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BALL
AND WEDDING DRESSES
Here for your consideration is my collection of Silk
Ball and Wedding Dresses. Such
romantic confections were the ultimate expression of the dressmaker’s art.
If you have only one customer made or silk dress in your wardrobe, this style
of dress may be it.
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Here we see Hana wearing a typical silk
ball gown. This type of dress can be changed from season to season by
switching the bertha. All my formal silk gowns feature a very deep point
in the front and back, double piping around the bottom edge of the bodice,
a treatment seen on original dresses of this type. Prices start at $400
and go up in price depending on the trim. Berthas start at $50. |
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| Next,
Michele models a creation from the Ladies
Treasury of December, 1861. The dress is of pink glace silk. The skirt has eight small frills of silk. The
upper skirt, or tunic, is gathered up by a garland of roses and green leaves. The
roses in this garland are graduated, the two lower ones being large and
detached, then two smaller ones are placed together, and finally a small
one above that again . The sleeves are short. The body has a heart-shaped garland, the
largest rose being placed in the center, on a bed of green leaves; and the
small roses extend nearly to the top of the shoulder, but not on it. This
style is likely to be a great favorite, and to be adopted in garlands
composed of other flowers besides roses. The dress style is available in
many colors, priced at $875 including flower trim. |
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| Barbara is also wearing a design from
the Ladies Treasury of December, 1861. The magazine describes this dress
as a “pale green shot with white glace silk, edged with a
thickly-plaited quilling of bright magenta-colored glace ribbon. Broad
bands of ribbon of the same tint spring outwards from the waist, and are
confined between each space formed by the trimming with bouquets of white
chrysanthemums having yellow centers. The green leaves are frosted. The
under-skirt is of white tarlatane, thickly puffed, or bouffante over
white.”
The dress style is available including silk underskirt, priced at $975.
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Moriah is
modeling my interpretation of a wedding dress from Godey’s
December, 1862 issue. This is a “white silk dress trimmed with bias
flounces and headed by a quilled ribbon, which is also on the edge of the
skirt. The body is plain and high, finished on the front by a plaiting of
silk, a point lace collar and under sleeves. The sash is trimmed with a
quilled ribbon and tied behind. The bouquet, composed of the same flowers
as the wreath, is placed on the left side, a few sprays falling over the
skirt. The hair is dressed with fancy side combs studded with pearls and a
bridal wreath. Thulle veil falling over the face.” |
This web site is
maintained by Robin Stokes, and was last updated 04/03/2008
. All text and images are copyright 2005 by Robin Stokes, who is solely
responsible for the content and reserves all rights.
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