Help dating Victorian dress?

[TurtleRay]

Hello! I would appreciate any help dating a Victorian dress.

The dress is made from a bright green brocade cloth. It has metal braided trim on the hem, waist, and neckline, as well as fake pearls (the pearls are lightweight and hollow. I'm not sure what material they are made from). There is lace on the neckline and sleeves. The middle of the back of the waist has a beaded applique, made from white glass seed beads. The dress has a long train in back.

Interior: It looks like the interior has a lot of steel boning along the seams. There is an elastic band in the front of the bodice, and a string at the top of the bodice (I am guessing it would tie on to the corset?). The dress is machine sewn, and the trim is hand sewn. The seams are not finished, and are left raw. The panel of contrasting fabric in the front of the bodice might have been added in later. The seams look a little sloppier than the rest of the gown. There is a panel of hook and eyes in the middle of the back of the dress.

The sleeves are what have me stumped. I haven't seen any similar sleeves in my research. They are made from a lightweight white fabric (not sure what it is), and they have 3 strips of the brocade fabric laid over the top. The cut of the sleeves reminds me of a Shakespeare or Renaissance costume.

Any ideas on the age of the dress? I'm guessing late 1880s or 90s? Thank you for any help!


front of dress


close up


trim


back of dress


inside

 

[sewingmachinegirl]

Hi TurtleRay.
On looking at your photos- I am sure that your dress is a modern or possibly vintage costume, not an actual historical garment. The construction, machine sewing, design and especially the elastic and metal boning all speak volumes.
Your dress appears to have been made up of various vintage and modern fabrics, trims and embellishments that were on hand in a costume shop or in a dressmakers stash all to help give it a period look.
Sorry if this disappoints, but it is still very lovely
Cheers
Gayle

 

[Jonathan]

I agree and disagree with Gayle. It looks to me like a fancy dress costume made in the late 1890s for a fancy dress ball as some Renaissance character. The fabric choice for the dress is perfect for this period. The alternative is that it was a fashionable dress but altered for a stage or fancy dress costume at a later date, and that could be determined by how the trims were added and any alterations made. The front panel looks like its sewn in properly to me, and the lace is old - if the pearls are easily crushable, they are the old ones, not modern faux pearls... I like how the inner band is sewn into the waist of the bodice - that suggests originality to me - a modern costume or remake probably wouldn't bother with that. It's hard without handling it to be sure, but it looks like a 1890s fancy dress costume to me. What you said is elastic may be cotton braided tape used as a drawstring for the neckline?

 

[TurtleRay]

Thank you both for your help!

Some of the pearls are crushed, and the "elastic" looks like braided cotton.

 

[sewingmachinegirl]

My Pleasure- and excellent advise/points from Jonathon

 

[Vinclothes]

I agree completely with both Gayle and Jonathan! It is a lovely creatively assembled dress.
Marian

 

[Circa Vintage Clothing]

I agree with Gayle and Jonathan - a costume, and I concur that it has some age too. It's hard to be sure of age from the photos, as handling the materials up close is what is needed but it's lovely all the same.

 

[Midge]

I was immediately reminded of Renaissance styles - hence I would have said it was a theatrical or fancy-dress costume too, but probably an older one.