Day dress ensemble

By 1870 the circumference of the skirt had reduced considerably from its proportions in the mid-1860s. Fullness remained at the back, where it was swathed over a bustle and tied with tapes on the inside to allow the skirt to drape in a becoming fashion. This ensemble illustrates the decorations, especially fringing and applied ruffles, that were popular at the time. The unfitted jacket and fairly loose-fitting skirt suggest that the ensemble might have been worn by an older woman.