Lace Dress – 1890s

A woman is wearing an intricate, lacy dress that is pale yellow, light blue, and white with beaded details. The sleeves are double puffed white lace over pale blue, with yellow flower trim in the center of the puffs. The ends of the sleeves have two bands of blue with beading. The bodice has a high standing collar with many small tucks and blue corded and beaded trim coiled over the white

The center of the bodice is also white tucks with pale yellow lace side sections. The tucked section ends in a low scoop, trimmed with pale blue cording, white lace rosettes with blue satin double bows, and hanging sections of pale yellow lace reaching to below her knees. The rest of the bodice is white lace over pale blue, matching the sleeves. The skirt has sections of pale blue with white and yellow sections set off by beaded borders in right angles.

The hem has wide ruffles narrowly pleated of blue and white with white lace edging. An extra tier of the same ruffles forms the train. An ornate beaded decoration at the center front of the skirt below the waist ends with five rows of hanging beads. She is holding a lacy white handkerchief. This dress may be a tea gown or an evening dress.

Credit: The Claremont Colleges