Wedding dress
Unknown Artist
1884
Medium
silk
Classification
Wedding Dress
Culture
American
Department
Costume Institute
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Mrs. Mabel A. Lawrence, 1949
Accession Number
C.I.49.26a, b
Art Historical Context
Step into the elegance of 19th-century America with this exquisite silk wedding dress from 4, a treasured piece in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume. Crafted by an artist, it embodies theulence of the Gilded Age, when weddings were grand social affairs showcasing a bride's status and femininity. Silk, a luxurious and shimmering fabric, was the height of fashion for such garments, prized for its drape, luster, and ability to hold intricate details—qualities that made it ideal for the era's elaborate silhouettes. In the 1880s, American bridal fashion drew from European trends, favoring f...