Dress

This satin and silk checked dress dates from the mid 1840s. The checks are created with blue and black alternating satin and matt silk, with brown satin overstripes.

The gathering of the bodice fullness to the front is controlled at the waist by deep bands of gathers. The skirt is cartridge-pleated - a particular way of gathering and stitching which makes the material stand away from the body. The sleeves are tight at the armhole, but start to widen at the wrist, where small false sleeve-ends, known as 'engageantes', of white muslin are sewn.

By 1840 fancy checks and stripes were popular and they were exploited in the cut of the bodice so that their lines emphasised a narrow waist. As the fullness of skirts became greater in the 1830s, the widths used increased and the total amount of fabric needed crept up, making clothes more expensive. To hold the skirts out, several petticoats were needed, making dresses quite heavy.

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