UNDERTAKING THE MAKING Woman’s Dress (Redingote) LACMA Costume and Textiles Pattern Project

Woman’s Dress (Redingote) NOTES: . The sleeves are set into the armscye Europe, c.  . Fabric grain follows vertical lines with small gathers at the top; the Silk and cotton satin of the graph paper. under sleeve and side-front bodice and plain weave . Pattern pieces are drawn without armscye show signs of alteration. Purchased with funds provided seam allowance. . One  ½-inch long and ¼-inch wide by Robert and Mary M. Looker . Five ¼ inch-diameter self-covered strip of baleen boning on both M..  buttons adorn the proper-left sides of the center back sti en the center-front opening of the outer en fourreau bodice from the neckline This hand-sewn woman’s redingote bodice. The center-front edge to lower back. The boning was of striped silk and cotton satin and plain is finished with a fold. inserted in folded casings at the weave is an exceptional example of center-back bodice lining of linen . The inner bodice of linen plain weave women’s fashionable dress informed plain weave. The center-back skirt is boned with a ¼-inch-wide strip by menswear in the th century. below the boning is box pleated. The dress features exaggerated revers of baleen at the center-front opening; . The skirt is made with full widths (lapels), a large falling collar, and  sets of eyelet holes close the of -inch-wide fabric sewn selvage- a cutaway skirt in imitation of the tail center front with laces. to-selvage; the skirt is attached coats worn by male counterparts. . The large revers are faced with silk to the waist with small knife pleats At the center back of the skirt are side and cotton plain weave; the grain from point A at the hem of the outer edges, decorative scalloped flaps that lines of both layers do not match. bodice front to point B at the end of often adorned the center-back vent The collar stand and fall are of the a side-back slash in the en fourreau in men’s coats. same fabric. A medium-weight bodice and skirt back. The center- The outer bodice was constructed interfacing sti ens the collar stand. front skirt opening is finished with larger than the inner bodice; although A small piece of silk and cotton ¼-inch-wide folded edges, whip- the outer bodice has fabric-covered plain weave sewn at the front-side stitched. The skirt hem is finished buttons sewn at the center front, the neckline conceals the seams of with ½-inch-wide twill tape. absence of buttonholes suggests that the collar stand to the neckline. the buttons were merely decorative. One ¼ inch-diameter self-covered . Side-edge details are stitched The center front was most likely closed button stitched through the collar within a fold at the lower side-back with pins like most silk dresses of the stand and fall decorates the front- en fourreau skirt. Three ¼-inch- time; the inner bodice of linen plain side corner of the collar fall. diameter self-covered buttons adorn the side edges; one is placed just weave was secured around the torso . Two layers of cape collars are above the side edge, and two are with laces at the center front. When attached to the center back and side placed at each scallop point of the the dress was worn with a fine cotton neckline under the collar fall; edges side edge flap. fichu (kerchief) around the neck and are finished with ⅛-inch-wide fold, over the wearer’s décolletage, the ends whipstitched. . The redingote bodice is lined of the fichu could be tucked between in linen plain weave; the cape collar, the outer and inner bodices. This volume sleeves, and skirt are unlined. at the chest and torso enhanced a prominent pouter pigeon silhouette, similarly en vogue with fashionable French men. Although largely influenced by menswear, this redingote features a back bodice constructed en fourreau, a dressmaking technique distinctive to women’s robes à l’anglaise (closed- bodied gowns) of the late s. En fourreau is characterized by a narrow length of fabric along the center back that runs undisrupted from the top of the neckline to the bottom skirt hem with no waist seam. At either side of this center-back length is a finely pleated skirt into the waist, which creates the deep V-shaped volume at the back. Woman’s Dress (Redingote)

Collar stand meets lapel at notch Attaches to top of collar stand Roll line COLLAR CB UPPER REVER CB STAND SLEEVE Current seam line (altered) Roll line Top COLLAR FALL OUTER CF BODICE Current seam line Neck seam edge FRONT (altered) CB

UPPER CAPE UNDER A SS COLLAR SLEEVE

Conceals seams of the collar stand CB UNDER CAPE SIDE EDGE COLLAR

OUTER BODICE Current seam LINING CB line (altered) FRONT SS SS SS Original CF seam line BODICE BODICE CF LINING LINING INTERIOR BACK SIDE BACK BODICE FRONT

Boning inserted here

COLLAR FACING

SS

B

Side edge inserted SKIRT SKIRT within fold

CF CB

Cut CB on fold

EN FOURREAU BODICE AND SKIRT BACK

Top cape with sample Key: fabric pattern to scale  1:1 inch CF  Center Front CB  Center Back SS  Side Seam  Pieced Fabric  Decorative Button Placement  Fold line Patterns re-created and drawn by Thomas John Bernard. © Museum Associates/LACMA. All rights reserved.