Afternoon Dress | c. 1895
This dress was made by David Jones in Sydney about 1895. Established in 1838, David Jones is the oldest department store in the world still trading today.
By 1880, fashionable ready-made clothing could be bought from city department stores like David Jones and Anthony Horderns. Alternatively, a length of fabric could be bought and made up into an outfit like this one for the customer. Ready-made clothing came to dominate the market over time.
This day dress is characteristic of women’s costumes during the 1890s. The flat-fronted skirt with a train at the back creates a flowing line and the boned bodice and puffed sleeves aim to emphasise the hour-glass shape that was popular at the time. Trimmings and ornamentation include handmade rosettes on the elbows, and bronze beads and sequins decorating the waistband and sleeves of the dress.
Picture thanks defunctfashion
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