Shifting Back to Shift Sleeves

Since I am cutting out two shifts today, a fine one to wear as Mrs Skinner, the other, a more utilitarian one, I figured we should take a look at how the lower sorts wore their shift sleeves during the early 1770's.  Since these folks weren't sitting for portraits with Mr Copley, let's look to the period prints for guidance. The examples I will show are from 1770-74, all from the Lewis Walpole collection.

This print of the girl with the candle shows a very similar shift sleeve treatment as Mrs Skinner's -- a small ruffle with the shift sleeve just past the elbow. And if you will humor me and allow me to go off on a tangent for a moment. Check out the pin keeping her handkerchief closed.  Cool detail huh?

Ok, back to shift sleeves. Take a look at the nosegay seller. I love using her as an example of a classic middlin' type. Check out her shift - again same treatment but displayed below a gown cuff.  So let's look at another, "The Enraged Macaroni" - same type of gown, this time no ruffle.

Let's look at one more -"Piety in Pattens" -- Little ruffle peeking out from a gown cuff

So, for my everyday shift, I will opt for the same sleeve treatment as Mrs. Skinner, though with probably not as fine a linen ruffle. But that's another post for another day.

Back to cutting out linen,

Mrs. S.

Getting Smart

  The role I play in the 1773 Muster Day and Garden Party is a tavern keeper who is contracted to cater this combined event. As I live in the province of New Hampshire and the event will take place in the province of Massachusetts Bay, I have several questions that need answers.

          Do I need a special license to provide strong drink at this event? What is the process for obtaining a license if I need to have one for the day? Is it my sole responsibility to maintain good order?  Does the host, Mr. Northbridge, hold the ultimate responsibility for the behavior of his guests?  Are there any special regulations about taverns or tavern activities on Muster Day? 

  Muster Days have been known to get out of hand. There seems to be a problem with the combination of men, strong drink and gun powder, especially if the men divide up and participate in a sham battle. Mr. Northbridge would not want the Garden Party disrupted by riotous behavior.

  While others have begun their sewing, I am searching for answers to my questions in the provincial laws of New Hampshire and Massachusetts Bay.  Luckily, most of the provincial laws were published in the 19th century and now have been digitized.  The guide to the New Hampshire Provincial Papers is in the UNH Library. You can link to the volume you want to read from there. The General Laws of Massachusetts Bay are here. These volumes not only codify the the rules and regulations for tavern keepers, the militia, etc; they set out the parameters of acceptable and expected behavior for the residents of the province.  These statutes will keep me mindful that the world we are presenting to the public next August is very different from the one we live in today.

Oh, another aspect I need to explore as I ground my role in 18th Century reality, is how His Excellency, Thomas Hutchinson, Esq., Governor of Massachusetts Bay at the time of our event,  came to be possibly the most hated man in the province.  I've put The Ordeal of Thomas Hutchinson by Bernard Bailyn on my reading list and selected parts of Hutchinson's diary.  

I'm going to be busy!

S. Glasse
 

A Yellow Gown At The Met

Metropolitan Museum of Art

On our recent journey to New York, Mrs S. and I were lucky to see this portrait in person in the American Wing in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  Another good choice for young matrons and maidens as well to look to for their own reproductions!  Wearing a simple taffeta gown, this portrait of Margaret Strahan, was painted in 1771.  Her yellow silk gown closes in front with a compere stomacher.  Pinked self fabric trim twists and turns up the robings of her gown, simple but effective, providing a textural and 3 dimensional appearance so important to 18th century gowns.   This is not an expensive fabric, this gown can be reasonably reproduced by any re-enactor or costumer.

This closeup of the compere shows the small self fabric covered buttons that appear to be functional, not decorative and the two rows of pleated trim on either side of the buttons.  Neither difficult to do or expensive, no additonal purchase for trim.

Simple sleeve flounces and we can see the edges are pinked.  Two flounces and whitework sleeve ruffles set off the yellow of the gown and yet are simple in their embroidery design, something more easily duplicated than a complex embroidery design like Dresden work. 

This closeup of the pearl necklace shows us  six small pearl strands, with one giant strand of pearls, faux of course!  What a nice detail to incorporate into a necklace!   Faux pearls are a dime a dozen (literally) at rummage sales and yard sales, this would not cost a fortune to do.   If you look at the full portrait you can see the ribbon ties at the back of her neck securing the necklace.

 This last detail combines two elements.  First the gathered and pinked trim, gently flows up the robing.  Note that it does not match the pleated design on the compere, but the twisting on the robing is a nice balance to the geometric pleating on the compere.  This is also a good closeup of her neck thing.  It is obviously fine muslin or linen, with a series of box pleats providing the shaping as it goes around the neck.  It is not a handkerchief per se, but does the work of one, filling in the low neckline of the gown.  Could this be a tippet sighting?  Don't know! 

