18th century blog

While looking through the National Trust Collections I came across something interesting. This robe above, dated 1785 - 1795 from the Snowshill Wade Costume Collection stood out very much to me because I’ve never seen anything like it before.

The reason I was so surprised by it is because of the fabric. I’ve never before seen an extant garment made up in a toile de Jouy type fabric before, and thus I’ve always thought it was a fabric used strictly for decorating purposes. I wouldn’t have been so surprised if it was a pair of stays or a pocket that could have been made from scraps, but an entire robe definitely seems unusual to me. The print also seems very large and more suited for massive drapes or something rather than clothing.

Any thoughts on this dress and its unusual fabric? Have you seen any other garments made of toile de Jouy?