This room, originally the dining room, reflects some of the
pastimes Victorian ladies would have indulged in such as flower
arranging, needlework and embroidery.
All four dresses in the room are examples of the bustle style
that was fashionable in the 1870s and 1880s. This period saw many
changes in the fashionable body shape or silhouette that are
clearly shown by the outfits displayed. The bustle exaggerated the
size and shape of the bottom through the use of specialised
underwear.
Sophisticated silk
The grey silk dress was originally worn in 1873 by a Scottish
bride. White wedding dresses appeared from the mid-18th century and
became commonly worn from around 1800. However widows, older brides
and the less wealthy sections of the middle class often chose to
wear an outfit like this grey dress, as it could be worn more
than once.
Dressed to impress
A fashion-conscious and possibly younger woman would have worn
the green striped dress with cream lace trim. This style, with a
much narrower skirt than the grey dress, was at the height of
fashion from around 1875-79.
Bodice and bows
The brown striped silk dress dates from the 1870s. Its bodice,
which drapes over the skirt, reveals that most nineteenth century
‘dresses’ in fact consisted of a separate bodice and skirt. This
meant that a different bodice in the same fabric could be worn for
the evening.
Dyeing to be fashionable
Strong, vibrant purple was a very fashionable colour for women’s
wear in the mid-to-late nineteenth century. This purple silk dress
highlights the fact that new technologies were being developed in
the Victorian era. In the 1850s, the first synthetic dyes were
invented and one of the first to be developed was aniline
purple.
Furniture and paintings
In front of the fireplace stands an embroidered fire screen
depicting Daniel in the Lions Den, dating from about 1850-60.
On the mantelpiece is a marble clock and matching vases, which
were part of the original furnishings of this room. The over mantel
mirror has been dated to the mid-nineteenth century.
The rosewood sideboard by Alexander Burgess dates from about
1890, and although a little later than the dresses on display, it
is typical of the style used in a house of this size. Part of a
dinner service by Hicks, Meigh and Johnson, dating from around 1830
is displayed on the sideboard.
The portrait of the woman in a blue dress is of Bethia
Donaldson, the second wife of William Stewart (1750-1844). His
portrait, to the left of the sideboard, was painted around 1835 by
an unknown artist. Bethia and William were the parents of William
Stewart who built Shambellie.