Directly Reproducing a c. 1740 Undress Jacket From the Snowshill Costume Collection
The Original Garment
The jacket, housed at Berrington Hall, dates from the second quarter of the 18th century. It is constructed from bright red brocaded silk, with a floral design in leaf green, deep green, navy blue, royal blue, pale blue, turquoise, maroon and silver and is lined with pale blue taffeta; except the sleeves, which are lined with white linen. The whole garment is interlined with stiff brown felt-like fabric. There are three fabric-covered buttons on either side at the front for laces, which would be fastened over a stomacher.
Around the bottom of the Jacket, there is a pleated peplum. A number of these pleats, which flare out over the hips, are caught together. There are more fabric-covered buttons at the apex of each of these fans of pleats. These pleated sections would have expanded out when worn over panniers. On the front, un-pleated section of the peplum, there is a little false pocket flap. There is evidence for hooks and eyes at the front of the peplum. There is also a frayed piece of pink silk ribbon attached to the right hand lining on the front, possibly a back support for the stomacher, which would have filled the gap at the front of the bodice, or an alternative way of fastening the garment. It also appears to have been made up from either scraps of material or a previous garment as much of the garment is made up of a number of smaller pieces of the fabric.
Reproduction the Jacket
This jacket had been one of those studied in Janet Arnold’s ‘Patterns of Fashion’ and therefore a scaled pattern already existed. I therefore scaled up this pattern to the size of the original garment and made up a calico toile. I then worked out from this which parts of the jacket pattern needed to be altered to fit me, as the original was most likely made for a child, and made a second toile, to which I made final adjustments. Making a toile is especially necessary for a garment such as this, as body shapes in the 18th Century were different to today. I did however have to keep in mind the fashionable garment shapes of the time and the style of the heavily boned stays to be worn underneath. I encountered some problems with the pleats of the peplum, as they did not fit correctly when scaled up. I overcame this however, by altering the pattern piece. The complicated cuffs also proved difficult to construct.
For the final garment, I needed a historically correct fabric, and preferably silk brocade, as that was what the original was made of. I found such a fabric in bright saffron yellow, an expensive and fashionable colour at the time. Although the original was lined with a blue silk, I decided to line mine with the same white linen used to line the sleeves. This makes the garment more wearable in warmer weather and makes it easier to wash. I bought metal buttons for use above the pleats and to wind the cord around at the front.
The Finished Jacket
Special Thanks to Althea Mackenzie, Curator of the Snowshill Costume Collection For allowing me to access the original garment
Inspiration?
© Janet Arnold 1964
