Dress, pelerine & cap

This lady's dress, pelerine (embroidered collar) and cap date from the mid 1830s.

The dress is of printed cotton. It has a tight-fitting bodice and full, gathered skirt. The large full sleeves are supported by feather-filled pads and the skirt by starched petticoats. The delicately embroidered pelerine is of Ayrshire work, a fine white embroidery on white muslin. The cap is of embroidered white cotton.

As the fullness of skirts became greater in the 1830s, the widths used increased and the total amount of fabric needed crept up, making clothes more expensive. To hold the skirts out, several petticoats were needed, making dresses heavy and uncomfortable to wear. Sleeves grew to an enormous size, giving a double triangular look to the silhouette.

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