Brown Tea Gown

circa 1894
VC1992107

The era of aesthetic dress and dress reform was one of turmoil in the fashion world. Women’s attire came to be about much more than flattering design, beauty, and functionality. Design came to symbolize appreciation for history, nature and aesthetics. One could advertise a political or scientific leaning simply by selecting garments and getting dressed in the morning.  This dress exemplifies the results of the fashion world in influx and the intersection of different styles.  It shows the influence of popular contemporary dress, aesthetic dress, and movements toward healthier, more liberating clothing for women driven by doctors and women’s rights activists.

This dress had been significantly altered, which was in part reversible. Additional lace had been added to expand the neckline, which we removed. The original net was backed with conservation net to stabilize it, and the pink and brown trim along the neckline was also encased in conservation net and tacked back down where it was coming up. The bodice was let out where it had at some point been taken in, at the side seams and at front darts. The chiffon lower sleeves showed the remnants of fitted china silk linings, which were replicated and stitched in, and the train was let down where it had been hemmed up. Stress tears on the sleeves by the armscye were repaired in order to stabilize it.

Unfortunately, some work has not been possible. At some point in the past, a piece of fabric was glued to the bottom of the skirt front to stabilize it and removing the fabric and glue would do too much damage to the garment. Furthermore, the chiffon ruffles along the collar and tie are badly shattering. They should be encased in conservation net to keep them protected and together as much as possible, but doing so is a delicate and time-consuming task that has not yet been feasible to undertake.

Researched by Julia Fields ‘12
Stabilized by Faren Tang ‘13