Dress
PeriodCirca 1855
Place MadeNew Jersey, U.S.A.
MediumWool, velvet
Dimensions38 in. (96.5 cm)
ClassificationsCostume, Children's
Credit LineMuseum Collection
Object number2020.515
DescriptionA young girl's dress, made of wool challis in a bright red, green, blue, and white plaid. The dress features a rounded neckline, long sleeves ending in black velvet cuffs, a gored skirt trimmed with large scalloped panels edged in narrow black velvet ribbon, and a rear button-down closure with self-covered wooden buttons.Curatorial RemarksThis simple and colorful little girl's dress was made for a child between three and five years old. Although the dress is simply made, there are several lovely design elements incorporated into the construction, including the contrasting black velvet cuffs and the bold scallop panels along the skirt hem. Construction details seem to indicate that this dress was most likely sewn by the wearer's mother and not a professional dressmaker. The gown, dating from 1850 to 1860 or so, is displayed on an antique store mannequin from the turn of the century. The mannequin's high buttoned boots are of cast iron, and serve as a weighted base for the form. The mannequin was used for many years in a dry goods store on Main Street in Freehold, New Jersey.
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