This dress was worn by Emma Law (1846-1937) on her wedding day to Civil War-veteran Charles H. DeMerritt in 1869. The couple lived in their house on Maple Street, which Charles built in 1885, where the Merritt Apartments (named for their family) used to stand until 2020 when the Vue apartments took their place. Emma was one of the founding members of the New Canaan Historical Society in 1889 and an active member of the community until her death. So important a member of the community was she, that between 1930-33 the Memorial Day parade was rerouted through Maple Street in order to allow for Emma to watch from her window. This dress was donated to the museum by Mr. and Mrs. Harold and Edith DeMerritt of Falls Church, VA.
With its wide silhouette and distinct sleeves, this dress is a perfect example of fashion from the 1860s. Skirts reached their absolute largest circumference, sometimes reaching a diameter of up to four feet. As the decade progressed, the circular dome favored in the 1840s and 50s swung to the back, creating an elliptical shape and flattening the silhouette in the front. This was achieved by the cage crinoline, a lightweight hooped-undergarment that eliminated the need for heavy, layered petticoats. Daytime bodices often featured a variety of sleeves- often long- and waistlines moved upwards again. Corsets were not tight-laced during this period, as wide skirts made waists look small by comparison.
