Pink Striped Evening Gown

Overview: The two-piece dress is made from cream silk patterned with pale pink satin stripes and black woven picots along the satin stripes. The dress also features peach silk velvet. It is trimmed with beaded appliques.

Construction: The bodice back is flat lined to cream silk taffeta. The bodice front has been draped over a taffeta inner bodice. The seam allowances were overcast by hand. The inner bodice closes at center front with 18 hooks and eyes, including 2 Nicholl's hinged hooks. The exterior bodice closes asymmetrically in the front with hooks and loops that go right over left. There are remains of a mostly-disintegrated drawstring of silk tape around the neckline. The boning casing is made of the same silk taffeta as the inner bodice. There are 12 bones--some are exposed with shows there are at least one baleen bone and at least two celluloid bones. The inside waist tape sits about three inches above the bottom of the bodice. There is cotton padding, covered in taffeta, for bust enhancement. The elbow-length sleeves are made of peach silk velvet. There is tarlatan inside the sleeve to support the fullness, and there is a lining of the taffeta which is now disintegrated. The skirt is cut with the center front on fold and the skirt seams are straight to bias. There is a side back panel on each side that is of plain cream taffeta (same as inner bodice), now badly fractured. The taffeta was probably salted to add weight, making it more similar in weight to the satin-striped silk of the rest of the ensemble. The center back is cut on the bias. There is a side front pocket in the seam. The skirt closes left over right. The hem is 140" around. The skirt is flat lined in brown glazed linen, and there is an interior cream taffeta pinked-edge dust ruffle on top of the hem facing (also taffeta) ranging from 4.25" to 6.25". The hem is very sturdily interfaced. The outer hem decoration is two rows of a braid made of the satin-striped silk, the peach velvet, and the cream taffeta, set over an interfaced peach velvet ruffle.

Trim: There are also appliques of leaves and acorns, lining the edge and waist, made from crystal bugle beads and seed beads. These occur around the waist, along the back neck edge, and as a V-shape along the seams.

Provenance: The inner waistband has a woven label that reads "Mrs. Wamsley / Baltimore, Md."

Damage: The interior bodice silk taffeta is badly fractured and no longer structurally sound in multiple places, including in the sleeves. There are stains on the taffeta-covered bust padding. The side panels of the skirt made of cream taffeta are badly fractured. The skirt waistband is deteriorating.