Dress

Gown
Textile: India; construction, probably America, 1809-1817
Cotton, wood, and silk
Gift of Mrs. Richard S. Aldrich, 2000-48

A family document notes that Ann Cary Selden Breckinridge of Botetourt County, Virginia, wore this stylish gown at a Congressional Ball in Washington, D. C., where her husband served in the House of Representatives from 1809 to 1817. Multiple contemporary observations about Dolley Madison’s avant-garde attire confirm that Washington women of this period were keenly interested in the latest fashions. The cut and color of Ann Breckinridge’s gown suggest that she was no exception.

The brilliant red color of this garment’s imported, Indian-embroidered cotton signals a growing departure from the ubiquitous all-white neoclassic gowns in the early years of the 19th century. Here the yellow cotton embroidery, worked on flat panels before the gown was constructed, was planned especially for the intended shape of the garment. It centers at the front of the skirt and continues around the back to edge the hem. Narrower bands of needlework also trim the neckline and puffed sleeves.

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