#4010 $2,400
Irish crochet lace/tulle dress, c.1910
Lavishly embellished with handwork details, the tea dress was the mainstay of the Edwardian lady's wardrobe. This one features fabulous Irish crochet embellishment and rows of the narrow tucks so beloved by the Edwardians. The dress would be perfect for an informal wedding.
The dress is fashioned from white cotton dotted tulle totally covered with tucks. I photographed it without a slip so you can see the detail. The skirt, which fits smoothly over the hip, flares below the hipline and dips longer in back. If you are not 6' tall like the mannequin, the skirt will form a slight train. The dress closes in back with hooks.
In modern times, our dress could be worn for a wedding. I recall reading in a book of Edwardian memoirs what an indelible impression was made by the impeccable beauty of these white dresses.
As a child in London in 1910, you would have seen such an expensive white dress if your parents had taken you to an "open air entertainment"—a theatrical garden party for charity, where glamorous actresses sold ice cream or autographed photos. But it was the beautiful white dresses that stayed in your young mind.
The condition is excellent. It is clean and ready to wear.
It measures: 36" bust, 30" waist, 38" hip, 25" sleeve length, 17" from the shoulder to the waist, and 58 1/2" from the shoulder to the front hem (3" longer in back).
