Gown

A woman's gown of gold-coloured, finely ribbed silk. The gown is in the English (tight-back) style, open at the front, with elbow-length sleeves. The sleeves are shaped to the elbow and are trimmed above the elbow and at the edge with a gathered pinked frill of self material. The bodice meets at the centre front. The bodice and sleeves are lined with bleached linen. The pleats at the back are stitched down; the skirt is finely pleated into the waistseam and held in place with stitching on the inside, 2 cm below the waist. The gown is made of 5 and a half widths of silk. The hem is faced with white silk taffeta. There is a self covered button at each side back seam. The pink cords inside the dress are probably replacements for the originals which looped up the skirt of the gown.

A deep dart (now unpicked) was sewn on each bodice front for fancy dress in the late 19th century.