Dress

Description

Dress fabric a combination of wool and silk, warp threads are white silk, weft threads are plied black (blue?) and white wool; gives overall "heather" effect. Bodice and sleeves lined with natural cotton muslin. Entirely machine-sewn. Two piece sleeve, multi-pieced bodice. Apron front, drops only on right side, pin closures.

Notes

The ownership of this dress distinguishes it from numerous other examples in the Museum's collection. It was owned by Sarah Collins (1855-1947), the last eldress of the South Family at Mount Lebanon. The gray fabric of this dress was woven in a factory, but the dress was probably cut and sewn by Collins or another Shaker. The conflicting demands of uniformity and economy in clothing spawned much debate among the central ministry throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries. Uniformity was symbolically necessary on spiritual and communal grounds: Shakers distinguished themselves from non-Believers while remaining egalitarian in appearance among themselves. However, maintaining uniformity in color, pattern, and fabric for an entire family was economically unfeasible.