#circa 1849

I can practically smell the candy cane on this British dress from 1849! Surprise, though--it isn't a holiday gown... it's a wedding gown!

As many folks know, the concept of the white wedding dress is fairly modern, dating to the middle of the 19th century. And even then, it wasn't ubiquitous. Wedding gowns weren't the "wear it once" they are today, and many women sought to find dresses they could later incorporate into their wardrobes. Even my grandmother, who married in the 1940s, wore a brown dress for her wedding. Part of that was a financial decision, of course, but I love the idea of colorful, practical wedding wear, too.

This dress is silk damask, which is always exciting for me. That means the pattern is reversible! Not something you would notice by just looking at it.

In classic 1840-1850 transitional wear, it's got a lot going for it: the very tailored waist looks very 1880s, while the silhouette is firmly in the 1840s. Those candy cane arms, though!

The First Mate

you are immeasurably loyal, even when everyone tells you that you should give up and give in, that you have done more than enough. you know people’s needs almost instantaneously, leading and looking after others whilst shying away from the spotlight; you love with your hands more than you can with your words. you have loved your captain since they had both eyes and both hands, when the twinkle in their eye was unmatched even by the northern star. perhaps you could do to set boundaries between you and what your captain asks of you--first mates are the first to embitter. you don’t remember a time you have not been on the ship, giving yourself over more than you’ve got as you follow your captain into every endeavor and battle. but what you want is to crawl back onto shore, into the shade of a leafy tree in the soft sand, and to rest your weary bones. you ache for a home that will never truly revive you. one day, your captain will thank you for everything you’ve done for them; they will cup your hand in theirs and tell you that they will take care of you now.

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