Evening Dress

This evening dress comprises bodice and skirt made from brilliant orange/yellow gold silk satin, which has been overlaid with a striped, pale green silk chiffon. The boned bodice has a V nceckline and laces at the front.  　

The skirt is a brilliant orange/yellow gold silk satin, and features a hem attached and a small train which comrpises an extra ruffled of finely corded fabric. The skirt is flat at the front, and is gathered on the waistband at the back, It has a woven waistband, also printed with the maker's legend, and fastens are the back with two large hooks and eyes. The skirt is lined with a loosely woven gauze.

Fragments of stitching thread are present along the back neckline, over the shoulders and down the front on either side of the closure. It could be that extra embellishment was originally stitched over these areas and subsequently removed. This would explain why raw edges of chiffon are coming through the shoulder seams, as these may have been covered as part of the original design. The stitching thread fragments also corresponds with some damage to the chiffon.

The maker's label reads: "Mrs Oliver, Modes & Robes, 3. Inverness Place, Bayswater". Mrs Oliver was the trading name of Ellen Bushell, who died on 15 July 1900.