Details

COLEM:1935.420

Colchester Collections

dress, dress

Apron or bib fronted cotton dress with a block printed floral pattern on a dark brown ground. Bodice lined in linen. 1790s but altered around 1800 to raise the waist and remove pleats at the back. Dress of block printed cotton with a black ground and floral pattern in yellow, red, green and blue. Bodice has elbow length sleeves finished with two layered bands of the ground fabric, a low neckline at the back, two flaps of linen which cross over each other at the centre front over the bust and a 'bib' (or apron) with a gathered top and a drawstring of linen tape (but no fastenings) and is lined in two different kinds of undyed linen. The apron front is attached to the skirt of the dress with gathers at the waist and two ties of the ground fabric to fasten around the back and is open at the sides down to the thighs. The skirt is gathered in a small section onto the bodice at the centre back for fullness. The skirt is pieced just below the waist at the back and on the apron at the front. This style of printed cotton was popular in the 1790s. Evidence of alteration around the neckline and that it has been constructed from many pieces with seams in unusual places. May have had pleats down the back. No fastenings as it would have been pinned into place when worn. Hanging hoops at the neck may be original for when the dress was stored. Bib front dress. Printed linen (either block or roller printed). Lined bodice. Bodice altered.

1790 - 1810

Regency

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