please help!
http://community.here.com/infopop/em...on_biggrin.gif
Okay, so I'm a little dense... http://community.here.com/infopop/em.../icon_wink.gif
Elaine
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I was thinking something like this blue one?
http://www.shootingstarhistory.com/earlybustle.html
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The dress is 52"long measuring from top of shoulder toward the neck. That draped pouch is attacked to the side seam about 14" down from the waist. The opening from there is about 25". Perhaps there was some kind of underskirt that went with it. I'm still digging for info...on ebay forum too. Thanks guys, Phyllis
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I took the liberty of supplying a link to this topic at the Vintage Fabrics list at Quiltropolis.
Here's the responses from Linda, who kindly allowed me to copy her comments (with lines between the posts for clarity): <BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Hmmm.....this is interesting.
There are several points:
Bodice
The bodice is a fitted bodice with front darts, natural waistline, button front, fitted armseye....no sleeve cap "puff", tight upper sleeve with looser lower sleeve, sleeve length about just above the wrist, velvet(?) band collar and cuffs.
Skirt
The skirt is not hobble, not 'very' full, but still full; it is a "tube" with no gores or trimming of the top fullness, small pleats but I can't see if they are box pleats. The "tube" (uncut full length and width panels sewn together) is used up to about mid-70s I think. I can't tell if the skirt back is longer than the front but there is a strange front bottom to the skirt....either several pieces have been set into the front section from leftovers as a replacement...or front was deliberately lengthened after it was originally made. I can't believe that it was originally shorter in the front with strange square edges of the sides hanging down.
The front drape first appears in fashion plates as a top skirt that has been lifted at the sides or in several places around it to make the 'Cinderella' draped look around 1868.
The fitted bodice with those particular darts, the tight upper sleeve and looser lower sleeve, the straight waistline with attached, is good for 1870 but then as the 70s continue most of the fashion plates show that the waist seam isn't used and you have what looks like a "princess line" or a separate bodice with a very long skirt-like peplum ...no waist seam.
At this time you also have a small bustle happening with the hoops slimming down considerably.
If this dress had a slightly longer back skirt than front, I would label it 1870 and be happy. The fashions were sometimes modified from what the plates showed and having a drape fastened only on the front could have been one of those modifications. There could also have been a jacket or basque that went with this providing a back drape?
The fabric looks like the thin taffeta like shiny silk that I've seen in a couple 1865-80s silks, and plaid was a popular style around that time.
After all this: the darts seem to still be sewn in place and the normal waist line is still intact. The lines on the back and the front still seem to be the fitted lines....I don't think this was used for a maternity dress http://community.here.com/infopop/em.../icon_wink.gif
Linda
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Well, I just read the comments that followed the pictures.
Hmmmm.
I wonder what the edges of the "missing front" looked like? If they were hemmed, were selvedges, or were cut... Is the WHOLE front "missing"? or just a small area?
The waist really doesn't go high enough to allow for pregnancy growth.
And if you wore this dress with the whole front missing you would have been considered worse than risqué or tart....the drape doesn't cover as low as the skirt bottom. The drape is also attached only on the front from the side seams (late 1870s-80s+ that used a draped front even with a straight skirt, had the drape go from the back all around to the back on the other side.
If there is an opening in the front, it could be the regular opening that is left on a skirt placket if it follows the button placket down under the drape. Then that would mean that the drape isn't sewn into the waist seam but is either tacked on to both sides or is sewn onto the seam on one side and hook n eyed or thread-tacked at the side seam. How in heck could a person get into this otherwise???
Something makes me think that this dress isn't "all there".
L
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And now I read the comments BEFORE the pictures. (dumb, dumb...) yes, there are hooks on the drape. But if there's one drape that hooks on, there could have been two and that would make more sense for the style.
I still would like to know about the edges of the front opening. I still think that this dress isn't "all there".
L <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
I think I got all the info transferred here, but if not, I'll be back with corrections or additions....
I've learned a lot today about fashions of this era from this discussion! Thanks to all of you!
Elaine