In Situ: An 1881 Wedding Dress, Portsmouth, New Hampshire

What is so compelling about the wedding dress of Mary Ann Morison (1844-1935) is the fact that it provides one of those rare opportunities when the display of a garment sits within its original footprint. The wedding dress is currently at the top of the stair hall of the John Paul Jones House (as it is now known.) 

The 37 year-old Mary Morison wore this fashionable parchment colored silk wedding gown when she married James Rundlet May on April 26, 1881. Can’t you imagine her descending the stair, holding her fan, with the rustle of her gown and train heard above the quiet of the family and handful of guests?

Mary was the granddaughter of Samuel Lord and had lived in this house most of her life. Reverend James DeNormandie, pastor of the South Church, presided over the ceremony. She moved only three blocks away to the Rundlett-May house with her husband following her marriage.  Mary died in 1935.

While the Lord and Rundlet May families were prosperous members of the Portsmouth community, there is no label in the garment. The assumption has been that a local seamstress created the gown of imported fabric.  In any case, the gown was certainly representative of the style of the time with its rich silk, lace trim, well-tailored, form-fitting jacket and voluminous trained skirt. The May family donated the gown many years ago, but with no further information. Incidentally, on the table next to the gown is the wedding fan.

The gown is from the collection of the Portsmouth Historical Society, John Paul Jones House Museum, in Portsmouth, NH.

Thank you to Sandra Rux, Curator, Portsmouth Historical Society & Jeffrey Hopper, Manager of the Warner House, for their assistance with this post.

What the Bride Wore: Timeless Elegance of Claire Pettibone

We have been following LA-based Claire Pettibone’s work since 2010, when her “Emma” line caught our eye in preparation for a museum exhibition.  Ms. Pettibone’s “Emma” was a natural link with the white, diaphanous Neoclassical gowns found in Numerous historic costume collections or on vintage clothing sites. Many of us associate this elegant style with the writings of Jane Austen, brought to life in the recent, painstakingly researched fashions for film.

After reviewing her recent 2012 Windsor Rose China line, we were again impressed with her ability to draw inspiration from an earlier era and transform it into our own.

A personal favorite is “Deauville.” Ms. Pettibone’s own description sums up her knowledge of the period (in this case, the 1920s): cut, style, materials and finishing. 

Claire Pettibone, Fall 2012:

“Gold embroidery on fine ivory tulle over a sumptuous pearl silk charmeuse wedding dress accented with gold guipure embellished drop waist, shoulders and neckline.
My grandmother was quite the 1920’s bohemian…her first husband was a rum-runner during prohibition, and was mysteriously killed in a “motorcycle” accident. She never talked about him, and I was a grown woman when my mom shared the scandal that my grandpa (her father) was not grandma’s first love.

I’ve been thinking about Anna Mae, and looking at the photos of her second wedding that we all thought was her first. She wore a beautiful mauve scalloped silk dress with a velvet sash at the hip, round spectacles and stylish Mary Jane’s. Grandma has long passed, but I have her wedding dress, the intricate embroidered linens she made by hand, her gold rimmed china with delicate painted roses…and a good dose of her free spirit.

The sweet and simple details of our heirlooms: lace linens, golden lockets, fine china, don’t they make lovely inspiration for a wedding dress?”

Don't forget to check out her singularly stunning lingerie collection!

Claire Pettibone - Couture Bridal l Wedding Dresses, Bridal Gowns, Fashion Designer, Veils, Accessories

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