Quote by Charles Dickens
A commission of haberdashers could alone have reported whatthe rest of her poor dress was made of, but it had a strong generalresemblance to seaweed, with here and there a gigantic tea-leaf.Her shawl looked particularly like a tea-leaf after long infusion.
Summary
This quote is describing the poor state of the character's dress. It suggests that the dress is so worn-out and tattered that it is difficult to determine its material. The comparison with seaweed and a tea-leaf implies that the dress is in a sorry state and is composed of various mismatched and unappealing elements. The use of metaphors paints a vivid picture of the character's impoverished condition and lack of resources.