Dress #125: Late Georgian walking dress in brown

This hand-stitched paper dress is based on a ca. 1935 American walking dress in vibrant red-brown silk; the original is held by the Metropolitan Museum of Art (accession 26.250.1a, b). Waistlines were still high in the 1830s, while skirts had expanded into large bell shapes, showing off the ankles. The gigot sleeves of the upper arm are gathered into tight sleeves from below the elbows to the wrists. A detachable pelerine, accented with a lace collar, gives the shoulders the wide, triangular shape typical of the time period. The belt is striped, and fastened with a large, gilt buckle.

The dress is six inches tall, stitched by hand on 8x10 inch 100% cotton watercolour paper, which means that it will pop right into any commercial frame in that size, and be ready to hang on your wall.

Materials: Japanese and Nepalese papers and cotton floss on cotton paper; 24.5 x 20.3 cm (10 x 8")