Wedding Dress

Clothing/Dress/Costume

Wayland Museum

Name/Title

Wedding Dress

Entry/Object ID

C111

Description

Sleeves fitted and ruched above the elbows with lace and piping - high waist - sewn on sash - high neck with stand up collar with lace inserts - skirt long and straight, ruched at knee length - hooks and eyes - lined - machine sewn.

Use

Wedding dress of Beatrice DeCharmes Bell (8/17/1881-1960), married Archie William Bell (11/30/1876-3/10/1941), Nov.30, 1912, Cincinnati, Ohio. Dress donated by her daughters Edith Bell and Betty Decharms Bell Holmes. Negative and copy print made. Ph-87-16.

Context

Edith and Betty (6/6/1918-8/1986) were both born in Cincinnati where their parents lived their whole lives. Edith remained in Cincinnati. Betty married Dunbar Holmes (12/23/1912-1997) on 12/18/1948. They moved to Wayland in 1963. Both are buried in North Cemetery.

Collection

Costume Collection

Cataloged By

Bryant, Sherry Anne

Acquisition

Accession

1986.17

Source or Donor

Holmes, Betty

Acquisition Method

Gift

Notes

Dress belonged to the mother of donors. Beatrice (Decharms) Bell married Archie W. Bell on 11-30-1912 in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Clothing/Dress/Costume Details

Article of Clothing/Dress/Costume

Dress

Clothing Sex

Female

Textile Details

Fabric

Silk, Crepe, Satin, Lace

Material

Metal, hooks and eyes

Lining

Cotton

Color

Cream

Notes

Silk crepe and satin - lining cotton lawn.

Made/Created

Date made

circa 1912

Lexicon

Nomenclature 4.0

Nomenclature Primary Object Term

Dress, Wedding

Nomenclature Sub-Class

Wedding Objects

Nomenclature Class

Ceremonial Objects

Nomenclature Category

Category 08: Communication Objects

Condition

Reason for Exam

Post Exhibit

Overall Condition

Very Good

Date Examined

Apr 1, 2019

Examined By

Collection Committee

Conservation

Conservation Purpose

Loan Out

Exhibition

Red, White, and “I do”

General Notes

Note

Six celluloid stays in standup net-lace collar as part of a triangular sewn in piec. [Insertion Lace: A type of lace designed to be stitched between two pieces of fabric to bridge them together, often used in delicate, vintage, or heirloom clothing.], netting has tears; lace cap over ruched sleeves, ruched bodice, pleated band at midriff, ruched skirt at front knee length. [Ruching is a technique where fabric is gathered, pleated, or folded along seams to create a textured, rippled effect.] Watermark (tea?) type stain at left side of front panel onto the side, two small black marks on left hip.; lace panels on fabric surface appear to be in excellent condition. 31 silver hooks and eyes to close back fabric and lace panel, one hook and eye on the sleeve cuff. Medallions and some threads in the lace panels appear to have a pink chaste. Full length body slip has unattached skirt with a deep lace-trimmed ruffle around bottom edge. Slip is tacked to crepe skirt in several places. When slip comes to the waistline, it becomes stitched together with the crepe at armhole seams to make a lining for the bodice and by using basting stitches to attach the lace. Outside bodice is sewn to skirt section with tiny even stitches. Waistline is covered with pleated band. Sleeve has ruching from shoulder to elbow, lace inserted in seam from elbow to lace cuff.

Note Type

In-House Note

Note

Examination completed April 2026