Original Cotton Dress, 1852

Cotton Dress, American, 1852
From The Met (Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection).

An eye-candy reminder that cotton print dresses don't have to break "the rules" in order to be pretty. Yes, it's the usual gathered-to-fit bodice with bishop sleeves and a gauged skirt.  But this cotton dress still has a wealth of detail without piles of trim: the very full bodice front is neatly shirred at the waist; the equally generous bishop sleeves are gathered neatly into the piped armscyes and button-closure cuffs; those cuffs are finished with delicate self-fabric ruffles.  The dropped shoulders, full sleeves, and tidy waist all conform to the fashionable silhouette of the 1850s, despite the modest fabric. And either that material has a ton of body, or the mannequin arms have been padded very well...