Ladies clothing research.

[mary]

An excellent article covering the evolution of women's fashion from the 1790s to the 1830s may be found on the Old Sturbridge Village website:

www.osv.org/education/OSVisitor/FemaleFashion.html

Enjoy... and do remember to give proper credit to Ms. LeCount and OSV in any quotes, etc. taken from this work.

Mary.

[mary]

For those of you interested in outfitting yourself in 1830's period attire, here is a website that you'll want to check out! Both the 'high gown' and the 'Lowell Mill' dress patterns will give you that authentic look. I believe that a pelerine pattern is also included in the pattern.

www.pastpatterns.com/806.html

Also consider the corset pattern (listed here in the Jacksonian era). As much as I hate to admit it, it does make the dress look even better.

[mary]

Conner Prairie's Jane Wheeler has written an excellent discussion on 1830's clothing.

See it at www.connerprairie.org/historyonline/clothing.html

As always, please credit Ms. Wheeler and Conner Prairie when making any quotes.

Mary.

[mary]

Ms. Heather Palmer offers a discourse on ladies fashion in the "Romantic Era" 1825-1840 at

www.victoriana.com/lady/palmer.html

Ms. Palmer takes a "piece by piece" approach to her subject, providing analysis and comment on each fashion piece.

[mary]

Original fashions, incuding accessories like sleeve puffs, may be viewed on the Demonde website:

demode.tweedlebop.com/realvict.html

[mary]

Click on this link for original clothing preserved in several museums...

kverschoor0.tripod.com/clothes/clothes.htm

Also scroll to the bottom of the page for fashion plates, and 1830's embroidery patterns.

As is so often the case, our ancestors saved and preserved their finest clothing, while their everyday work clothes were worn, patched, repaired, and worn again until used up. Please don't think that the clothing represented in the fashion plates or museums substantially represents the day-to-day clothing worn by women as they perfomed their daily chores. Particularly in the Lead Region!

The professional commentary and original fashions in both artifact and artisitc rendition must be compared with the accounts, diaries, letters, and journals of the women who actually lived and worked on the western frontier--particularly Illinois and the Michigan Territory. In my opinion, where conflict exists between the highest of fashion represented in museums and plates, and the recollections of dress worn by pioneering women, the writings of the original women should take precident.

For example, if the original is fine silk... but say Juliet Kinzie (just for an example) says she wore cotton at the Fort Winnebago agency, then this writing should be weighted accordingly... and guide our impressions.

Your thoughts?

Mary.

[Laurel]

I would like to pass on another site that features some original garments from the period. Susan Gordy first told me about this site. There are great examples of fancy dress and two dress of cotton. Also take a look at the bonnets and shoes. As Mary stated before these were probably the best clothes of fashionable people, however the two cotton dresses do give us a clue to everyday dress.
www.vintagetextile.com/Earlyall.htm

Laurel

[mary]

Mr. Thomas Ford, in History of Illinois, p. 94 offers the following regarding an apparent transition in women's fashion:

The female sex had made a still greater progress in dress[after 1830]. The old sort of cotton or woolen frocks, spun, wove and made with their own fair hands and striped and cross-barred with blue dye and turkey red had given place to gowns of silk and calico. The feet, before in a state of nudity, now charmed in shoes of calfskin or slippers of kid; and the head formerly unbonnetted but covered with a cotton handkerchief now displayed the charms of the female face under many forms of bonnets of straw, silk or leghorn. The young ladies instead of walking a mile or two to church on Sunday, carrying their shoes and stockings in their hands to within a hundred yards of the place of worship as formerly, now came forth arrayed complete in all the pride of dress, mounted on fine horses, and attended by their male admirers.

[Laurel]

I just found a fabulous site of original clothing from the late eighteenth century to early twentieth century. Clothing from several collections including the Simthsonian and Kent State are sited. Take a look at the late 1820s, early 1830s day dresses. Notice how many of them have a very similar silhouette with the large leg o mutton sleeves and full skirt. Also, take a look at the corsets. Notice the heavy quilting or cording is used to give support. There is also a wooden busk included in one of the sites.

Betsy Urven

[Laurel]

OOOPS!!!

I forgot to post the link. Here it is. demode.tweedlebop.com/realvict.html#1820
Please take a look. It's well worth your time.

Betsy Urven