While at the Canadian Costume Museum last weekend, we were looking for bustle dresses to send for a lecture taking place in Alberta in March. We chose a wedding dress to represent the bustle period of the early 1880s. The color of this dress is a warm chocolate brown. Unfortunately, with my camera battery dying and the lighting being so bad in the vaults (you kind of feel like a mole wandering its tunnels in there) the photos do not do the tailoring any justice.
The jacket looks so huge because the mannequin we had was, surprisingly, too small for the dress and we had to pin in the skirt to keep it on. We also did not take the time to put a bustle or petticoats on the mannequin as we were just putting the dress on to see if it was in good enough condition for a lecture and to survive the trip.
Stupid me, in my hurry to get as many shots as possible with the dying battery, I did not think to photograph the back of the dress…especially since it was the bustle we were after! I did take a photo of the detail on the bodice as the crisp tailoring and details is what caught my attention. I think the tone on tone color made me take notice of the craftmanship.
There is also nice detailing on the cuff of the sleeve that is mirrored in the hem of the skirt.
I’ll show you another dress next week.
I love the colour and the details on the dress – thanks for sharing this. x
Your welcome
That little bow business is too cute!
I liked it too!
The pleating is the same as my red. Makes me feel like I did something right! (bottom of skirt and cuffs)
I can’t wait to see it! Or have I seen it already?
Yeah, the red big butt I wore when you choked me at the fort!!!
Oh yeah. I need to look at your pleats again then.