Golden Yellow Silk Taffeta Afternoon Dress with Military Trim

Victorian Early / Crinoline · 1860s · French

This 1860s afternoon dress features a fitted bodice with a high neckline and long sleeves ending in pointed cuffs. The golden yellow silk taffeta is elaborately trimmed with olive green military-style braiding and decorative buttons running down the center front and adorning the sleeves. The bodice has a natural waistline that extends into a full bell-shaped skirt supported by a crinoline cage. The skirt hem is decorated with multiple tiers of olive green ruffled trim creating horizontal bands of contrasting color. The construction demonstrates the period's fascination with military aesthetics translated into civilian women's wear, with precise geometric braiding patterns that emphasize the structured silhouette typical of mid-Victorian fashion.