Harriett Sams’ Wedding Dress, 1899, British
V&A MuseumThis crisply tailored purple silk dress was made and worn by Harriett Joyce for her marriage to Percy Raven Sams at St Andrew’s Church, Earlsfield, Middlesex. Harriett worked as a lady’s maid, while Percy worked for the London Water Board. Harriett chose to wear purple, as at 35, she considered herself too old for a traditional white gown. However, she trimmed her hat with wax orange-blossom, which was worn by brides for their first marriage.
The availability of sewing machines, commercially printed dress patterns and affordable but good-quality machine-woven silks and trimmings enabled skilled needlewomen to make sophisticated gowns at home like this dress. As a lady’s maid, Harriett had excellent sewing skills, enabling her to finish her dress to a very high standard. A coloured day dress that could be worn for best after the ceremony was an extremely practical option for brides of limited means. Soon after the wedding, Harriett slightly altered the skirt, removing two side panels to create a narrower, more fashionable silhouette. She also added purple silk braid to the skirt-front so it could be worn separately with a blouse.
House of Paquin’s Wedding Ensemble, 1910, French
Met Museum
