Although this photograph shows the gown in full, it is actually a disassembled dress of red and white silk gingham. The silk is very lightweight taffeta and the entire dress is lined in cotton.

The bodice has many stains, small holes and repairs, several clearly made by a textile conservator using silk monofilament and couching stitches.

The bodice basques were shortened slightly at sides using tucks and topstitching.  The side back seams may also have been adjusted and there are old stitch lines at the center front closure on the torso.

All seams except the side back seams are boned above the waist, and the seam allowances are whip-stitched to prevent fraying.

The current hooks and eyes at the center front are probably not original. The bodice has an attached white scalloped eyelet collar and pink gingham bow at the throat.

The pagoda-style sleeves are edged with pink gingham ribbon, possibly newer than the original construction.  The armscyes are piped and the seams on the sleeves are flat-felled; the sleeves are internally faced with China silk below elbows.

The skirt contains 6 skirt panels, previously gathered at the waist and edged with wool braid at hem.  It is also lined with white glazed cotton.

The skirt has multiple rows of stitching at waist that indicates changing waistline levels.

The wool braid at the hem was cut through when the skirt was disassembled.