two piece dress, silk a)Bodice, cream colored weighted silk lining is cut out. Full elbow length sleeves. Bodice fastens center front with a slight V and elevated above the natural waistline in the back. The color of the dress fabric is a luscious olive. Metallic silver, gold and a dull gray brown passementerie is used to trim the neck and create a tab fretwork down the front. The neckline, down the front is filled with a double ruffle of ecru embroidered net. The neck and the bands over the shoulders are made out of green cord, laid in a lace-like pattern, accentuated with crests and circles of dark and light green embroidery. A double ribbon rosette on either side, in the front, centered with a button featuring a cross motif is above the natural bust-line. Two such embellishments fall onto the skirt on the front and one in the center back. The sleeves are decorated with two vertical tucks and the cuff is trimmed with the same passementerie as used on the front of the bodice. One of the embroidered circles used in the cord decoration and a different flounce in an embroidered net in ecru. Two hooks in the inside back of the bodice will fasten the bodice to the skirt. The waistband is pleated, cummerbund like of dark green, plain-weave silk. b)Skirt with train. Forest, sea foam, green silk lining was cut out. The front is decorated with twin panels of passementerie, laid out in a tab-like pattern to harmonize with what is in the bodice. The two eyes that would receive the hooks from the bodice to hold the garment in place are still present. The hem is finished with one inch horsehair to protect the garment from wear. Even though the lining has been removed from this garment, it is still in good condition.
Donor:
Design Department (UC Berkeley)
Collection place:
France
Collector:
Catherine Mary Healy
Materials:
Silk
Object type:
ethnography
Object class:
Skirts (garments)
Function:
2.4 Fine Clothes and Accoutrements not used exclusively for status or religious purposes
Production date:
1906-1909
Accession date:
1974
Department:
Europe and western Russia (except Classical Mediterranean)