Name/Title
Gown, WeddingEntry/Object ID
w00815Description
HCD / w00815
Top of Cassine Wilson's wedding dress, white taffeta, ruffle at top of sleeve, lace at bottom. Eyelets where laced, many stays.
Bodice to a wedding dress. The bodice has a high, round neckline with a binding of self fabric. The waistline is deeply pointed at front and back; the bodice front is fitted with four deep darts which fan out from the center point. The darts and center front bodice seam are all boned. The bodice has a dropped shoulderline, and coat sleeves, which are cut with a curve and are widest in the elbow area, then taper to the wrist. A pleated silk ribbon ruffle and bobbin lace edge the inside of the wrist openings. The armscye, which is piped, is covered with a pleated ruffle of self fabric; remnants of a chenille trimming on this ruffle hang by a thread on both sleeves. The bodice opening is at the center back; it fastens with a cord lacing (remnants attached) through hand-worked eyelets. The edges of the opening are stabilized with narrow rods of baleen (which is also probably used for the boning). White, twill-woven cotton is used for the lining. There is a handwritten fabric label stitched inside the left side of the opening: "Cassine Wilson's / Wedding top / Hcd.", lzb, 4/29/08;Interpretative Labels
Label Type
Cultural/Historical ContextLabel
This is an example of a luxury item that may have only been affordable to members of the merchant class.