Dress (2002.21)

Red, white, and blue cotton checked weave day dress with long leg of mutton sleeves, natural level waist, and full gathered skirt.

Bodice consists of two front pieces; two narrow underarm pieces (1.5" wide); two side back pieces; two back pieces. Opens down center front, the opening continuing into the skirt for 5", with no visible or extant closure method; the center front edges have a.75" hem. Front has moderately low round scooped neckline. There is a hole near the left shoulder which has been backed with a plain blue and white checked cotton; this repair may be contemporary to the dress's original use or may be modern. Back neckline is moderately high boatneck. Center back has center seam, curved back seams piped in a contrasting red white and blue plaid. The shoulder seams are also piped. Bodice is unlined.

Full-cut leg of mutton sleeves cut in one piece, cut extra-long. Skirt has three selvage to selvage panels 31.75" wide, pleated into the bodice, all pleats facing towards the center back.

Provenance Narrative
The dress was found in Tennessee and may have originated there. The fabric may have been made in America. Though not made in a fancy fabric, the maker took care to make highly fashionable leg of mutton sleeves in exaggerated length, so that they would be pushed up the arm and the puffs, which would have required a padded or stiffened filler to keep their shape, would have extended up above the shoulders. Care has also been taken to match the pattern of the check at the front.

Place Made
United States TENNESSEE, possibly