Overview: The garment has two pieces, a long sleeved bodice with a scooped neckline and a skirt. Both pieces are ornamented with black gathered silk satin ribbon.
Construction: The bodice is fully lined with silk taffeta and has no boning. It has a wide, round neckline (which may have been worn with a decorative collar) and closes at center back with 11 metal hooks and bars. Around the neckline in the front and back there are narrow tucks that are released 3" below the neckline. Wider tucks descend from the front shoulder seams as well and are released at yoke level. It has a blouson front and there is a waist stay that originally came from the back where it was stitched in place to control the fullness. The front appears to have had the gathers stitched in place onto the stay, but those stitches have been taken out and the stay is cut off. The one-piece sleeves are lightly gathered at the sleeve cap and end in a section of black silk net (unlined) that is trimmed with seven rows of gathered silk satin ribbon. There is a shallow pleat on each sleeve to control the fullness going into the spiral of satin ribbon on the outside of the arm.
The scooped neckline is finished with a narrow binding of black taffeta. The taffeta lining has a front yoke, with the lower front lining gathered into the yoke. The side seams are fake French seams. The taffeta sleeve lining is cut in two pieces. The sleeves are stitched in by machine but the seam allowance is hand overcast. From the neck to the waist, the bodice measures 11 1/2" at the back. The front measures 15" with a 3" blouson.
The skirt, which measures 23" around the waist, is flat across the front and has 1/4" tucks from side front to center back. The tucks are released at hip level. It has a 1/2" waistband of silk taffeta and there are hanging tapes inside. On the left side in the back there is a flat placket hidden by a pleated section extending from the right side that lays over top. From the waist to the hem at front, the skirt measures 42 inches. It has a slight train in the back. 1/2" wide black silk satin ribbon decorates the skirt. About knee level, there is section of ruched ribbon spirals that go around the skirt. Below this section is a 15" wide gathered silk crepe ruffle, at the bottom of which are more ribbon spirals. There is an underskirt made of black silk taffeta, attached at the waistband. The underskirt has a 10-inch ruffle at the hem that supports the outer skirt. The underskirt also has an inch wide band of wool braid at the hem to prevent wear. The bottom edge of the inner skirt measures 160 inches.
The top of the skirt has six hooks that attach to the bodice and the bodice has matching bars.
Damage: The skirt is seriously deteriorating around the waist but the body and hem are in good condition. The bodice front waist gathers have been released.
