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The Neck Cloth

 

The Neck Cloth:

How It Was Worn…

THIS PAGE IS STILL A WORK IN PROGRESS – BUT BEAR WITH US, IT IS NEARLY FINISHED!

Well, we know it’s kind of obvious how a neck cloth is worn but it is amazingly useful seeing the actual images. We have two pages designated to this subject – who knew it could take up such study time! -but here they are:

– The ‘How to Wear‘ Page – breaking down the various ways in which it could be worn. (Please click on link here)
– And the ‘Timeline page’ – which plots the various techniques of wearing it as they come in and out of fashion and has been broken into 6 pages. Our website is wonderful and we won’t hear a bad word about it, but it doesn’t like large pages full of too many images so please click on the following Years listed below to read more.

We’d also like to say that the seemingly correct 18th Century Term for this garment is ‘The Handkerchief’, becoming ‘Fichu’ in the later end of the century. BUT because of the hundred-and-one names for this garment over the centuries – on this page we are going to refer to it as ‘The Neck Cloth’ – as it pretty much describes the item,  leaves no room for confusion and was also an 18th c. term.

Description:

In essence the Neck Cloth’s main job was to give a bit of cover for the handkerchief - LACMA - c.1780 used for HandBound costumes research, A study on how neck cloths or Fichus or handkerchiefs were worn in the 18th century, historical costume research - a look into georgian costume and how it was worn., historical replica costume, Hand made period clothing, reenactment csotume, bespoke garments form the 18th century, accessories of the 18th century, dress like a georgianbulging cleavage and low necklines created by the Stays and Dress. Almost all classes seem to wear this item as standard wear – from plebeian working folk to rich nobility – although we will say here that it seems to have been removed for the glittering balls of Court and Genteel Society.

On this page our aim is to lay out the Progression of this garment and how it was worn through the century, trying to move with the comings and goings of fashion as best we can.

To begin with we’ll start with a simple breakdown of the 8 different ways we can see it being worn during this century and then we shall run through the century in a kind of timeline – listing when these General Techniques were worn. The progress through the century is laid out here in the form of links on this page so please click each box to take you to the next corresponding decade.

We shall also keep to the Names that we have called each Method and highlight them in bold for clarity – these are not 18th century terms but descriptive terms that we have entitled them for the ease of this study.

The techniques used to dress the neck cloth are as follows:

1) The Tucked Method
2) The Through the Lacing Method
3) The Crossed Over Method
4) The Loose Method
5) The Tied Method
6) The Shoulder Method
7)  The Twist Method
8)  The Pinned Method

 The Timeline:

The Baptism of Prince Charles Stuart by Antonio David 1725, A study on how neck cloths or Fichus or handkerchiefs were worn in the 18th century, historical costume research - a look into georgian costume and how it was worn., historical replica costume, Hand made period clothing, reenactment csotume, bespoke garments form the 18th century, accessories of the 18th century, dress like a georgian

Neck Cloths  – 1700-1730s

The Beginnings: 1700 to 1730 (ish).

This period covers the fashion for bare necks and ruffles for the main but begins to see the neck cloth emerge in fashion, particularly with ‘Through the Lacing’ and ‘Tucked in’ methods.

 

 

 

A study on how neck cloths or Fichus or handkerchiefs were worn in the 18th century, historical costume research - a look into georgian costume and how it was worn., historical replica costume, Hand made period clothing, reenactment csotume, bespoke garments form the 18th century, accessories of the 18th century, dress like a georgian

1740s to 1750s

The 40s to the 50s (ish)

Following the popular fashion of the ‘Through the Lacing’ method, these centuries see the neck cloth become a firm fashion accessory. Other Methods get used but in the 50’s a new look suddenly flourishes.

 

 

 

possibly Harriet Churchill by Jean Ettiene Liotard c.1760s, I need a dressmaker who makes historical costumes

The 60s – 80s

– The 60’s to the 80’s

Another turn of fashion starts the 60s off with a black neck cloth and the ‘Crossed Over Method’ moves into popularity.