Dress
Date1824-1827
MediumCotton, linen
DimensionsOL down center back 49 ½ in.; Waist 22 7/8 in.; Bust 28 1/5 in.
Credit LineGift of The Valentine Museum, Richmond, VA
Object number2023-173,A&B
DescriptionWhite cotton dress with a raised waistline and long sleeves. The dress has a straight front and gathers in the back. Fastens down the center front with a series of thread covered buttons. Braided trim is sewn down the center front opening, on the cuffs, and on the center back of the bodice; the trim has a floral, looping pattern. Piping on the armscye, cuffs, and back seams. The bodice is lined with white linen.Label TextLondon's 'The Morning Chronicle' reported in 1825 that "many dresses for home costume, whether made high or only partially so, are most admired when they do not fasten behind: they button down the front, all the way, with buttons set very close together." The lightweight material and center front fastenings of this dress suggest it is one of these "home costumes", often called morning dress, worn inside on more informal occasions.
InscribedThere is a fabric tag sewn into the back of the collar, "V.73.328.2"; this is the previous number assigned by the Valentine Museum.
ProvenancePrior to 1972, Nancy Lea Marshall (Charlottesville, VA); passed by descent to William M. Marshall; 1973 given to the Valentine Museum (Richmond, VA); 2023-present given to the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation (Williamsburg, VA)
