1770's Round Gown

So here is my latest project. I have made the entire ensemble that a typical, middle class woman in the 1770's might have worn.

Starting here with my shift. The cotton isn't exactly accurate, but the fine hand is appropriate for the period. The shape and construction is also accurate except for the machine sewing. It is quite sheer…which is why my modern panties are visible :p

The next layer consists of my stays and stockings, not necessarily in that order. The stays are the 1780's stays I posted about here and here. My stockings are clocked, clouded cotton stockings held up with ribbon garters.

Here is a silly pose with my false rump. It is made from some scrap muslin and stiffed with polyfil. The shape is based on some extant rumps. The pattern itself is actually the hip padding from my Edwardian corset made to the largest size.

Another silly pose so you can see the lacing of my stays and the rump.

This is the first of my two new petticoats made for this ensemble. I made it from a flat twin sheet I found in the linen closet. It used to be a curtain in my room, so I took it and made a nice, full petticoat out of it.

The second petticoat is also a sheet. This is an old, rather worn sheet I took from my mom's stash.

I made pockets, as well. Although they aren't placed quite right to work with the pocket slits in my gown, they work alright if I rotate them around so I can reach the right pocket through the slit and the left one through the apron front of my gown.

Here's the gown! It's made out of a mid weight, green cotton/linen fabric and lined with oatmeal colored linen. The cotton tape that ties the apron front is the same tape I used to lace my stays.

I also made a frilly, sheer little decorative apron for dressing the gown up if I so desire. The apron is simply pinned to the bodice. The front of the bodice closes with pins. Unfortunately, the neckline gaps a bit, which you can see because my arms are raised slightly. I also had to add a good bit of width to the sleeves to make them wearable, which makes the sleeve caps a little puffy. While not entirely historically accurate, I think it's cute.

The skirt width is also not quite wide enough, which causes my pocket slits to gap open. It's not that big of a deal, though.

I made a cap and a few neckerchiefs, but I couldn't find my neckerchiefs. I made due with one I made for my Federalist gowns.

The bodice is a little wrinkled from where I was getting tired of trying to pin the front. If I took my time and pinned the bodice tightly and neatly, it would look much better.

Overall, I am pleased with this gown. I haven't decided if I want to trim it or not. I'll have to research whether simple linen round gowns were trimmed at all.