Jumping Into 18th Century Fashion

Hello sweet friends! Welcome to a historical Fashion Friday. Yesterday began the four-day Costume College event. While it is usually held in California this year everything is online. This is one of the reasons why I went Jumping Into 18th Century Fashion.

Jumping Into 18th Century Fashion

In two previous posts, Budget Costuming Plucking The Turkey and 18th Century Slow Stitching I shared how I was participating in the Burnley and Trowbridge Sew-Along series. In any type of historical costuming, you have to create your undergarments first. This is because they shape how your exterior garments will fit.

I love researching what the everyday woman would have worn at different points in time.

In 1776 a domestic servant may have worn:

• A shift: this first layer would also have served as a nightgown. It generally would have been made of linen. The sleeve length and neckline could vary.
• Stockings, garters, and shoes: My stockings are white cotton purchased from Colonial Williamsburg.  The shoes are a simple mule style.
• Pleated cap: Made of linen, held in place with pink silk ribbon.
• Under petticoat:  Often made of linen but also found in silk and wool.
• Jumps: Outer layer is cotton matelasse, lined in muslin, and bound in linen. Lacing is cotton twill dyed in indigo.
• Pocket: Tied under the petticoat it is the historical version of a purse.

18th Century Jumps

Jumps were worn throughout the 18th century as a comfortable alternative to stays (18th-century corset). They were generally less boned. Some versions had no boning at all.  They provide light bust support.

Upper-class women would primarily only wear stays in the privacy of their own homes. Working women might select to wear jumps as an everyday item. Jumps could also be layered over stays for warmth.

After hours of research, I decided to try and recreate a pair of stays that can be found at the DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum.

Sharon Ann Burnston has a fantastic article on jumps ( quilted waistcoats) and she hand-drafted a pattern from an extant garment. Using paper garbage bags I drew out a similar pattern and cut it out. For the front of the stays, the first version is on the left. Three additional adjustments were made. I lowered the neckline, widened the torso, and adjusted the bottom to get the final working pattern.

It was a similar process for the back pattern. The neckline was altered, the arm scythe (underarm) was lowered and the bottom was rounded.

This process to cut, fit, and recut took approximately four hours.

Once I was satisfied I cut my “good fabric”.

Side note: the fabric was once a curtain panel that hung in the Fashionista’s bedroom.

Miles of Smiles

Then miles of linen bias tape was cut and stitched. The bias tape was pinned to the jumps. That alone took one hour. It took approximately 2-3 hours to hand sew the binding on.

I only had ivory-colored cotton twill tape for lacing so I made the decision to dye it in the indigo I used to dye the bedgown. It’s a fun splash of color.

Feeling sassy with my pocket.

The pocket probably would have been tied on underneath the inner petticoat but for picture purposes, I opted to have it just be covered by the exterior petticoat.

The back of the jumps are not a smooth as I would have liked. My right shoulder is higher due to scoliosis and it pulls the fabric a bit.

In the end though, the general public will never see this.

Plucking The Turkey Finale

Plucking The Turkey by Henry Walton, 1776.

Features of the artwork include:

Amazing Chiaroscuro. This is the use of strong contrasts between light and dark that affect the entire composition.

• White pleated cap with pink ribbon.
• White fischu (neckerchief).
• Polka dot bedgown in indigo.
• Blue and ivory plaid apron.
• Greenish blue petticoat.
• Wood chair
• Basket
• Turkey

Plucking The Turkey by Laura Ingalls Gunn, 2020.

• Absolutely no Chiaroscuro. Masters of art are called masters for a reason. I did include the Droste effect (also known as mise en abyme) which is a picture within a picture.
• White pleated cap with a pink silk ribbon.
• White fischu (neckerchief).
• Polka dot bedgown in indigo: I searched for weeks for a hand-blocked small scale polka dot. I had a white with large grey dots fabric in my stash which I hand-dyed indigo for a touch of historical accuracy.
• Blue and ivory plaid apron. I always try to include at least one antique item in my costuming. This antique remnant was purchased in France two years ago.
• Greenish blue petticoat.
• Wood chair. Not quite old enough but it is a charming Victorian cane bottomed seat.
• Basket. Sweet Guy’s laundry hamper.
• Turkey. Aw poor sweet Gracie. Her costume is of a Broad Breasted White Turkey as opposed to the Brown Wild Turkey shown in the original artwork. This was simply due to the fact that I had a white feather boa in my stash. (Remnants of an Elton John concert if you must know.)

Gracie The Turdoxie

I promise that no doxie was harmed in this process. She received several treats!

As well as numerous snuggies.

Ears UP! Daddy just walked into the room.

Going in for a wet kiss!

You can learn more about 18th-century undergarments in this video.

The exterior clothing and Gracie’s costume are covered below.

Have a wonderful weekend!

I will see you next week,

Laura