Please go to the museum site and look closely using the zoom feature.  Look especially at her hair ornaments, they almost look like enamel work to me.  Other opines welcome!

Mrs. Peabody

Mrs. Hancock's Baby Cap

Mrs. Hancock -

I have been working on (or rather struggling with) creating an infant cap. Who knew such a simple project could be so tricky? For details click here.

Stay Dry - Stay Safe

Dearest Friends,

As we here in New England batten down the hatches and brace for a hurricane that will affect nearly all of the original colonies, we Crazy Concord Chicks hope all our readers in the path of the storm stay dry and safe.

Storms like this weren't formally tracked until sometime during the 19th century, though our 18th century forefathers did leave us diaries and newspaper accounts of significant storms. Since shipping was a major industry and it frequently involved the Caribbean, ship wrecks due to hurricanes were frequently reported since they affected the flow of trade.

 There are accounts of a really big storm kind of similar to the one we are about to encounter this weekend, referred to as the Newfoundland Storm of 1775. Our friend JL Bell writes in his blog, Boston 1775 about this particular storm -- and do make sure you read his subsequent post, "How some storms really did shape the Revolutionary War" for some interesting reading.

 In closing today's post, I've included an article from the Essex Journal from Newburyport, Massachusetts September 29, 1775 with a period account of the 1775 hurricane.

Stay safe--

 YH&OS, Mrs. S.

Your Underwear Is Showing!

Dearest Friends, 

When I was growing up, it was a social disgrace to let your bra straps show. I even sewed those little ribbons with the snaps into my sleeveless dresses to prevent that kind of fashion faux pas! Times change and fashion changes. And so it appears was the case in the 18th century with regards to shifts.

Detail from Smock Race by John Collet (Lewis Walpole Library)

Located next to your skin, and under your stays, by mere proximity alone, a shift is "underwear". so one would assume that this garment would only be seen hanging on the line after being laundered.  Not so - at least where the sleeve of the shift is concerned.  Underwear is worn as a fashion accessory!

Mrs Daniel Hubbard by Copley

In portraits, for a good part of the century, you frequently see a rather long shift sleeve sticking out below the outer gown sleeve, and often with an elaborate ruffle attached at the cuff of the shift. In the portrait at the left, you see an example from the 1760's showing a positively gorgeous ruffle and puffy shift sleeve displayed below the wide full cuff of her silk gown.  And there is no attempt to hide the lower part of the shift sleeve just above the ruffles.

Mrs. Ezekiel Goldthwait - Copley 1771

As the fashion changes from cuffs to tiers of sleeve ruffles and flounces, the now shorter shift sleeve is largely hidden making a super fancy shift sleeve ruffle superfluous. However, a peek of the shift sleeve does not morph into a "Glamour don't".  It's there and should the arm be in a position to show it, the wearer does not attempt to hide it.


 Thus is the case with my model Mrs. Skinner.

Mrs Skinner, shows off a diminutive shift ruffle, presumably of fine linen, attached to her shift cuff, which falls just beyond her elbow -- a detail to keep in mind when I measure for the length of the sleeves for my new shift. This is just the kind of detail we want to pay attention to when trying to assemble a really accurate look -- particularly connecting these details to time frame.   They seem, at first, incidental, but when put all together they truly help to create a much more accurate impression.

Mrs. Skinner's sleeve detail by Copley (1772)

Over the years I've become less hung up about the occasional bra strap offense, but I will gladly show off the lovely cuff and ruffle of my new shift's sleeves - but only when I bend my arm and my sleeve flounces fall away to expose it!  Underwear as a fashion statement - some things never change.

Yours truly,
Mrs. S.

Connecticut Historical Society

Just spent some time zooming through the Connecticut Historical Society and their new museum database online.  Found lots of shoes and a few things of note for the Concord Chicks, especially this lovely portrait for the young matrons. 

Jane Ellery, Connecticut Historical Society

Check out her lovely cap, simple gown and accessories.  A perfect color for many, this rosy peach would flatter most complexions.   The date on this portrait is 1772,  her gown has a stomacher front with only simple ruching as trim on the robings, double sleeve flounces and double sleeve ruffles.  Her hair is high, but simple in style, the cap coming to a point at center front is perfect for the high hair.  The cap is very do-able, will help someone if they want to try this cap.   A simple not expensive silk taffeta will work well to reproduce this type of dress.   Doesn't she look like Becky F.?

Mrs. Peabody