Culture/Origin: Most likely local to Outer Cape
Maker/Retailer: Local dressmaker or home-made
Date: c 1895-1899
Material: Wool or wool/silk (main fabric), silk lining, Stiffening material.
A two-piece day dress in a lavender/faded blue-purple wool-based fabric.
The silhouette is defined by the extreme volume of the gigot sleeves which balloon from the shoulder and taper tightly to the wrist, consistent with the mid-to-late 1890s. The bodice features a high neckline and is heavily trimmed with applied white lace and ruffles, framing a central decorative yoke panel. The skirt falls in a slender, inverted cone shape, lacking the structural support of a bustle.
Noteworthy alteration: The waistline shows evidence of being roughly taken in at the back/side seams, suggesting the garment was altered to fit a smaller wearer later in its life.