Black textured wool bodice and skirt with lace
date: label: Date
content: 1890s
name: label: Created by
content: Unidentified
label: Subject of
content: Black Fashion Museum, American, 1979 - 2007
label: Owned by
content: Ann Lamb Davis, 1911 - 2002
notes: label: Description
content: A black textured wool bodice and skirt with lace trim, possibly a mourning dress. The bodice (a) is made of a wool and viscose blended texted weave with undulating warp floats. The band collar and yoke are made of silk synthetic cream satin and is overlaid with black silk striped and synthetic floral lace. A bow made of black synthetic ribbon is stitched to the center front of the bodice at the bottom of the collar. The edge of the yoke is edged with black synthetic ribbon. The bodice has long set in sleeves that are gathered at the shoulders and the cuffs. Silk synthetic cream satin with black synthetic lace is used to make the sleeve cuffs. The lace on the sleeve cuffs and the center of the bodice are later additions. The bodice opens along the proper left at shoulder, armscye and side seam. The wool viscose is pleated at the bottom of the yoke and is gathered at the hem of the bodice which is pointed at the center. An additional band made of the same wool viscose wraps around the bottom of the bodice and opens with a hook and eye at the center front. The back of the collar opens in the center back with two hooks and eyes. Two pleats are set into the center back of the bodice. The inside of the bodice is lined with blue printed viscose with a small-scale dotted print. The inside of the collar is lined with cream silk synthetic satin set on the bias. A band of brown cotton is stitched to the bottom of the collar. Cellulose canvas stiffener is placed between the exterior and lining fabrics of the collar. Eight pieces of metal boning set into cotton canvas casing are herringbone stitched to the back and proper right panels. Two metal hooks are sewn to the bottom of the waistband at the center back. A vertical row of twelve hooks is stitched to the proper right panel along the center front boning casing. These hooks fasten to a vertical row of twelve eyes that are sewn to the proper left lining panel which ends at the center front. This panel is made of printed viscose which is waxed on the back. Another set of seven hooks are sewn to the edge of the proper right panel which match up with seven eyes stitched to the proper left side seam at the garment’s exterior. Four hooks are sewn to the top of the proper left shoulder at the bodice’s interior which match up with four eyes sewn to the proper left shoulder at the exterior.
label: Description
content: The matching skirt (b) is made of wool and viscose blended textured weave with undulating warp floats, which matches the bodice. The skirt has a black cotton waistband which is fitted at the natural waist. The skirt flares out with an A-line silhouette. Seven gores taper at the waist and widen at the hem. The skirt opens in the center back with two hooks and eyes at the waistline and two hooks and eyes along the center back opening placket. An inverted box pleat is sewn just below the opening placket. The hem is finished with a velvet ribbon at the interior and black cut pile trim at the bottom. The waistband is lined with brown cotton which was possibly a later addition. The skirt is lined with brown cotton twill. A band of buckram is sewn between the lining and exterior fabric at the bottom of the hem.
label: Cataloging Notes
content: This project received Federal support from the Smithsonian American Women’s History Initiative Pool, administered by the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum.
topic: label: Topic
content: African American
label: Topic
content: Clothing and dress
label: Topic
content: Fashion
setName: label: See more items in
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
label: Collection title
content: Black Fashion Museum Collection
label: Classification
content: Clothing - Fashion and Historical
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of the Black Fashion Museum founded by Lois K. Alexander-Lane
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture
identifier: label: Object number
content: 2007.3.645ab
objectType: label: Type
content: ensembles (costume)
label: Type
content: bodices
label: Type
content: skirts
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: No known copyright restrictions
label: Restrictions & Rights
content: Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
physicalDescription: label: Medium
content: wool viscose blend, silk and synthetic lace, viscose, synthetic satin, silk synthetic blend, waxed viscose, cotton, metal, and cellulose canvas
label: Dimensions
content: L x W (a. bodice): 27 × 18 in. (68.6 × 45.7 cm)
label: Dimensions
content: Waist: 12 in. (30.5 cm)
label: Dimensions
content: L x W (b. skirt): 41 1/4 × 12 1/4 in. (104.8 × 31.1 cm)