The gown resembles a dress complete with a bodice and skirt. It is mainly red but has recurring blue adornments, purple pieces of fabric and many ribbons of varied colors. The gown closes across the front of the body where it is fastened with buttons (some spherical, others flat and round like coins) and frog loops. It has a high collar also fastened with a button. The sleeves are long enough to cover the wearer’s hands and have high shoulders jutting up in a round shape and with purple horseshoe cuffs. It has a pale green cotton lining sewn by hand leaving visible brown stitches and a layer of cotton flannel providing additional warmth.
The gown was made out of silk brocade (red and blue yarns), and has with a satin finish. The gown is adorned with couched embroidery. It has frog buttons and loops to hold it together. The gown is 51.5 inches long from the bottom of the collar to bottom edge. The standing band collar in 3 inches high and curves down at the front. The frog loops on the neck are 1.5 inches and the ones on the chest are 1.75 inches long. The skirt section, which has several pleats in order to give shape to the piece and allow movement, is 31 inches long. The skirt measures 111.25 inches around the bottom edge.
Figure 1: Variety of Colorsand Fabrics |
Figure 2: Detail of Neckline
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Ribbons were woven apart from the piece and then sewn on. Some of the ribbons have animals as a motif; the one on the neck has butterflies and the one near the skirt has cranes. Each ribbon is 1.25 inches wide. A slightly narrower ribbon, featuring blue flowers, is 7/8 of an inch wide. There is also a satin ribbon used as a binding that it merely 1/4 of an inch wide.
Other symbols on the gown include large circular designs of dragons woven into the red silk of the entire gown. The dragons are encased in a large gold circular design, two per circle, one on each half. To fill in the circle shape a little, there are gold flowers and cloud-like swirls embroidered around the mythical beasts. Butterflies, embroidered in a variety of colors, among them pale green, pale blue and pink, can also be found.
The sleeves themselves are 34.75 inches long. The widest part of the cuffs is 5.5 inches and at their narrowest, they are 4 inches. Along the shoulder, between the neckline and the start of the sleeve, there is a 6 width. Around the neckline itself, it measures 15.75 inches. From shoulder to shoulder across the back, it measures 15.5 inches. The vents are each 3.25 inches long.
Figure 3: Detail of Crane Ribbon |
Figure 4: Detail of Dragon |
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The crane, a symbol of longevity and happiness, appears on on the ribbon going down the skirt (see Figure 3 above). t. Butterflies symbolize rebirth and longevity and dragons are associated with rank and power. Blue flowers, present on another ribbon, represents femininity and longevity which is appropriate for this gown worn by a woman. Red is a very auspicious color which was believed to bring fortune and ward off spirits.
The gown, which is in remarkably in good overall condition given its age, has several tears and some parts appear to have faded in color, indicating possible light exposure perhaps from being on display. There is a small tear near the right shoulder, as can be seen in Figure 5, which exposes a layer of wadding between the fashion fabric and the lining.
Figure 5: Damage |
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© Catalina Aguayo Herrera, 2017