Morning dress in ecru linen with bodice, jacket, skirt and apron. Fitted bodice sits just above natural waist, with round neck, bell sleeves and centre front fastenings. Skirt is higher at the front than the back, which is gathered and would have been worn with its underskirt and pads or cage for volume at the hips. A matching apron worn to cover bustle gathering has button fastening. Loose-fitting jacket has bell sleeves with pleats at forearm. All items have soutache braidwork to form flower motifs on hems, edges and waistline.

Jacket: length 520mm, width 460mm.
Bodice: length 400mm, width 390mm.
Skirt: length, front 500mm; back 500mm.
Underskirt: length 1060mm, width 370mm.
Apron: waistband 710mm, apron length 270mm.

The sloping shoulders, wider skirts, round neckline, ecru linen, bell sleeves and soutache braid work are all 1840s fashions. It was considered unladylike to show the dress bodice in public, and so a pelerine (jacket) was made, often to match the dress. Pelerine’s could also come in more cape-like forms. Linen was worn as morning attire.