McNear: A timeline of wedding dresses is on display at the Kelley House Museum

Currently on exhibit at the Kelley House Museum is “Tying the Knot: Bridal Fashion Unveiled,” which features seven pieces of clothing worn by Mendocino brides from the mid-1860s to 1978. One of these pieces includes the wedding attire of Caroline “Carrie” Correia-Silva, who became Carrie Costa upon her marriage to Manuel Costa on Christmas Day, 1904.

Carrie’s wedding dress consists of a bodice and skirt, both pale blue with white lace trim and a decorative border of blue and gold sequins with gold beading. Small white satin bows adorn the wrists and shoulders. Her ensemble was finished with a white satin sash and white gloves, also on display. The dress is an impressive feat of dressmaking. It’s unknown if Carrie ever wore the dress again for special occasions, but it wouldn’t be out of the ordinary at the time. Wedding dresses, especially highly decorated ensembles, were expensive and often worn many times after a woman’s wedding day.