Turn of the Century Dress

From the seller:

This auction is for a lovely antique 1800's Victorian dress. Bronze silk bustle back skirt with lace bodice corset jacket. The jacket features a silk and handmade lace bodice insert, high golden corduroy cameo collar. Tons of tiny cartridge pleats either shoulder front with tuck ruffles each highly puffed sleeve. Each sleeve cuff is trimmed in matching corduroy. The jacket is beautifully lined in a rare striped polished cotton fabric. In immaculate condition! A total of eleven corset stays are beautifully sewn within the corset. Early hook and eye closure up the front. Skirt supporters sewn to jacket back which were used to prevent the two pieces from separating, thus revealing the ladies underclothing. The matching bustle back skirt features matching bands of golden corduroy along the hemline with matching corduroy dust ruffle under the skirt's hemline. These fine additions have helped to preserve this fine antique silk dress. The skirt is fully lined in a lovely cinnamon red polished cotton. early hook and eye closure at back waist. Tons of gathers in the rear to accommodate your antique bustle pad . The followinf flaws are noted: Upper lace rows in bodice front has tearing. You may want to replace these two rows of lace or try to restore this original antique lace. Dime size hole in upper jacket back. Seam seperation both underarms will need a few neatly placed stitches to mend. The skirt has a lower skirt line of fade with a strip of age spotting along lower hemline tuck...see photos below. This is a very solid genue antique dress that can easily be worn once cleaned and lace bodice addressed. This elegant silk dress measures as follows:
Jacket
Bust: 32 inches
Waist: 22 inches
Underarm to hemline: 8 inches
Underarm to sleeve end: 18 inches
Skirt
Waist: 22 inches
Hips: full bustle back inches
Side seam: 38 inches
For serious Victorian clothing collectors, this is a must see bustle dress !

From me:
*headdesk*
There. Is. No. Bustle!

The gathers in the back are to make the dress fan out over your own natural backside. That's it. *sighs*

Anyway, this is from anywhere 1898-1901. Very much a Turn of the Century dress.