Dear penny,
This bodice seems to be a fairly typical 1880's bodice. The buttons
would be in the front. One sees this type of button quite often. The
3/4 sleeves are common in the 80's. One good way to tell 1860/70's
from 1880/90's is the placement of the shoulder seam. in the 80/90s
the shoulder seam is higher creating a narrower shoulder and more
vertical look. In the 60/70's the shoulder line is dropped (to
varying degrees) creating a wider, more curved, softer silhouette.
I have scanned pictures from Harper's Bazar 1883 and 1884:
http://www.vintagevictorian.com/1884_nov29_hb_b.jpg
http://www.vintagevictorian.com/1883_sep22_hb.jpg
Didn't have time to find a low cut bodice but these show the general
80's shape pretty well, pointed waist, front buttons covered by trim,
3/4 sleeves. The fact that your bodice does not extend below the
waist tells me it was most likely from a year when there was more
fullness in the skirt just below the waist, a bigger bustle. Rather
than from when the bustle was very narrow (like 1880) and the bodice
often extended well below the waist.
I have a page up for 1880's evening dress, but no day dress yet. it's
brand new, no quite finished:
http://www.vintagevictorian.com/costume_1880e.html
Katy
On 5/20/06, Penny <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
I saw earlier this week the thread "What's on your dressform" and didn't
have time to answer. A lot has been on my dressforms during the past week. I
have been photographing the fashion collection at Virginia Commonwealth
University. I start teaching the fashion history class Monday at the
university. I will be using some of the sturdier pieces in the classroom.
The frial pieces are photographed to show the students projected from my
laptop via a motorized screen.
Some of the collection's costumes are misdated. Each archive box is like
opening Christmas packages... you never know what you will find inside. A
lot of fun! I found a bodice in a box named 1900. The bodice is clearly
not from 1900, as were several other items in the box. I think it might be
date from 1840s or 1860s. My class time frame is from 1860-1990. If this
piece is from 1860, I can use these photos in my class.
Would you all please look at some photgraphs of the bodice and let me know
what time frame you think it is from. The center front and center back have
a point at the waist.
Front view: ( I didn't pad out the waistline curve to show the full point)
www.costumegallery.com/help/P1010112.jpg
Flat view of the inside of bodice:
www.costumegallery.com/help/P1010111.jpg
Flat view of the back of bodice:
www.costumegallery.com/help/P1010107.jpg
Thank you for your help.
Penny Ladnier,
Owner
www.costumegallery.com
www.costumelibrary.com
www.costumeclassroom.com
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--
Katy Bishop, Vintage Victorian
[EMAIL PROTECTED] www.VintageVictorian.com
Custom reproduction gowns of the Victorian Era.
Publisher of the Vintage Dress Series books.
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