dress, 2-piece
date: label: Date made
content: 1764
notes: label: Description
content: Figured silk of bright yellow ground with multi-color roses and chrysanthemums in red and blue tones; white fly fringe extends down front edges of overdress and around neckline band in a curved pattern, and around edges of self-fabric sleeve ruffles; same fringe forms a spiral criss-cross pattern down front panels of dress; dress back is pleated into neckband forming "sacque" style silhouette, slit in upper side seams of skirt section with a self-covered button at lower end; two graduated white sheer sleeve ruffles are attached to lower edge of sleeves; separate matching petticoat has elaborate curbed ruffle at lower front with rows of same fly fringe; an applique of shirred self-fabric edged with fly fringe forms a sculptured effect at lower front edge; upper section of petticoat is pleated to a muslin band with a drawstring at upper edge; drawstring ties at right side where side seam is partially open.
label: Description
content: Worn by Catherine Livingston for her marriage to Stephen Van Rensselaer, 7th Patron & Lord of the manor of Rensselaerswyck, on January 23, 1764 in New York City. Her father, Philip Livingstone, wrote from London in Mid 1700s that he purchased three bolts of cloth: one blue, one yellow, and one pink from which to fashion wedding gowns for his three daughters. Catherine's was made from the bolt of yellow fabric.
label: Description
content: The dress remained in the family. Catherine Livingston gave it to her daughter Elizabeth Van Rensselaer, who gave it to her daughter Catherine Westerloo Bleeker, who gave it to her daughter Miss Katharine Westerloo Van Rensselaer, who gave it to her niece, Cornelia Livingston Van Rensselaer, who gave it to her daughter, Miss Cornelia Livingston Van Rensselaer Strong, who gave it to her brother Robert Livingston Strong who donated it to the museum.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
topic: label: worn for
content: Weddings
label: Subject
content: Celebrations
label: Subject
content: Women
label: Subject
content: Cloth
setName: label: See more items in
content: Home and Community Life: Costume
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of Robert Livingston Strong in memory of Mrs. Theodore Strong
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: CS.315492.001
label: catalog number
content: 315492.001
label: accession number
content: 315492
objectType: label: Object Name
content: Dress, 2-Piece
label: Other Terms
content: Dress, 2-Piece; Entire Body; Main Dress; Female