Sack back dress
Category
Costume
Date
1765 - 1769
Materials
Silk with linen lining
Order this imageCollection
Snowshill Wade Costume Collection, Gloucestershire
NT 1350856.1
Summary
Sack back dress. Silk, wide and narrow vertical stripes, predominantly pink with green and cream, also horizontal stripes in cream. Brocaded pattern of orange and yellow spots, also vertical cream stripes resembling ribbons. Bodice and sleeves lined with linen. Bodice fitted, stitched to lining beneath two double box pleats at back. Back cut in one piece with skirt. Darts at front shoulders. Robings cut separately from front. Stomacher missing. Sleeves with small pleats at shoulder; narrowing towards elbow, elbow length with triple scalloped flounce. Lead weight in each sleeve. Skirt full, inverted pleats at hips with pocket slits. Sleeves appear to have been let out, bodice altered. Trimmed with bands of self-fabric, edges pinked, pleated into groups of three small pleats, on front edges of robe. Cream fly braid on either side of bands, also on sleeve flounce. Blonde lace and net ruffles (later addition). (female) Sack back robe of silk taffeta with a pale pink ground having horizontal narrow stripes in ivory and wide vertical stripes woven in pink, green and cream, incorporating a ziz-zag stripe and orange and yellow dots, the whole designed to resemble ribbons. Fitted bodice and front folded into short robings, trimmed with cream silk tufted passmenterie. Darts at front shoulders. Sack back cut as one piece with skirt and pleated from the neckline with central box pleating and knife pleats on either side. Trimmed down either side of skirt opening with band of self fabric, edges pinked, (10-16cm wide -3.5-6.5”), gathered along the length to imitate bows. Decorated with cream silk tufted passmenterie stitched to the skirt bordering either side of each band. Sleeves are separate; the silk fabric is cut so that the stripes are horizontal. Pleated at the shoulder, elbow length with triple layer of gathered scalloped flounce, each trimmed around the elbow and lower edge with the same passmenterie. Sleeves are lined with linen and have roundel of lead weight, covered in linen, stitched to back of sleeve at elbow. Bodice lined with linen, back panel only. Inside of robings also lined with strip of linen. Full skirt, inverted pleats to pocket slits on either side of skirt. Also included in box two lace flounces for sleeves of blonde lace, mounted on synthetic net (thought to be later additions).
Provenance
Charles Paget Wade Collection, Snowshill Manor