c. 1866-1868

Woman's Dress with Day and Evening Bodices

In 1864, Worth & Bobergh's gowns introduced the flat-fronted crinoline (hoopskirt), a variation on the earlier dome-shaped cage crinoline, and the new swept-back look became the fashionable silhouette until 1868. This ensemble also includes a low-necked, short-sleeved evening bodice (not shown here). Both bodices are trimmed with the same fabric as the main garment, giving the ensemble a more restrained look than was associated with Worth in later years. The silk's bright apple-green color was made possible by the introduction of aniline dyes in 1856. Black silk bobbin lace shawls such as the one shown here were predominantly made by hand at Bayeux, France, and Geeraardsbergen (Grammont), Belgium.