- Evening dress
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Evening dress
- Place of origin:
England (made)
- Date:
ca. 1818 (made)
- Artist/Maker:
Unknown
- Materials and Techniques:
Machine made silk net, embroidered with silk, trimmed with satin decoration, wired epaulettes, hand-sewn
- Credit Line:
Given by Misses H. and M. Hague
- Museum number:
T.175-1922
- Gallery location:
In Storage
Machine-made net was developed from the late 1760s. It became a popular ground for embroidery and machine-made laces. Its light weight and airy texture suited the simple style of early 19th century women’s dress. This example in black allows for a dramatic contrast when worn over a white under-dress. The applied satin rolls and rosettes at the hem and shoulders were a new decorative trend in women’s dress, which was moving away from the very plain styles of earlier Neo-classical dress. Between 1815 and 1820 the waist was very high, reducing the bodice to narrow strips of fabric at the front and back.
