Everyone is aware that silk is a fine fabric. However, I believe that it was worn by a slightly broader section of society than it is generally represented as. Lady's maids received cast-off clothes from their mistresses, and even other servants and the lower middle classes could afford second-hand silk clothing. Women could be scorned … Continue reading The Place of Fabrics: Silk
Category: 18th century
Stomachers
I've noticed for a while that even movies with generally well-made costumes have a tendency to consider stomachers worn only with formal clothing. John Adams, for example, shows Abigail ca. 1775 in a plain gown with an anachronistic center front closure for working around the farm, but in France (ca. 1785) in a fancy silk … Continue reading Stomachers
A Little More on the Polonaise
I am so fascinated by that new style of dress from the end of the 1770s. I was just looking for quotes on the stomacher - trying to see if there was anything said about poorer women's - when I came across this lovely quote in the Gentleman's Intelligencer: I find it noteworthy that the … Continue reading A Little More on the Polonaise
The Robe à la Piémontaise
A while back, when I added all of the MFA's Gallerie des Modes plates (minus the ones that are quartered to show four hairstyles) to my fashion history Pinterest boards, I made some non-decade boards where I could group 18th century extant garments, plates, etc. by type. One group was just "misc", as I had … Continue reading The Robe à la Piémontaise
Today I made a mockup!
This is a big deal for me, normally I put my trust in my calculations and piece in fabric if I need to. So after taking Owen (younger brother) to his dentist appointment and getting a bagel lunch at Panera, I went home and started cutting out the pieces for the 1911 corset from these … Continue reading Today I made a mockup!
Mimic of Modes 