From the seller: 1880's Purple Velvet & Black Silk Bustle Gown: The bodice of the bustle gown is made of a deep purple cotton velvet. It has a bust of 32”, a waist of 23” and shoulders of 12.75” across. There is only one original purple velvet buttons on the bodice. The other buttons are a mixture of different black buttons. The velvet has age related wear, is totally lined in brown cotton and has a small area of the seam where the double tails begin that needs a few stitches to repair a small tear. The button placket is lined in purple silk and much of it has worn off. This is okay because the entire bodice is lined in brown cotton and it is in good shape. The wear to the inner silk does not show when it is on a body. The tails of the bodice are also lined in the purple silk and the left tail has some loss of purple silk. It doesn't show when the bodice is on a form. An inch of the collar has been taken up and can be put back. The skirt has a waist of 24” and a length of 40.5”. The skirt has numerous splits in the swags and scattered holes throughout. It is totally lined in brown cotton which helps hold it together. It is missing the button off of the waist band. With all of its problems it still presents very well. From Me: The skirt is black silk, the seller just lightened the photos to show off the details like the fringe of awesomeness. May 1880 Fashion plate 1880 Fashion Plate The way the bodice is cut - straight across the hips with no curve- keeps it in the 1870's rather than the later 1880's. In 1880, the last year of the 1870's decade (there was no year 0, decades are counted 1-10), the slight curve over the hips, shown in the pink dress in the first fashion plate started to become a fad. However, the straight across the hips, as shown in the outfit right next to it, was still a thing for a few more months. This would go away completely from the fashion plates in just a year. The high neckline started to become vogue at this point as well.

For background and links, please see: bibliodyssey.blogspot.com/2012/12/plant-anatomy-charts.html

I'm having that...that feeling. It's an exciting but terrible feeling, the one that comes with being in the middle of one complex project, but wanting to start another complex project right away. I'm in the midst of the big, blue LACMA Sacque-ma. It's going well, and

Those old drawings released between 1878 & 1883 are an excellent reminder that we should sometimes look for inspiration in the nature around us. The

The vast majority of these illustration plates are from a plant systematics wall chart series - the Dodel-Port Atlas - released betwee...