I have spent so long trying to find this image. I can’t begin to put into words how happy I am to have not only found where it is from but all of the different views that the Museum has graciously taken of the costume.
Bunka Gakuen Costume Museum
Empress Dowager Akinori (1849-1914)
昭憲皇太后(1849-1914)着用
I love the mix of cultures in this piece, how seamlessly the two are intertwined. It’s effortless and graceful. Note how the traditional chrysanthemum have been incorporated into Western fashion. It is so uniquely beautiful.
The original text reads: 大礼服（マント・ド・クール）は、明治時代から昭和戦前期の宮廷服である。女子の最高の礼服で、襟あきが大きく、袖無しか短い袖のドレスにトレーン（引き裾）を付けることが特色である｡本資料のボディスとトレーンは緋ベルベット、スカートには白繻子地を用い、それぞれに菊花を日本刺繍によって豪華に表している｡大きく膨らんだパフ･スリーブ、釣り鐘形のスカートなどの特徴は、明治20年代後半に調製されたことを示している｡
This court dress (manteau de cour) was worn as the imperial dress from Meiji (1868-1926) through Showa (1926-1989) period up to the beginning of WW2. The distinct features of this most formal type of women’s dress is the broad neckline, short or no sleeves, and a skirt with a long train. The original material of the bodice and the train is scarlet-coloured velvet, the skirt is made from white satin and shows the magnificent Japanese chrsyanthemum embroidery. The large puff sleeves and the bell-shaped skirt both show the typical production of the the late half of Meiji 20’s era (1892-1897).
(a huge thank you for this translation goes to the following)