Tuesday, November 25, 2014

1870's Bustle Outfit










From the seller:

Ladies summer ecru linen two piece walking outfit, dating to the 1870-80. Front button closure, with tiny box pleat trim, tiny watch pocket side of jacket, with brown and tan embroidery embellishments. Back closing skirt slightly longer at the back with more of the pleats and embroidery, this actually may have had a additional longer skirt under this skirt, but if it did it is not longer with the set. Uncleaned as found with storage/age/use marks here and there, couple of small breaks on one sleeve, the waist has had an extender tab sewn to band.

Chest measures 34", waist 30", length from shoulders 25", sleeves 21", shoulder to shoulder 12". Skirt waist 28", length in front 33" with train 48".


From Me:

I'm a bit hesitant to post this one as it looks like it might be from a western (ie, a costume) rather than an extant garment. However, I wanted to include it just in case. The sewing techniques look more mid 20th century to me than late 19th century. Given the amount of westerns being made in the 1950's and 1960's, it's very possible that this is from that era rather than from the 1870's - which would explain the lack of lining. However, since it seems unlikely that a spaghetti western would include such a detail as a watch pocket or the double layer of skirts (we only have the overskirt left) it's also possible that this really is from the 1870's.

4 comments:

  1. Thanks so much for this post!! I've had a picture of my great grandmother from about 1875 I've wanted to recreate for forever but it's a bad picture and you can't see the back of the dress, but it looks very very similar to this dress here!! So I really hope this is an actual 1870 dress because it would be a great starting off point to re-creating my great grandmother's dress!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Please post a link to any posts you make on the finished garment here! I'd love to see it.

      Delete
  2. I think it's real, just because of the piped armscyes. That was normal in the 1870s, but I can't imagine a 1950s movie bothering with them.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. In the 1960's they would have. http://the60sfashion.com/post/24767628457 Contrast piping was a thing in the 1960's - which would be right when the spaghetti westerns were still popular.

      Delete