My First Novel's Inspirations ~ Part 9a ~ Women's Fashion

Monday, Monday...here we are again. Thanks for spending part of it with me. If you're reading this on any other day, no problem, I'm just glad you came. While you're here, head over there 👉 and subscribe if you haven't already. It would make my day, to hear my phone ding alerting me that I have a new subscriber. It's music to my ears! 🎶👂🎶 

Last week I introduced another part of my series, My First Novel's Inspirations, Introduction to Women's Fashion. I tried to give you a taste of the depth of this subject. This will by no means give you a complete picture of fashion for women in 18th century England. For one thing, my research focused on the Georgian Era. Another is that research can be pretty much unending, and I have to say, enough already, at some point, if I'm ever going to take what I've learned and get my writing done. 

Just as today, women wore the best fabrics they could afford. Just like today, not every fabric is created equally. Not every cotton is going to feel the same. Not every wool will feel the same. If you want a well made, quality fabric, you will have to pay the price and so did the women in the Georgian Era.

As I studied these fabrics and saw the amazing talents of the ones using these fabrics to make these lovely clothes, I can only think of how Good the Lord is for gifting people with these skills. I am thankful for the beauty we have in this world. I thank the Lord Jesus for the blessing of it. May He receive the glory for it.

Fabrics Common in the Georgian Era

"The frills of her shift show at the neck, veiled in a muslin ‘kerchief’ and at the opening of her wing-like cuffs, which are typical of the 1750’s. She wears a round muslin cap, the central pleat recalling the ‘fontange’ (1690 – 1710). For formal dress she would wear richly brocaded or embroidered silks."

• Muslin

"Muslin, also mousseline or Malmal, is a cotton fabric of plain weave. It is made in a wide range of weights from delicate sheers to coarse sheeting. Muslins were imported into Europe from the Bengal region, in the eastern part of the Indian subcontinent, during much of the 17th and 18th centuries and were later manufactured in Scotland and England." 

Dress made of Bengal muslin. 

(This painting is housed in the National Maritime Museum of London.)

• Silk

"Silk, animal fibre produced by certain insects and arachnids as building material for cocoons and webs, some of which can be used to make fine fabrics. In commercial use, silk is almost entirely limited to filaments from the cocoons of domesticated silkworms" 

Silk Embroidered Sack Dress

"A new style of gown called the chemise gown which was made of thin, flowing cotton usually of white or pastel in color came into the Georgian Fashion. This style was inspired by the European countryside clothing and writings from authors like Rousseau." 

• Cotton

"cotton noun: a soft, white material that grows on the seeds of a tall plant and that is used to make cloth" 

Cotton Chemise

"The early English gowns were slightly different from the French gowns. They were fuller in the skirt width and materials like sheer cotton fabrics like muslin, gauze and percale were popular English gown materials." 

• Gauze

"Gauze: thin transparent fabrics of silk, linen or cotton." 

Gauze Fichu

• Calico

"Calico fabric is a plain-woven textile, made from half-processed and unbleached cotton fibres. It’s a coarse and rough fabric, but not as sturdy as denim or canvas for example, nor as fine as Muslin. Calico is generally very cheap due to it’s unfinished nature, and the fact that it remains un-dyed and raw.

Calico is woven from cotton fibres, and being made from cotton crops it’s completely natural. Because of its unfinished state, there are often flecks of cotton seeds visible in the fabric and it tends to have a cream or grey tinged finish, making it the perfect base to be dyed or printed on." 

Calico Jacket and Petticoat

• Wool

 "Linen and wool were the most commonly used fabrics. Silk was used for more expensive garments. Cotton was used more than once thought, however, it was somewhat more costly and less available than linen and wool. Fustian, a blend of linen and cotton was popular. Another popular fabric was linsey-woolsey, a woven fabric with a linen warp and woolen weft" 

"Wool is a natural fibre produced by sheep. Sheep grow wool on their bodies in the same way people grow hair. As wool grows out from the sheep’s skin, it forms groups of wavy fibres called staples. This natural crimp (wave) gives wool its

elasticity (springiness)." 

Women's Riding Jacket

• Linen

"Linen is a textile made from the fibers of the flax plant. Linen is laborious to manufacture, but the fiber is very strong, absorbent and dries faster than cotton. Garments made of linen are valued for their exceptional coolness and freshness in hot and humid weather." 

Linen Embroidered Waistcoat

• Lace

"Lace developed from the embroidery technique of cutwork, whereby a design is cut out of a woven cloth and the edges are secured with thread to stabilize the voided design and to provide further decorative texture.

Fashions in lace changed markedly during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, from simple geometric edgings of the early seventeenth century, to the Baroque three-dimensional needle lace of the second half of the seventeenth century, to the airy decorated net of the late eighteenth century. " 

"lace noun: a fine open fabric, typically one of cotton or silk, made by looping, twisting, or knitting thread in patterns and used especially for trimming garments." 

White muslin gown trimmed with wide lace cuffs and collar.

With that beautiful picture, I'll say goodbye for today. I hope to be back next Monday with more about women's fashion in the Georgian Era. Please come again and again and again. I'm here most every Monday. Have a great week and may The Lord God bless you and your family with Faith, Hope and Love. If you ever have questions or comments feel free to share. I love to hear from my readers.

In Christ,
Sandy

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