Collections record Beta

Bodice, Skirt and Bustle - Dress

1972-11-3 a-c

Material of light cotton printed with blue and white plaid with light brown lines A: Bodice - long waisted with two gores each side of the 12 pearl buttons; the neck has a simple small collar and th long straight sleeves have gathered cuffs trimmed with machine made lace; the bodice has an added skirtlet or ruffle along bottom hem which is pleated all around and trimmed with machine made lace B: Skirt - Long, column chaped with three wide bands of like material gathered around the bottom; ties on back sides of skirt to gather it into bustle on the back; tiered ruffles at bottom of skirt D: Bustle - half skirt length; fits around waist; ties sewn into fabric to gather bustle in back and attach to skirt;

Mrs. Bissell studied dressmaking before she married according to her daughter; this dress may have been designed and made by her for her trousseau and worn after she was married on November 15, 1880. It was her husband's favorite dress

• Bissell, Anna Alura Waters, 1858-1949

1880

• cotton