Challis Wool Dress Brown with Chenille Tape Trim

Victorian Civil War Woven Wool Challis Brown Striped Pink Roses Hoop Skirt Dress

From the Seller

his antique Victorian Civil War era woven wool challis brown striped pink roses hoop skirt dress dates from the 1860s. It is hand stitched made of a brown color striped weave wool challis fabric with a woven pink roses pattern design. There is brown fringe trim edging the sleeves and brown silk button trim accents on the sleeve cuffs and front top. This beautiful brown challis womens everyday dress has long full sleeves with a layered cap sleeve overlay, a long floor length full hoop skirt (hoop not included underneath) with pleating along the waist, a slight back train, hooks closures on the front, waist and is lined inside the top only. The dress measures 54 inches long in the front, 61 inches long in the back, with a 36 inch bust, 28 inch waist and 15 inch back. It is in good as-is condition, with some slight faint underarm discoloration, fade along one sleeve, with a small fray under on arm and a frayed split on the bottom back skirt hemline (see close-ups). This is truly a rare and wonderful piece of antique Civil War Victoriana wearable art!

From the Industrious Lady

Oh woe the day that the world allowed the beautiful wool challis fabric to fall by the wayside. This lovely fabric has a texture and look unlike anything else seen in other textiles. While still available today, the variety of florals and designs seen in period dresses just aren't there like they use to be. 

On another note, this dress appears to be another dress that would be worn with an eliptical hoop, but not much as there is only a 7" difference between the length from front to back. There is also still a lot of fullness in the front of the skirt where it is pleated into the waistband. The sleeves and bodice are full enough to suggest a late war date, 1864 perhaps. The balance and length does not seem to suggest as extreme of elliptical as 1865 dresses demonstrate. Notice as well that the dress has machine sewing on the front, and whoever sewed these seams was not very skilled, and left a noticeable zig zag. Sewing machines were newer at this point, but not unheard of. Most seamstresses from the period had the labor saving machine, and those average civilians who could afford them would buy them as well. 

It is also interesting to note the measurements. A 28" waist with a 36" bust is a modern size 10, which is not outrageously small when compared to the average modern woman.