The beautifully light synthetic taffeta from which this was made is called moiré, which refers to its ‘watered’ appearance. The effect, which would have been visible when the bride moved, was produced by passing the fabric through rollers, with pressure and heat causing the pattern to set. The designer, Kathleen Fuller, was skilled at making the most of beautiful fabric and avoiding the use of extraneous trimmings. Here she has used a swathe of the same fabric to appear as if a short cape around the shoulders, with vertical ruching applied at the front to form romantic puffs over the bust. This bow-like detail is repeated at the lower back where it serves as a subtle bustle and a clever way to insert the ends of the long panels forming the short train.