Midnight blue dress

J

Jenny S

Registered Guest
I inherited a two piece midnight blue velveteen dress that originally belonged to a great-great aunt, who lived in Maine and Boston,MA from 1844-1917. I would love to have an approximate date of this dress. I want to donate this to a local historical society and any info would be very helpful. Jacket has a decorative braided trim and it is lined with an soft ivory satiny finish material. Both skirt and jacket have hook and eye closures. Looks to be designed to wear with a corset. No label. Thanks for any info you may provide.
IMG_0664 (2).jpg
midnight blue dress.jpg
 
That is lovely. It is hard to see the silhouette of the skirt, does it have a slight train in the back? Is it fuller than it looks here? Is the skirt short on you and was meant for your (shorter?) aunt? The jackets has a lot of late 1890s elements, 1898-1900. Not sure, it could be later (early Edwardian) but I cannot tell. Can you show us the lining? Is the jacket boned?

We have some members here who should be chiming in too.
 
Thanks for your feedback. To answer your questions, I enclose a few more photos with details of the pleating on the skirt and the lining. The skirt has no train, no accommodation for a bustle, and is the same design front and back in terms of the pleating. Because of the pleating on the upper part of the skirt, it fits more closely to the hips, then flares out to be more full mid-thigh. I don't know my aunt's height (I am 5' 6") but she may well have been shorter. The jacket has no boning. Lining is very frayed at the collar area.
Detail on skirt.jpg
lining of jacket.jpg
 
You look great in that, by the way. I am now leaning to late Edwardian, still not sure of what year. Hopefully others will come by, maybe Jonathan who has very good knowledge of this era. If I had it in hand I could tell better.
 
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