When we see beautiful vintage gowns in museums and at various exhibitions of private collections, we often can’t begin to understand the amount of work done to preserve those pieces. It’s a pity, thousands of historical garments are kept in museum storage and seldom are shown to the visitors. But luckily, these days, the museums started to make videos for us to see the authentic clothes of different eras. Here is an American dress from the late 1800s displayed by The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute Conservation Laboratory.
This material is based on video by YouTube channel The Met (you’ll find the link at the end of the article)
This is an American dress from about 1885. It wasn't as formal as an evening dress or a ballgown.
Jessica Regan, assistant curator in The Costume Institute
Like many of the 19th-century garments at The Met, it's stored flat in their collection, so the museum workers don't get a clear sense of the silhouette. But the skirt would have been worn over a bustle.
At this date, the bustle is at its greatest expanse. It's almost perpendicular to the body.
In addition, there's a little silk pillow that's filled with down, stitched into the skirt, and this would have given just a bit of added volume.
The bodice would've been worn over a corset, but for a really perfect fit, the bodice is also boned.
There is the name and address of the New York dressmaker Antoinette Grapanche. It is in the late 19th century that we really start to see designers claiming their work.
The decorative skirt would have had such an extraordinary impact when a woman walked into a room.
The whole attire is really sculptural in its effect.
(c)
