Description:
Quilted dark, green satin weave silk petticoat quilted in matching silk thread with a cloud-like pattern of stacked arches around the top 2/3's, and a meandering flower and feather design around the bottom 1/3; wool or cotton batting; and lined with a loose weave wool or wool and linen combination. The petticoat is pleated into a linen waistband (probably a replacement); and the blue silk braid (probably added later) around the hem is deteriorating. From about 1710-1790, decorative petticoats were fashionable for wearing under an "open robe," a style of dress that is open across the center front of the skirt. The petticoat could be made to match the dress fabric, embroidered, or made of a contrasting solid color, in which case it was often a quilted silk or "calamanco," a worsted fabric that was "calendered" or pressed under hot metal plates, possibly with the addition of starch or wax to make it glossy. As early as the 1720s, quilted petticoats were an important component of many women's wardrobes. In addition to providing added warmth, the materials and quilting patterns they displayed served as decorative embellishment to the wearer's apparel. During the late 18th and early 19th centuries, the bulkiness of these kinds of petticoats fell out of favor as dress styles became streamlined.
Link to share this object record:
https://museums.fivecolleges.edu/detail.php?t=objects&type=ext&id_number=HD+F.245 |
