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| This outfit, made for a private client, consists of a separate skirt and bodice, a gilet, hat and muff, and a bustled petticoat. It is based on a design which appeared in the magazine "Tailor and Cutter", in 1875. The simple jacket style bodice, (shown below), is made from rifle green felted wool, and is fully lined. The cuffs are decorated with loose accordion pleats in the same fabric. It fastens at the centre front with a row of gold-effect buttons. The skirt is made in walking length (meaning that it has no train and the hem only just reaches the ground). It is double layered - the top of rifle green wool, again, decorated with accordion pleating, and the lower layer of purple felted wool, trimmed with a loosely pleated ruffle. The top (green) layer of the skirt is looped up at the back, and held in place with a bow of purple wool. (All of the woollen fabric is by Abimelech Hainsworth.) The gilet, or waistcoat, is made from black fake fur, trimmed with strips of purple and rifle green wool, and a collar of the same. It fastens at the front with the same gold-effect buttons as the bodice. The pillbox hat is of black fake fur, trimmed with purple and green wool, and a spray of gold flowers. The muff is of the same materials, and incorporates a woollen strap so that it can be fastened to a button on the waistband of the skirt when not in use. |
| The bustle petticoat is made of off-white cotton calico. The shape is supported by several half hoops of steel boning at the top of the skirt, which are held in place by ties. (The picture below shows the petticoat turned inside out.) A detachable stuffed 'bum' pad is fastened to the inside of the petticoat under the hoops to give further support. |
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