18th century blog

I’ve been working on this outfit for a couple of weeks and now it’s finally finished enough to use. I still have to line the jacket and add more gold fringe around the “skirt” part of the jacket (peplum?), but otherwise it’s all done. It’s a late 1780s pierrot jacket from The Cut of Women’s Clothes: 1600-1930 by Norah Waugh and a simple sheer jupe made from no pattern at all. I’ll hopefully be wearing this to Skansen next weekend.

Does anyone have any tips on where to find really sheer fabric to use for a fichu, or know what type of fabric to look for? All the really sheer fabrics I find tend to look very obviously synthetic. I don’t mind if it’s a not a period correct fabric as long as it looks like one.

The collar was my own addition, mainly inspired by this amazing painting by Vestier, one of my favourites. It also inspired the colouring, although her dress or jacket is a lot greener.