Cream lace wedding gown with corded floral motifs
date: label: Date
content: 1895
name: label: Attributed to
content: Annie Hauer, American
label: Subject of
content: Black Fashion Museum, American, 1979 - 2007
notes: label: Description
content: A cream lace wedding gown with corded floral motifs created by Annie Hauer in 1895. The bodice (a) is made of cotton point d'esprit lace and has a high band collar. The collar is sewn to the neckline at the proper right side and slightly on the back. It attaches with hooks and eyes at the front, proper right side and at the center back. A band of silk satin binding is stitched to the edge of the neckline and collar. The bodice opens at the center front, a band of floral lace trim is added to each side of the opening. Large flowers made of silk organza edged with cream cotton cord are stitched to the front of the bodice down the outer length of the sleeves. The large bell sleeves are edged with featherstitch embroidery and the inner sleeve seam is ruched at the bottom. A band of ruched synthetic organza is added to the top of the sleeve close to the shoulder as a later addition. A band of pleated cream silk is sewn to the bottom of the bodice at the waistline. Cream silk satin is visible at the sides of the bodice underneath the lace. Large flowers made of silk organza edged with cream cotton cord are stitched to the center back of the bodice overtop of the point d'esprit lace. Cream silk satin is stitched under the lace starting five inches below the neckline. The band of pleated cream silk continues onto the back of the bodice ending at a decorative gathered flounce at the back slightly off center. The bottom two thirds of the bodice are lined in cream silk satin and cotton. Ten pieces of boning made of featherbone wrapped in cotton thread are set into the cotton lining. Two metal hooks are stitched to the interior of the bodice at the center back. The bodice closes with ten hooks and eyes on the cotton lining and one hook and eye on the silk satin. The top of the bodice is lined with synthetic net and the sleeves are lined with synthetic organza both were a later addition. The bodice is machine stitched, and hand finished while the interior bodice is completely handstitched.
label: Description
content: The skirt (b) is made of cotton point d'esprit lace and has a waistband made of cream silk satin which is machine stitched to the body of the skirt. The lace is covered with large flowers made of silk organza edged with cream cotton cord, matching that found on the bodice. Two columns of the flowers edged with cord run down the center front of the skirt. Underneath this, two horizontal rows of similar trim are stitched with the addition of rings of cording and intersecting lines. Synthetic organza is sewn between the two horizontal rows as a later addition. Another row of floral trim is stitched along the hemline. The edge of the lace is finished with a scalloped hem and one band of cream cord. Cream silk satin is visible underneath the cotton lace which is slightly longer than the lace at the hemline. The skirt opens in the center back at the waistband but is slightly offset to the proper left at the skirt placket. The waistband of the skirt closes with a metal hook and eye. Two metal hooks are sewn to the proper right side of the waistband, matching up with the metal eyes found at the bottom of the bodice. The lace and flowers edged with cord match the decoration on the front of the skirt. The back of the skirt has an added train made of cream silk satin. The train has a center back seam that is finished with the fabric’s selvage. The silk satin used to make the skirt is made of three front panels and two back panels, all these seams are pressed open at the interior. Two hanger loops made of self-fabric silk satin are stitched to the interior waistband at each side. The hem of the silk satin is folded inwards and hand whip stitched.
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: 2007.3.182.1ab
objectType: label: Type
content: bodices
label: Type
content: skirts
label: Type
content: wedding dresses
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: silk, silk satin, cotton lace, synthetic fiber, synthetic net, cotton cording, metal, linen, silk organza, and featherbone
label: Dimensions
content: L x W (a. bodice): 17 × 14 in. (43.2 × 35.6 cm)
label: Dimensions
content: Waist: 11 1/2 in. (29.2 cm)
label: Dimensions
content: L x W (b. skirt): 57 × 12 in. (144.8 × 30.5 cm)