"City Dress With Bustier In Taffeta And Crenellated Pleated Falbalas - United States Circa 1885"
Circa 1880-1885 United StatesCity dress for bustle cage, two-part princess line, boned bodice and bustle skirt in beige and brown silk taffeta. Fitted bodice, crew neck and long elbow-length sleeves, closed in front with mother-of-pearl buttons. Skirt with large ruffles on the kidneys, draped with crenellated pleats on the front and skillfully raised at the back by buttoned river tabs. The peak of the bustle cage was around 1885 with such pronounced volume on the kidneys that the line of the pouf is horizontal, perpendicular to the back. The play of matte/shiny materials and the false color coordinations are a constant of the fashion trends of the last third of the 19th century. The lining of the bodice in ecru cotton, at the lower back, sewn ties for raising the skirt and accentuating the bustle line. The skirt is lined with glazed chintz with some tears on the chintz which is fragile (see last photos). The taffeta is crisp and surprisingly good quality without holes or slits, apart from two or three micro-dirts. The condition is good to very good. Dimensions: Equivalent to French size 35. Shoulders 39 cm, chest 85 cm, waist 63 cm, sleeves 59 cm. Skirt height approximately 110 cm, hips 129 cm. Piece exhibited and cataloged at the Musée de Bourgoin Jallieu for the Carnet de Bal exhibition in 2024.