1780s Dress Trimming

When you start looking at 1780s gowns you notice that a fair number were untrimmed and that many were made of linen or cotton chintz. I have chosen to make a special gown of printed silk, and to trim it as was done on the Snowshill gown.

Above is a diagram of the trim from Janet Arnolds Patterns of Fashion I of another gown, yet it looks similarly folded to the cream silk polonaise I am copying. The trim is sewn around the neckline and down the front edges of the overskirt. In the drawings of this gown it is hard to see the whole trim, and only on close examination do we see how it is actually made.

The skirt trim is shown above. Below is a close-up of the trim, showing a stuffed circular puff at regular intervals.

I plan to cut long strip of self-fabric and then to sew narrow trimmings onto each side of the strips before folding and attaching. I don't think I will have a chance to bring out my new 'old' hand pinking tools with this dress unless I choose to do a pinked flounce on the underskirt.

1780s Gowns

From June-August 2011, I travelled to the US, UK and Denmark to study historical costumes, teach dance workshops and to join dance activities where I could.

My first 18th century gown was discovered quite by accident in Historic Deerfield, MA in the US. I was so excited by this round gown because at first glance it looked like a gown and underskirt in the same fabric. Upon closer examination I saw it was a 1-piece dress.

In the UK I went immediately to Berrington Hall, where Althea Mackenzie showed me sections of the Snowshill Collection. In 2009 I was shown the regency collection, but this time I had requested to see the 1780-90s and 1830s.

One garment that I was very keen to see close up was a gown shown in Costume In Detail by Nancy Bradfield.

I have always loved the late 18th Century lines of this gown and its simple decoration. My gowns are worn for dancing and dance displays, so I am very interested in ornamented silk gowns.

The same gown is shown and patterned in Janet Arnold's Patterns of Fashion I, except the petticoat has a flounce around the hem.

I was able to view this gown close-up and took many photos, except that I do not have permission to publish them in the public domain, sorry.

I saw a picture of a gown today that had a design very similar to some silk fabric I have from Duran Texiles, and that I plan to use for my version of the Snowshill gown at our 1780s Costume Weekend in Canberra on the 1-3 October 2011.

Create a 1780s Wardrobe: 1-3 October 2011 Canberra, Australia

Following the loss of the American Colonies after the American War of Independence 1775-1783, Great Britain needed to find alternative land for a new British colony. Australia was chosen for settlement, and colonisation began in 1788.

Marie Antoinette, c1788

From 1-3 October 2011 we are offering the opportunity to learn about clothing in the 1780s, in particular clothing that would have been worn to dances and balls in the western world at this time of Australia's colonisation. We will teach you the period accurate hand-stitching techniques, but allow you to choose whether to use a sewing machine or not. 


1-3   October  
Make your own 1780s gown in the polonaise style
15    October
Attend an English Country Dance at St Johns Church Hall in Reid, Canberra
22   October
Join us for dancing on the lawns of St Johns Church Hall in Reid as part of their Spring Community Fair. Participants can wear 1780s, 1800s or 1840s costumes. 


Shoes: we wear and recommend shoes from Burnley and Trowbridge. These shoes come in red, brown and black and will need a buckle.