Dress

This woman's silk dress was made in Britain between around 1795 and 1800. It is worn with a large white neck kerchief which covers the exposed bosom.

The dress is a one piece garment, unlike earlier 18th century dresses. The bodice has a linen lining which is pinned across the front whilst the dress bodice is fastened by drawstrings at the neck and waist. The sleeves are very tight and are set well back so that the bust is thrust forward. The skirt is attached to the bodice at the back only.

In the 1790s the style of women's dresses changed from the stiff bodice towards a very, soft loose style. The waist moved higher and higher until it sat right under the bust by 1795. It remained there for almost thirty years, sometimes moving nearer the natural waist, sometimes reverting to a high bust line.

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