en-ca
Brown and rust three piece day dress of faille and moiré. The rust moiré bodice has a high neckline, long sleeves ending in a cuff and 20 jet buttons with intaglio design. The edge of the bodice has a scalloped, point edge with ribbon bow knots decorating the edge. The skirt is brown faille and moiré rust. Bands of the fabric create ruffles running horizontally up 1/3 of the skirt from the hemline. Two strips of ruffled rust moiré also run vertically on the upper 2/3 of the skirt. In the centre front of the skirt are 7 ribbon bow knots, the same style as found on the back of the bodice. The overskirt is of brown faille, is lined with scrim to add stiffness and also has a drawstring allowing the overskirt to be gathered and adding fullness over a bustle. According to the donor the garment had been altered/updated to the 1880s but may have originally been 1870s.