Woman's Dress, 1876

We do not know the name of the woman who wore this dress. Family tradition holds that it was worn by a member of the donor's family to the 1876 Centennial Exposition, which was America's 100th birthday party celebrating the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Americans and foreign visitors traveled to Fairmont Park in Philadelphia to explore fifty acres of astonishing displays of the newest, the biggest, and the best of everything available, including the innovative Women’s Pavilion.

This dress may have been called a promenade gown. The slender look was emphasized by contrasting blue silk taffeta and navy blue velvet. The dress required more than fifteen yards of machine sewing and more than forty-five yards of skilled hand stitching. The round, gold-colored buttons used to close the center front and trim the lower bodice back, as well as the shape of the sleeves, were inspired by men's and women's clothing of the eighteenth century. The sturdy fabric added to the bottom of the skirt to protect the underside of the train does not show as much wear as the mohair braid edging its tip, suggesting that the wearer managed her train skillfully as she strolled around.

This two-piece bustle dress is constructed of medium blue silk and dark blue velvet. The boned, fitted medium blue silk bodice extends below the waist with no seam at the waistline. The dark blue stand collar and insert at the center front are edged with silk bias piping. The center front closure consists of eighteen metal buttons on the left side and worked buttonholes on the right side. The blue velvet at the center back comes to a point, extending into a decorative peplum with button trim. The sleeves are of a two-part construction of medium blue silk and dark blue velvet, with silk ruffles edged with lace at wrists. The skirt of medium blue silk has a dark blue velvet mid-front and hem panel and is cut straight at the front with pleats at the center back. The skirt is trained at the back with a draped bustle decorated with one dark blue bow at the left back. Fringe trims the velvet panel at the front. A brown glazed cotton lines the skirt, and the hem is stiffened.

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