Two-piece dress made from blue and cream brocade with blue silk trim. Bodice has boning at the front, a centre front panel fastened to one side with hooks and bars, cream lace collar wired to stand up and large paned ‘puffs’ added to top of sleeves. Blue silk skirt made to resemble a robe a l’anglaise, which had a split overskirt worn over a petticoat or similar coloured dress. Here, the blue centre panel is quilted and the skirt is one piece. Hook and eye fastenings at waistband. The garment is a complete re-work, with lots of handstitching visible, and some mistakes to the contruction causing it to sit off-centre with features slightly asymmetrical.

Bodice length 490mm, width 430mm.
Skirt length 1050mm, width 1110mm.

This dress takes inspiration from the fashions of much earlier times. The skirt resembles those of the late 1700s. The square neckline, Juliet-style sleeves, and standing collar resembles those in fashion in the 15-1600s. The side-fastened front, colour and construction give away that the dress was made in the late 19th century. It was almost certainly made as a costume.

Costumes were often re-worked from other garments, or into more sensible dresses afterwards. Another bodice from this set has had its brocade panels carefully cut away, revealing it’s cotton lining, likely for making this dress.

During the 1870s, a fashion craze swept Britain for the ‘Dolly Varden’ style dresses. These took inspiration from the boldy-dressed character of that name in Charles Dickens’ 1841 ‘Barnaby Rudge.’

Dolly Varden’s were sometimes worn as statement pieces, but this dress was probably worn as a costume to a ball. Fancy dress balls remained popular throughout the 1800s and beyond. No expense was spared for costumes of the wealthy.