Queen Victoria's silk and organza dress

This ball gown is made from an almost paperlike gauze which is backed onto a silk satin. The bodice is style in a fashionable 1840's V point at the waist and has a low neckline which would has a lace bertha attached. The lace bertha currently on the dress is not the original. The original bertha was likely reused on another dress. Queen Victoria is known for reusing lace and even diamonds on her dresses (including her wedding lace which was often sewn on dresses she wore to her children's christenings as well as on the dress she wore for her diamond jubilee portrait) The embroidery on this dress features floral motifs with variations of stems and budding flowers.

The lace which is tacked onto a piece of mesh behind the neckline of the dress was sourced by the curators of Historic Royal Palaces and is lace from the correct time period. The lace was added so when the dress was on display visitors could get an idea of what the dress originally looked like.

The waistline is piped with two rows of silk piping which of course was all hand sewn. The bodice has three seams at the front which are backed with a bone on each seam. The bones are encased in a cotton and sewn on to seams which are finished with whip stitches.

Now the 'secret' to this dress is very interesting and cannot be seen when the garment is on display.... under the armscye the fabric has been replaced. The embroidery around this area has been attempted to match the pattern of the existing embroidery but it is not perfect. The was given to the wife of interior decorator John Gregory Crace by the Queen in the 1850s so this adjustment may have been added by the second owner to make it fit better.

The skirt is of the same material and has matching embroidery to that of the bodice. The embroidery on the skirt is on both sides of the front and extends to the back of the dress just above the hem. The waistband is not originally and was most likely added during conservation for stability when displaying the dress. The waistband currently on the skirt is sewn with machine stitching and does not have the original hook and eye closure. The front of the skirt where the longest part of the bodice would sit is almost completely flat. The sides of the skirt are ever so slightly gathered and the very back next to the closures is cartidge pleated onto the waistband with the excess fabric of the pleats finished with pinking. This method of construction allows the front of the bodice to lay flat and makes the hips look wider to create the illusion of a smaller waist.

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