A two piece dress, featuring a copper or bronze colored small plaid 1860s bodice with narrow bands of brown velvet ribbon and black. The ensemble lent extra or repurposed fabric to the coordinating 1890s bodice in the next slide.
The matching 1890s era straight, flat front, hip fitting skirt appears to be an update of the missing 1860s skirt. Revamped by making a simple center back adjustment of bunched unorganized gathers, and a few narrow pleats. The back simulates the fashionable deep back pleats found in 1890s skirts. The original heavy interlining is intact and undisturbed, indicating no seams were altered. All changes were concentrated at the waist.
Evidence of further reuse, or unfinished alteration, is found in the bodice's dark brown velvet areas. Untidy sewing thread ends, and impressions in the brown velvet trace the position of now removed narrow braid trimming. It is unclear the braid was removed for reuse elsewhere, or to make way for an updated trimming.
