Girl's dress
Category
Costume
Date
1750 - 1770
Materials
Gilt, Lace, Linen, Paper, Silk brocade
Order this imageCollection
Killerton, Devon
NT 1362652
Caption
This little girl’s dress is very carefully pieced from remnants of an expensive silk with a glint of gold in the weave, and was probably repurposed from an older formal gown. During conservation, traces of printed paper fragments were found: book pages used as interlining. Parts of the original linen sleeve lining survive and there are remnants on the shoulders of leading strings (lengths of fabric stitched to each shoulder of the child’s clothing to prevent them from straying or falling). Much of the original construction remains. The skirt is very finely gauged into the waistband to create fullness, with pocket slits over the hips. The centre-back bodice opening is stiffened with whalebone. The lace stomacher, decorated with tiny paper roses, may have been added when the gown was acquired by childrenswear collector Margaret Bodley before 1980. Small girls are often depicted in 18th-century portraits wearing fine linen or silk gauze bib aprons pinned to the bodice, the apron being made to tuck beneath the open waistband and tie around securely. Unlike adults’ clothing, children’s dresses fastened at the back. Leading strings of matching fabric stitched to the shoulders remained long after the child had learned to walk, perhaps symbolic of parental control. Shelley Tobin
Summary
Mustard yellow silk brocade girl's dress with striped gilt weft. Short sleeves, square neckline with applied stomacher of lace (blonde) and paper rosebuds. bodice is joined to skirt at the sides only. Skirt has two pocket slits and is open centre back. Dress unlined, although traces of linen lining at shoulder. Trace of newspapers stiffening at back boned opening. Girl aged 6. 1750 - 1770 (circa)