Georgian Costume Display
Bath Fashion Museum
There is just one little dress in this post. One dress that kind of sticks like a thorn in our understanding of these early years during the 1700s.
The Cunningtons (’64) in their book ‘Handbook of English Costume in the 18th Century’ state that “The Closed Bodice… had a round decolletage without robings, and was buttoned down the front to the waist, where the overskirt opened in an inverted V, being joined to the bodice as far round as the front closure. A rare type belonging mainly to the 1720s.” (p.110)
We know there were Closed Bodice gowns in the Round Gown style- one where the skirt was complete and didn’t break for a gap for the petticoat. Although, to be honest, we’re still kind of ignorant on how and when this was worn. It’s a gown not very often found in the museums and one less seen in portraiture as far as we can understand it. But here the Cunningtons are specifically describing the Open Gown – ie that with an overskirt that didn’t meet at the front. This is the case with this gown here – to all intense purposes it’s an anglais but with a Closed Bodice.
Other Details Include:
– Pinch pleated at front of elbow which creates a kind of false cuff at the back of the elbow.
– Very broad shoulders – I don’t mean a very wide neck, I mean literally; the shoulder section is very wide – wide atleast for 18th c fashion and the neckline looks odd. It’s very squarish but sits uncomfortably. Often gowns that have this oddness have been altered but as it was well tucked away behind glass we couldn’t really get a good look at it. It’d be interesting to know.
– The bottom of the CF bodice comes to a rounded point that is vague and tapers off to the side where it meets the skirt.
