Vignette 3
Wedding Dress, c. 1845
Silk, satin weave
URI 1952.64.37
Possibly worn by Sarah Rose Williams
Countless hours went into the production of this gown, which was most likely hand sewn by Susan Crouch herself. While her flawless stitching on the boned bodice and cartridge pleating has survived over the years, the original pink dye has faded and was possibly logwood according to the American Fabrics Encyclopedia of Textiles. The donor information states that this gown may have been worn by Susan’s younger sister, Sarah Rose Williams (1822 – 1854), when she married Lewis J. Chace.
The dress has a waist measuring 21 inches and is the opposite of the wrapper from the same decade. Sarah would have worn a corset to produce the long, elegant line of the bodice, as well as several petticoats to support the shape of the skirt.