Late 17th Century Smock/Shift

[atherleisure]

My late 17th century smock or shift (I'm not sure when the terminology shifted - pun intended!) is finished. It's all hand-sewn and somewhat speculative since I couldn't really find any extant examples in my searches. Perhaps I didn't search long enough, but I don't care at this point because it's done!

It's hand-sewn from a lightweight linen-cotton blend and is sort of a cross between a Portuguese smock in Patterns of Fashion 4 and the 1750's smock pattern on Sharon Burnston's shift research pages with a big ruffle added to the neckline.

I might get good pictures of it on me once I finish the stays, but it just looked ridiculous when I tried it on. I may end up cutting down the neck ruffle a bit if garments over it don't squash it down a bit.

The neckline is big enough for me to wear it off the shoulder for c. 1660's dresses...





...or on the shoulder for c. 1690's dresses.



The sleeves are very full and should give the right look with either type of sleeves.





Since the initials on the 1752 smock on the shift page were my initials, I copied them on my shift. My weave is a little different from the original so my initials ended up a little taller relative to their length, but they make me happy...except that I accidentally did them at the center back rather than the center front. Oops. It was hard enough to see to do that I was not going to pick it back out!



All the seams are flat-felled, all the hems rolled, and all the gathers attached as stroke gathers.





It was satisfying, but I'm glad I'm finished with it and onto the stays.

Speaking of stays, they progress.

Comments

[mala-14.livejournal.com]

It's so pretty and neat. The initials are really cute. The stays are looking great. That's a gorgeous colour for the outer fabric.

[atherleisure.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I had been thinking of the brocade as more orange than yellow until I started sewing it on and realized that my yellow thread wasn't too far off the color of the brocade.

[mala-14.livejournal.com]

I always think of that shade as honey. It's so rich and warm.

[atherleisure.livejournal.com]

That's a good description for it.