Name/Title
Black Silk Satin Bodice and SkirtDescription
Fitted bodice coordinates with weighted black taffeta skirt.
A) Black taffeta skirt with bustled back 26" waist. Four gores on skirt. Two narrow gores just above pleated hem. Dimension of gore at waistline, 6" X 31-1/2" and 13" at bottom of skirt and 33" side seam. Box pleats go across front of skirt at hemline. Box pleats are 53" across front of skirt and 5-1/4" deep. Fourteen box pleats 1-3/8" to 1-3/4" wide. There is a righthand slip pocket. Pleats are attached to front of skirt with additional underskirt section which is 5-3/8" in depth and goes around whole skirt. The front section has self fabric which is 2-5/8" deep and machine sewn on front of fabric under section. The unusual part is having the self fabric on face and having silk taffeta sewn to front of hem. Back underskirt same technique - has black silk taffeta attached to the underskirt facing outward instead of reversing for hem. This section of fabric is 13" in depth at center back to 17-1/2" in width to the side seam. It wall attaches to a darkish lightweight brown cotton glaze. The outer skirt of black silk taffeta has backing of heavier brown canvas which is reverse side of taffeta. This section of skirt is self-hemmed. Heavy cording to weight the skirt and is 3/8" wide and sewn to underskirt. Major mending should be done on entire waistband as fabric is fraying; also on self-hem section of skirt and in basted area. Two large 1-3/4" wide loops, 24" long, are attached to brown canvas waistband, we think for hanging. There are two white spots above center gore, one 12" from hemline and the other 8" from hemline - also another spot on skirt.
B) Black silk taffeta fitted jacket. Center front opening 16-1/4" from collar seam to bottom edge, 16 machine button holes and buttons 1" apart. Buttons 5/8" in diameter. Decorative top like snowflake pattern, in good condition. 1-3/4" Peter Pan collar and an under collar 5/8" deep. Length of collar 15-1/2". Fitted jacket with dart seams - first seam is 3-3/4" from center front and following one is 5-1/2" from center front at bodice. There is a 5" stay. One row of machine stitching of light brown 1-1/4" from center edge and on center edge is machine stitching less than 1/8 of 1" - self fabric bias strip is 3/8 of 1" wide begins a center vee at the eighth button hole, continues over shoulder at 2-1/4" from shoulder line, continues into back which makes a vee 5" down center back. There is an applied cotton lace 3-1/8" in width attached to bias strip. A NOTE: looks like it was applied later of lesser quality. Leg-o-mutton or exaggerated puffed cap sleeves 6-1/4" from shoulder seam to edge of pleated cap. Separate type fitted sleeve attached at the bottom of the armseye. There are two seams to the sleeve on outside sleeve and an inner one -- The lower seam is 15" in length, the outer seam 19-3/8" length. Sleeves seem to curve up. Sleeve not put correctly into armseye. Attached 2-1/4" cotton lace cuff and extends beyond edge of jacket sleeve by 7/8 of an inch. Inner construction of cotton muslin two shades of brown. Left front bodice: no stitching on center front edge. Folds back 1-1/2" for button holes. From center front at 2-3/4" is first dart seam and 2nd. dart seam begins at 4-5/8" at bottom of jacket edge. the metal stay is 3-3/4" from bottom of jacket. Center back of bodice: length of bodice back is 20", width of shoulder seam from armseye to armseye is 12" -- Another metal stay is 6" from center back and is 7" long. Center back has 4 one inch pleats that are 6" in length and open pleat at center back or vent. Dart seam that begins 3" from drop shoulder line and curves down to pleated section. Side seam with metal stay of 5". 3" waist cincher attached to lining with 4 hooks and eye starting 3-1/2" from bottom edge. 1" self fabric hem handstitched overcast all seams are hand overcast.Acquisition
Notes
Donor: Mrs. Earl Benson, 8-26-1987