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Historic American black and white calico pioneer dress dating from around 1890-1910.
Beautiful smock style with a button-up bodice built-in beneath the long outer layer.
A central box pleat containing four narrower pleats drop from the nape at the back, fixed in place at the waist with a bow, they open up toward the hem giving fullness and a slight train to the skirt.
Yoke, collar and cuffs are finished with handmade braiding.
Elbows are reinforced with calico of a different print as this dress was made to be worked in.
There is yellowing to the collar and the cotton muslin lining inside. It is possible that the dress could be soaked gently and some, if not all of this discolouration could be removed.
Several small holes by the right cuff and to the side of the garment at the back waist.
Bodice buttons up with an assortment of buttons, we think one is the original horn button and three are metal replacements, although these would have been replaced at some point in the early part of the twentieth century.
Although there are some small issues with its condition when one considers both the age of the garment and the purpose for which it was made it is more than notable that its fabric is still strong and the garment remains completely wearable.
This is a museum-quality piece and an exceptional survivor of a bygone era.
Mint - item never been worn or remains in museum quality; often unsold shop stock aka deadstock, with original sales tags or packaging included.
Excellent - item has no holes, stains or repairs and has been extremely well cared for over the years.
Very good - item appears slightly worn, for example has very minor fading or a tiny repair which is not in an obvious place.
Good - item has some wear, with minor fading, small marks or small repairs which will be made clear in the product description. It is still wearable.
Fair - item appears worn and has obvious flaws; however it is collectible, rare or very old and as such still desirable. Signs of wear may contribute to the history of the piece; as in vintage military clothing. Faults will be outlined in the product description. Item may still be wearable; if it is better suited as a collector's item or for display only this will be mentioned.
Handmade - items that are handmade using vintage clothing and textiles such as our Rokit Recycled range. There will be no obvious faults; any small marks or fading will be mentioned in the description.
New - item is brand new, never worn and occasionally has original tags attached
We want you to get the most out of your vintage clothes so knowing how to care for them is essential. With the right care, storage and a bit of TLC, your vintage garments will be worn for generations to come!
Storing vintage clothes
Always keep your vintage garments in a dry, dust-free place away from direct sunlight to avoid fading and deterioration of fabric.
Always hang up vintage garments to dry out perspiration instead of leaving them in a hamper until wash day.
Always use wooden or padded hangers as wired hangers can ruin the fabric at the shoulders and cause rips over time.
Always fold fragile silks, knits and beaded items carefully instead of hanging them.
Do not store vintage garments in plastic bags or plastic storage containers as the fabric needs to breathe.
Washing vintage clothes
Always read the care label and follow the washing instructions when available.
Always check for loose seams, holes or frays before washing to avoid damaging the garment further.
Always hand wash or dry clean vintage garments pre 1960s vintage as they are non machine washable. If the fabric is very old or delicate, good airing can often remove odour without damaging the garment.
Always hand wash or dry clean silk, wool, velvet and any garment with beading. Please make sure your dry cleaner is experienced in vintage fabrics.
Always hang up the vintage garments on a drying rack instead of drying them in the dryer.
Attempt to wash your vintage garments less to avoid damaging the garment from repeated washing.
Have you received something you want to return? No worries!
You can return any item (excluding hosiery, pierced jewellery and custom T-Shirts) you are not completely happy with for a refund, within 30 days of receiving them. All you need to do is create an online return in your My Account and enclose the return reference number along with your return items.
Label sizes of vintage garments are different to today's standardised clothing sizes and are sometimes not labelled at all. Through general wear and washing garment sizes do alter so we measure all our clothes to give our customers the most accurate indication of size. To help you work out which clothing size is right for you we have included examples of how we measure our garments.
