Dress 1885 - 1889

Curator: Ah, yes, here we have a dress from the late 1880s, held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It's fashioned from silk and other textiles. It immediately calls to mind those sumptuous historical paintings depicting ladies of the court. Editor: What a faded beauty! It feels haunted, somehow. That antique gold is very melancholic. And the skirt’s almost like basket weave. Curator: The colors certainly speak of time's passage. However, gold shades also traditionally signify wealth, power, even divine grace. In terms of fashion, the bustle silhouette was paramount then; it reshaped the body into an S-curve, exaggerating the hips and bust. Editor: It is so sculptural, it makes you wonder about the body inside it, restricted and reshaped. I bet this was somebody’s special dress! The intricate trim looks quite carefully and tightly sewn into the garment. But if colors can fade with time, it suggests, can the body's beauty fade with time too, when wearing this garment? It feels sad to have time pass at all. Curator: These garments also operated as status symbols. The embellishments denoted social standing, refinement. Embroidery, lace, the sheer volume of fabric - each choice communicates a message about the wearer’s place in society, as part of a collective. Editor: Absolutely, yes! I like how you bring in that theme. Now that you mention collective experience... if the details had disappeared or faded more it would signify even greater anonymity. In which case, any story about such attire might just remain entirely unreadable! And maybe all that would remain about the garment would be its general silhouette! Curator: Precisely! So, next time you're trying on some vintage clothes, consider that each thread holds a history, a connection to another era, to human experiences woven together. Editor: And now, seeing this lovely but slightly morbid historical artwork… makes me feel like wearing whatever clothing fits nicely—to express what you are without time restrictions! Thank you!