What is the meaning of "so disposed as to show to advantage"?
I can't figure out who or what is disposed and why "disposed" is used here

She was very grand in the velvet gown, the long train so disposed as to show to advantage, with feathers in her hair and flowers in her hand.

William Somerset Maugham
The Painted Veil

Thank you for your answers!!!

Question

What is the meaning of "so disposed as to show to advantage"?
I can't figure out who or what is disposed and why "disposed" is used here

She was very grand in the velvet gown, the long train so disposed as to show to advantage, with feathers in her hair and flowers in her hand.

William Somerset Maugham
The Painted Veil

Thank you for your answers!!!

Answer

I'm with SuKi.  Here it means "arranged" but as Jerome says, it can mean "desiring" or "intending to", I sentences like:

You can go to town, if you are so disposed.
He is so disposed, he may come later.

It is not a commonly used phrase.  It likely would not be understood even by most native speakers.

Answer

It's a fairly unusual and old-fashioned phrasing. The subject of this clause is the long 'train', which is the part of the woman's dress which trails behind her on the floor. The phrase 'so disposed' refers, I think, to the way that the train is designed : it is so arranged that it shows itself off to its best advantage.

Answer

Disposed means "tendency or inclined to" as a verb.

This statement is about her gown being inclined to showing advantage or to stand out.