wedding dress
Report a Mistake- Date Made 1896 or earlier
- Event --
- Affiliation Canadian (culture)
- Artist / Maker / Manufacturer Hews, Lavina Smith
- Object Number 979.103.1 a-b
- Place of Origin Continent - North America, Country - Canada, Province / Territory - Quebec, Municipality - Montréal, Township / District - Île-de-Montréal, County of
- Place of Use Continent - North America, Country - Canada, Province / Territory - Quebec, Municipality - Montréal, Township / District - Île-de-Montréal, County of
- Category Personal artifacts
- Sub-category Clothing, outerwear
- Department History
- Museum CMH
- Earliest 1796/01/01
- Latest 1896/10/05
- Materials Mammal wool, Cotton, Metal
- Person / Institution Associated party, Hews, Laura Emeline Rea
- Measurements Length 159.0 cm, Width 60.0 cm, Thickness 10.0 cm
- Related activity Marriage
- Caption Comments on this wedding gown worn by Laura Emeline Rea Hews
- Additional Information This is a two-piece ivory coloured, fine wool dress. The bodice of the dress has an interior centre front hook-and-eye closing, with the front overlapping across the entire front. It closes with hooks and thread eyes at the left shoulder and at the left side seam; there is one metal eye at top; collar closes at centre back. The 'V'-shaped front has a panel in the centre which is gathered to the bottom of the high collar, and narrows with five rows of spaced shirring at the bottom centre front. Tapered lace flouncing is on either side of the panel, laying over two deep pleats which add fullness from the shoulder to the centre front. There is a lace epaulette on the right shoulder; the left one is missing. Shaping on the back is done with four pleats and two seams. Wide ivory silk is used as trim. It encircles the neckband with a bow at centre back. There is a bow at each shoulder. On the bottom edge the ribbon is pleated once and forms a double bow at the point of the 'V' in the centre back. The sleeves are narrow, and the gathering at the waist extends from the front underarm seam to just slightly beyond the shoulder seam. Matching wide lace is gathered at the bottom edge of the sleeve. The close-fitting bodice is completely lined with glazed cotton, and light brown twill. Boning is stitched to nine seams. There is an unlined ivory cotton panel on the inner front under panel. There is evidence of previous seams at the sleeve seams. The skirt has six gores with three front panels which are smooth at the waist; the remaining three at the centre back are pleated to add fullness. A pocket is concealed in the back fullness. The skirt is attached to a waistband which has a placket closing with three metal hooks and eyes at the waistband. It is fully lined with light brown glazed cotton twill. The lower area of the skirt has a deep interlining of paper, which is deeper in the front than in the back. This wedding dress was worn by Mrs. Laura Emeline Rea at the time of her marriage to Charles Emmanuel Hews on October 6, 1896. There may have been later alterations to the sleeves, as they are now much narrower than was in fashion in 1896 and the seams show signs of change. This dress was made by Lavinia Smith Hews, wife of Charles Hews' brother, Thomas.