Incredibly unusual 1870s Victorian white cotton wrapper dress. This beautiful dress is a work of art, appearing to be entirely sewn by hand with the tiniest of stitches usually only seen on pre 1840s garments (before the advent of the sewing machine). I like to imagine that this unique garment was sewn by a loving grandmother who had been making clothes for her family since the days before treadle machines were widely available. The design is incredible, with tight, complex cartridge pleats through the chest and back waist that create an incredibly voluminous skirt and ties for a perfect fit at the waist. Can be worn with the high collar worn buttoned or open as shown, a great way to show off a favorite necklace. Super long sleeves can be pushed up the arm to create a gorgeous ruched effect. All in all this dress is a true treasure, full of charm and yes still incredible easy and comfortable to wear. 

Excellent condition. There is a 1.5 in extremely well done L shaped period repair at the hem of the skirt that can only be seen upon close inspection. There are a couple tiny repaired holes at the nape of the neck that are covered by the collar, entirely invisible when worn. Incredibly rare to find a piece of this age in such spectacular condition!

Note: By design, only the three buttons at the chest yoke have corresponding buttonholes. The buttons below it in the body of the dress are for design only, as the wrapper is intended to be held closed by the ties that "wrap" around the body. The front seam only opens to about halfway down, and then the front is sewn closed below, with the buttons that go to the hem also being for design purposes only. 

Measurements:

Quite a bit of size flexibility due to the nature of the garment. Most important measurements for fit are shoulder and armscye.

Bust 30-36 in

Waist open (ties to size)

Hips open

Shoulder 19 in (an off the shoulder fit, recommended for up to 14.5 shoulder max to be able to button the collar fully)

Armscye approx 8 in

Bicep 12 in

Length 54 in

For reference, Claudia measures 32/25/36 and is 5'10".