#Robe a la Francaise

[jeannepompadour]

Robe à la française c. 1760

[fripperiesandfobs]

Robe à la française ca. 1750-60

From Cora Ginsburg

[fashionsfromhistory]

Robe à la française

1750s; Altered 1780s & Late 19th Century

France & England

The ensemble was probably made as a sack and petticoat in the 1750s. In the 1780s, the sack was updated in style. A waist seam was probably added, the skirts reconfigured, and sleeve ruffles removed. The half-stomachers were added at this time and the bodice fronts relined. The back lacing was reconfigured and more eyelets worked.

The ensemble was altered for fancy dress in the late 19th century. Hooks and eyes were added to the bodice stomacher fronts and machine-lace ruffles to the sleeves. The petticoat may have been unpicked at this point.

The petticoat was gathered onto a cotton band after acquisition for Museum display. (V&A)

Victoria & Albert Museum (Accession Number: CIRC.157-1920)

[jeweled-blue-eyes]

Teal Silk Brocade Mid-eighteenth Century Robe a la Francaise (Robe du Cour). Whitaker Auction Fall 2016.

[jewellery-box]

Robe à la française, 1750s.

Woven pink silk incorporating silver metal thread and silver metal strip.

Fashion Museum Bath Twitter

[frostedmagnolias]

robe à la française

c. early 1770s to early 1780s

brocaded silk trimmed with silk braid

The John Bright Collection

[threadtalk]

Blue gowns in this period (1765-1770) are rare, but this one just blows my mind because of the pattern matching situation going on.

Do you ever wonder why you don't see lots of dresses in the same patterns? That's because bolts of cloth were often made to order, or in such small batches that there would only be enough for one or two dresses--especially when there was this much fabric involved. Matching patterns with this much precision took incredible skill, and not a lot of room for mistakes.

According to the museum, this dress in in three parts: the petticoat, stomacher, and open robe. And they are "largely unaltered"--which is another rarity. Materials of this quality were often so sought after that the were re-cut and sewn decades, and sometimes, centuries after. Or, refitted to new wearers.

Image Credit: © Historic Deerfield, Photo by Penny Leveritt

[costumeloverz71]

Robe à la Française, c.1770

[a-little-house]

[iridessence]

a snap from the fête. // IG

[beckpoppinscosplay]

Princess Peach by way of promotional image for a 1950s opera performance.

photo by andrew bastion photography

[fripperiesandfobs]

Robe à la française ca. 1765-75

From the Museum of Vancouver

[fashionsfromhistory]

Robe a la francaise

c.1770

Fashion Museum Bath via Twitter

[historical-beauty-lily]

Dangerous Liaisons (1988) dir. Stephen Frears

[jewellery-box]

French or English dress, c. 1760, silk damask with silk supplementary weft. Emma Harter Sweester Fund. 81.290ab, Indianapolis Museum of Art via the Dreamstress

[shewhoworshipscarlin]

Robe a la francaise, 1770.