Fig Leaf Patterns 201, Day Dress, 1856-1862
This day dress belonged to Elizabeth Ann Fullwood Aycock (c1828-1864). Born in Old Sumter District in South Carolina c.1828, Elizabeth Ann Fullwood was the daughter of William J. Fullwood and Lavinia Pringle. Elizabeth married James H. Aycock in 1855. The mother of three, Elizabeth died in 1864.
This pattern contains two graded versions of the bodice. The original dress is a maternity dress with a raised waistline in the front. In the second version the front bodice has been lengthened to the style of late 1850’s and is non-maternity. Both bodices have all the original details and styling.
This front opening day dress has full bishops sleeves which are hand pleated and back stitched at the shoulder and cuff. The bodice is lined and boned and closes with hooks and eyes on the lining; pleat details at center front waist. The neck, armscye, sleeve cuff, and waist have piping, The skirt is gauged into the bodice. Original dress is both hand sewn and machine sewn.
The sleeves are full bishop style sleeves with a tuck at the elbow. These sleeves are lined with a narrower cut sleeve lining which has two large pleats at the sleeve head and no cuffs. The fullness at the top of the self sleeve is contained by 25 pleats at the top and again pleats at the cuff. The top pleats have a double row of stitching which catches the sleeve lining. The pleats are caught at the bottom with a single row of stitch which creates a cuff effect.
FIT:
This dress is meant to fit snugly over a corset. Petticoats or a small crinoline may have been worn.
FABRIC:
The original self fabric is a light to medium weight printed cotton with a brown based stripe with red, white, black and yellow figured stripes which create a strong horizontal pattern. Period fabrics in solids, stripes, plaids and florals in period colors and designs would be