A Grand Opening

Manhattan, NY

Saturday, July 14th, 1853

Today is the inauguration of the Crystal Palace here in New York. I can barely breath for excitement. We are to arrive slightly before 10 o'clock this morning. With reference to we, I mean of course the charming gentleman I am honored to accompany. Admission tickets to the opening of the Crystal Palace are offered to gentlemen, allowing a lady to accompany. The Crystal Palace is structured after England's own, as such I am told. Tis to be a place of Exposition, Culture, and Invention.

I am mostly excited for the music. Such an arrangement of musical exercises! Handel's Hallelujah corus, I am surely anticipating. The New York Sacred Harmonic Society are accompanied by the orchestra. I am fond of orchestra music, it is very refined. I am specifically fond of Symphony Orchestras.

I shall wear my pale green shot-silk taffeta. Blue is all the range this year, as Mother suggested, I might wear the pale green instead of my blue dress, the effect would be to stand out more in the crowd. We also are possessors of the green tickets, so I shall be pleased to match. The bodice of my dress is smooth and flat, with detailed embroidery and sequins. Violet embroidery accents the hemline and waist. I am very satisfied.

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Dresses in 1853 an 1854 were considerably calmer than their earlier and later counterparts.

The bodice being characteristically flat and not heavily adorned. Usually, an evening gown was worn off the shoulder. A full skirt flared out from the waist, and was often of smooth design.

Here are a couple of dresses from 1853 & 1854, (blue seems to be a popular trend when searching imagery.)

You'll notice the simplicity, but the similarity to Kelsey's dress of an earlier era.

I chose to use a two layer design on the skirt as seen in this simple drawing of a period skirt.

~And here is the dress~

We borrowed the crinoline from a friend. I picked up the fan at a Flea Market in Florida.