Last dress before the camera died

I’ve been posting pictures from the Canadian Costume Museum. As you recall, I was working with a camera that was dying. This is the last dress I got. And these are the worst photos.From this photo of the back you see three things. One is that it is in sad shape. It is a bustle dress but it is lacking the proper support garments to hold it in the right shape. It also could use a good steaming. I wasn’t entirely sure if we had the skirt on wrong, or if it was asymmetrical, or if some of the sewing had let go because of the over skirt on the left hanging lower. I think it was intended to be asymmetrical.

The skirt was made of a black taffeta with gros grain ribbon tabs sewn along the edge of the overskirt. There are pleats and some sort of poof going on at the hem. With some steaming and some study time, I might have been able to figure out what that poof business was.

The bodice was made up of a very dark green brocade. We debated if it was in fact green or a faded black. We decided it was green because the ribbon was dark green and it was not likely it would have faded to the exact same shade as the brocade had faded too. Also, the protected fabric in the seams appeared to be the same color.There was more of the ribbon tabs along the bottom edge of the bodice and sleeves. It was a simple trim but effective. I may steal that idea for something. The true treasure on this dress was the buttons! Sigh!