Date this dress, please

[chinakay]

Mom in her wedding dress, a Victorian tea dress (so I was informed). Just found this pic, and on the back it says "My great grandmother's wedding dress!"...if that's true, it's from one generation further back than I thought. Could someone please give an opinion on a date?

It was turquoise silk with ecru lace over, and two pieces, bodice and skirt meeting at the waistline. My mother wore it without a corset

Cheers,
China

[Treetotal]

Hi China...Sorry I can't help with a date but here's a clean up for you.
Carol

[Treetotal]

Hi China...I did a sepia alternative too
Carol

[chinakay]

Lovely, TT, thank you! I think the sepia suits the dress.

Now I'm regretting helping my mother send the dress to a museum...

Cheers,
C

[Suttonrog]

I'm not sure about my interpretation of turquoise

Sutton Rog

[chinakay]

Oh, that's nice, Rog, thank you very much! The colour is about how I remember it, maybe it was a little bit bluer, no matter.

With a big brown stain on it where somebody dumped a cup of coffee the last time she wore it

Cheers,
C

[Willow 4873]

Hiya

I'd say it looked more Edwardian than Victorian (but don't ask me for the date)

Willow x

[bell2]

I would say about 1904, by 1910 the waist-line and hem-line has gone up again, they also loved their lace in this period,so yes defiantly Edwardian.
Found this site for dating fashion and old photographs, full of info Belle,

http://www.fashion-era.com/index.htm

[Elizabeth Revel]

Dear China,

I spent a wonderful afternoon admiring pictures of beautiful women in gorgeous gowns and hoped that by the time I got around to answering the question that Old rowley would have been by!!

I see that has not happened so will hazard a guess that it hails from the mid 1860's. It is difficult to find pictures of such summery garments but I found one of Queen Victoria's children where the girls were wearing dresses which shared similarities with yours, less fabric in front of the skirt, no skirt flounces, full sleeves with snug cuffs and with some detailing at the shoulder and on some of the dresses (but not these in particular) there is the front bodice interest

      http://www.btinternet.com/~sbishop100/
      http://www.btinternet.com/~sbishop100/qvchild.jpg
      http://www.btinternet.com/~sbishop100/alice3.jpg

The wedding at Osborne House is unfortunately only a very small picture but the lines of the dresses are much as yours would be with appropriate petticoats.

I think that might also fit the great grandmother time line.

Beth