Notes-Observations & Random Ramblings

We are going to try something new this year. At selected events we will bring along 2-3 pieces of the absolutely fabulous fabrics we have. They will be for sale just as fabric you to 'do' or you can choose them and have us 'do' for you. The pieces will be between 1 ½ and 3 yards - enough to make a jacket or short gown. The prices will vary by the piece.

A possible "progression" of a gown:

We propose that a gown could go from new and lovely to well used, outdated, stained or torn to a new life as another garment. The new garment would of course take less fabric as in a jacket from the petticote or a as in a sleeveless bodice, made from the top of a gown with the sleeves out, the arm opening would necessarily be larger to cut away the sweat staining and rotting fabric. Fabric was dear and expensive and those ladies were very clever and thrifty. Waste not - want not. Could this have happened - sure. Did it happen - probably. Can we prove beyond a shadow of doubt that it did indeed happen - NO.

Regarding drawstring petticotes:

A quote from The Evolution of Fashion by Margot H. Hill and Peter Bucknell:

"petticoats with drawstrings to gather them at the waists, are adapted to fit the shape of the various hoops, hip extensions, bum rolls, etc."

As we find more references we will add them in.

The Wonder Jacket is taken from the wonderful 1750's jacket that we are wonderfully lucky to own! It is now an exclusive addition to our line of ladies clothing. It was a challenge to reproduce - it certainly made us appreciate the talents of those long ago designers and seamstresses so much more. The large cuffs, elongated and pointed torso and as we refer to them, the darling pocket flaps, combine to make it a totally wonderful jacket. We make ours with a hidden front lacing placket closure (the extent jacket give no hint as to how it was closed) We prefer to make them to order, but sometimes if we have a piece of fabric that piques our interest and time allows, we may have one or so on the rack.

Used clothing markets were very common and popular in the 18th Century. The clothing for sale could have come from the wealthy cleaning closets, the middle class upgrading what they bought last week or the poor selling something that they stole off a drying line…… Conceivably, you could buy second hand a piece of clothing above your current station in life, tailor it yourself, or take it to a local seamstress to make over and have new suit! As clothing was a status symbol in the 18th Century, clothes could indeed make the man (or woman). The used clothing stalls in the markets were very important in the social structure of the time. These markets exist yet today - in resale shops around the world……. One would suppose that business may been rather slow during times of plague.

Ready to wear----- there was some of that available to the people of the 18th Century. In advertisements, bills of lading and inventories one can find listed the items that were for sale. Mostly the items were shirts, breeches, coifs, chemises and overcoats. However, there are references to jackets and gowns. One of the jackets in our collections is possibly one that was 'mass produced' as there is one identical to it in The Gallery of English Costume in Manchester England and one like referenced in Quilts of Provence.

One can find in the lists of goods send over here to the Colonies that there was literally TONS of fabric and CLOTHING of all qualities.