Fig Leaf Patterns® 235, Dress with Companion Shift, 1807-1818
This dress and shift are from one woman's wardrobe which is a rare find. The shift is a good example of the narrower silhouette and shorter sleeves of the first two decades of the 19th Century. With no gathers at the neckline, it sits nicely along the neckline and upper body. One of the design hallmarks of this period is the adjustability of fit of the garments through the use of drawstrings at the neck and / or raised waistline which were very popular from mid 1790s to 1810. Beginning around 1808, the bias front bodice with a gathered back becomes more popular. At the back waistline, this dress has a double drawstring closure, much like a reticule, which allows the wearer to get dressed on her own. The twenty-one (21!) tucks at the hem of the dress are an impressive amount of work to create almost 14" hem treatment.
FIT: This dress would have been worn over a shift, corset, and with a petticoat. It has the typical high waistline but with the drawstring back, one can get dressed without help.
FABRIC: The shift is made from a fine, light weight linen or cotton. The dress is made from a dimity or corded cotton fabric which creates a very subtle stripe element to the all-white garment.
CHOOSING SIZE: When deciding which size is correct for you to use, measure your rib cage under your bust, preferably with your stays and underpinnings on. If you have a fuller bust, you may want to choose the next size up and alter through the bust darts when making your fitting muslin.