Name/Title
DressEntry/Object ID
2002.02.01Description
Calico "wrapper" or maternity dress, c. 1850. Dress is hand sewn, unevenly faded rose/mauve color, common calico pattern. Wrapper dresses were commonly worn around the house as they were seen as a less formal style. However they could be dressed up with appropriate accessories such as a lace collar to make them more acceptable for social occasions.
The bodice is fully lined with some machine stitching and hem of skirt is lined, both possibly of muslin, linen, or some other cotton. Sleeves are gathered into the armholes and at the wrist to fit the cuff. The shoulders of the front pieces of the bodice are gathered. The waist is gathered in a the cartridge pleat style, the front part is gathered by a drawstring. There is piping around the neckline and around the arm holes. Buttons on the cuffs are 1/2 inch in size and have a brown rim that may have been a shade of red at one time. The two front pieces of the dress are one whole piece, meaning that there is no seam connecting the bodice to the skirt. There is one muslin lined pocket on the right side of the dress. There are some brown fibers,about one inch, sewn along the hem.