Embroidered Cream Robe a l’Anglais

c.1770-80

(Photo’s Used by Kind Permission of the Totnes Fashion Museum)

Now we know these photos can appear dark but bear with us – the lighting is there for the protection of the costumes and their fabric. The photos still display the details that we are studying.

This is a charming cream Robe a l’Anglais, hand embroidered by the owner and we had a discussion on it while we were working that it would’ve been embroidered before being made up.

Details:

– CF Closing.
– Furbelow Trim along Front Edge edge of skirt but not on bodice.
– Mimicked Furbelow trim at neckline but is in fact just 2 lines of Fly braid.
– CF Point sites below waistline and is square in nature.
– Skirt Front Edge edge sits before Bodice CF point.
– Skirt unpleated from Front Edge to about 3″.
– Pleats for skirt are small and neat and are knife pleats pointing towards Side Seam at front and towards the CB at the back.
– Bodice is lined with linen.
– Inverted Box pleat at CB.
– Late style of Anglais as CB Bodice isn’t pleated but panelled and therefore there are no pleats that join in with the skirt.
– Sleeves have slight curve at elbow and are trimmed with a furbelow made into a bow.
– Pleats are ‘caught’ about 2″ below waist for holding them in place.