Description: The gown is lilac in colour, made from lilac silk dupion shot with light green. For those who don't know, a shot fabric normally has two colours of thread, the weft (the threads running across the fabric) being thicker than the warp (vertical threads) so that the weft gives the fabric its main colour. The contrasting thin warp threads become visible when the fabric is viewed from a certain angle, and the overall effect is that the lustre of the fabric is much deeper, and takes on an iridescent property.

This is a very cunning use of fabric by the designer, Raymond Childe. The effect of the two tone weave makes the dress appear to be made from satin or some other deeply lustrous and smooth fabric when in the correct light. The fabric, however, is quite rough and hence the finish is relatively flat. This may be so that the fabric doesn't look too shiny under the studio lights.

The height of the dress is approximately 4'5" (135cm) from shoulder to the floor. The total length of the dress from the centre of the back to the floor is 5'5" (165cm) including the train. Since my sister fits the dress, I would guess she is a similar height to Georgina Hale. This would put Miss Hale at around 5'3" with a waist of around 28".

The neckline is low cut and trimmed with black velvet ribbon 0.5" (1.3cm) wide. The upper part of the dress is overlayed with black dress net with small black dots embroidered at regular intervals into it. The dress is sleeveless with the bouffant shoulders trimmed with more black velvet ribbon. The upper part of the dress is lined with white linen. It is composed of five pieces - one front panel, two back panels, and the two sleeves.

The dress fastens with a mauve zip that runs about half way down the back, skillfully concealed behind a flap of fabric so that it looks neat. There is also a hook and eyelet directly above the zip on the black velvet trim of the neckline.

Below the breast, the dress is circled in 1.5" (4cm) wide black velvet ribbon. This hides the seam joining the top of the dress to the skirt. It was missing when the dress was acquired by the T-Room, but has been restored.

The lilac skirt is surrounded with a loose "overskirt" of the black net with dots. Down the centre of the front of the skirt hangs more 1.5" wide black velvet ribbon. This went missing with the breastband. The inside of the skirt is not lined. The skirt itself is composed of four pieces - left and right for both back and front. Each panel is darted to make the dress more fitted.

The base of the overskirt and train is trimmed with large, gathered black net frills. The overskirt is made from three panels of dress net - one at the front and two at the back. These are slightly gathered around the breastline.

The Bed Jacket

Description: This is black in colour, made from nylon net with gold embroidered dots. The height is approximately 4'5" (135cm) from shoulder to the floor. The total length of the jacket from the centre of the back to the floor is approximately 6' including the train. It is made from four panels, two "sleeves", a collar and the frills at the base.

The shoulders of the jacket are frilled with gathered, gold dotted net. These frills sit on top of the bouffant shoulders of the purple gown which go through the armholes in the bed jacket. The jacket has a frilled collar also made from doubled gathered net. There is one hook and eyelet at the front of the neck to fasten it. The train and base of the jacket is trimmed with voluminous gathered net frills. the front edges of the jacket are trimmed with black fabric with small frills of gathered net.

Other notes:

The Bed jacket may actually be older than the nightdress. I have a feeling, but I can't say for sure, that it was originally a part of Tallulah Bag's nightdress in "T-Bag Bounces Back", and it originally had sleeves. There are some odd red threads on the shoulder seams which may have either been threads from the old nightdress, or they may just be tailor's tacks that haven't been removed.