#c294 $1975
Romantic period cotton print dress, 1830s
This exceptional Romantic period dress is a special find! With its exaggerated gigot sleeves and dainty pleated bodice, the dress is an excellent example of full blown Romantic styling.
The Romantics believed that women, like men, had the God given right to proclaim their individuality. This was the most fundamental form of self-expression. Nothing is a greater declaration of self than to celebrate the natural female form through clothes.
Our dress has the desirable large gigot sleeves, which first appeared around 1830. They draw attention to the female form, making the waist appear smaller, emphasizing the curves of the female figure.
The pleated bodice and sleeves are lined with ivory cotton broadcloth. The neckline, armholes, and pleats are outlined with narrow self-covered corded piping. I love the detail on the cuffs (4th picture from the bottom). The unlined skirt has a flounced hem border. The dress is completely hand sewn with tiny stitches.
The second picture from the bottom displays the winsome beauty of the floral print, where
red and blue flowers seek out the caresses of the summer sun. Here are
All delights of summer weather,
All the buds and bells of May,
From dewy sward or thorny spray
The condition is almost excellent. In the skirt I found a few tiny mends that get lost in the print. The colors of the lovely roller-printed dress are still fresh.
It measures: 32" bust, 24" waist, 28" sleeve length, and 42" skirt length.
