Afternoon dress 1873 - 1877

Editor: This Afternoon Dress, created by the House of Worth between 1873 and 1877, showcases a beautiful teal color with a really ornate bodice. It almost looks theatrical, like it belongs on a stage. What strikes you when you look at this piece? Curator: I see the potent language of status and restriction. Consider the layers, the boning, the sheer amount of fabric, all of which speak to a very specific performance of femininity. Think about how movement would have been dictated by the garment, subtly shaping posture and defining social interaction. Does the dress remind you of any architectural motifs? Editor: Now that you mention it, the bustled skirt and the structure of the jacket almost resemble a building under construction, all layered and supported. It seems quite far removed from how clothes function today. Curator: Precisely! And what might the colors themselves be communicating? Teal evokes stability and sophistication, wouldn’t you say? Paired with gold embroidery, you’re sending signals of wealth and established status, participating in a visual code immediately readable to the fashionable elite of the time. What does the bow placement signify for you? Editor: It's drawing my eye towards the center of the dress and highlighting the waistline, emphasizing the desirable hourglass figure of the era, as well as the ideas of conventional "beauty". I hadn't really considered the individual symbols before, so thank you! Curator: Of course! Seeing clothes, not just as garments but also rich cultural documents that give voices from a long ago past is exciting, isn’t it? Editor: Definitely something I'll keep in mind going forward!