Fancy Dress

1750-1760 (weaving), 1765 - 1775 (sewing), 1870 - 1910 (reconstructed)
Fancy Dress thumbnail 1
Fancy Dress thumbnail 2
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Not currently on display at the V&A

Artist/Maker
Place Of Origin

A woman's fancy dress of white figured silk with a serpentine, brocaded trail design of alternating floral bands of pinks and maroon. The flowers are separated by rows of small buds rising from stems. Each stem is on a figured lace pattern band. The silk is brocaded on a ribbed ground with part of the rib forming flush subsidiary design. The fabric was originally made into a sack and petticoat, open at the front with elbow-length sleeves and trimmed with ruching edged with a fringe of white silk gimp and coloured floss knots.

The sack was radically altered for fancy dress; panels of the petticoat inserted at the front, the back pleats reconfigured and a buttoned stomacher of a different silk and fringe added. A flounce, probably from the petticoat was added to the front at the waist.


object details
Categories
Object Type
Materials and Techniques
Silk, linen, cotton, silk thread, linen thread, cotton thread; hand-woven brocade and fringe, hand-sewn
Brief Description
A woman's fancy dress, 1870-1910, English; made from a sack 1765-75 of figured white silk brocaded with floral trails, Spitalfields, 1750s
Physical Description
A woman's fancy dress of white figured silk with a serpentine, brocaded trail design of alternating floral bands of pinks and maroon. The flowers are separated by rows of small buds rising from stems. Each stem is on a figured lace pattern band. The silk is brocaded on a ribbed ground with part of the rib forming flush subsidiary design. The fabric was originally made into a sack and petticoat, open at the front with elbow-length sleeves and trimmed with ruching edged with a fringe of white silk gimp and coloured floss knots.



The sack was radically altered for fancy dress; panels of the petticoat inserted at the front, the back pleats reconfigured and a buttoned stomacher of a different silk and fringe added. A flounce, probably from the petticoat was added to the front at the waist.

Dimensions
  • Length:
  • Shoulder to hem at centre back length: 153.0cm (approx)
  • Bust under armholes circumference: 125.0cm (approx)
  • Silk, selvedge to selvedge width: 50.3cm
  • Pattern repeat length: 31.5cm
Production typeUnique
Credit line
Given by Lord and Lady Cowdray
Collection
Accession Number
T.186-1970

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record createdJune 24, 2009
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