What decade are you and where do you want to be?

The 18^th century society I belong to, Gustafs Skål has a Facebook-page and recently there was a question of why you are a member. For me it’s about friendship, a large part of my friends can be found there, but it is also, quite naturally, about a love for history and the joy of making clothes. When I first joined I wanted to make historical clothes for myself and though I have always been partial to the 18^th century, the real reason that I have almost exclusively sewn 18^th century clothes for the past 11 years is because Gustafs Skål was there when I was looking for some kind of historical society that would allowed me to make costumes. It could very easily have been another époque as I’m partial to other times as well. You have probably not missed my love for the 17^th century and I have never really let go of my dream of having an outfit from, at least, each of the past 600 years, or so. But Gustafs Skål was easy to find, it was active and people there were friendly and welcoming, and as it is so much more fun to make clothes when you know when you will wear them, that has been the century I have drawn my inspiration from.

Marie Antoinette, Queen of France by Jean-Baptiste Gautier Dagoty, 1775

But has it, really? I find that I have been thinking of which period I choose to re-create and, indeed, what other people do around me, and I’m curious. If you would say, in broad terms, that you do Medieval, 16^th century or 18^th century or any other time, what periods, more exactly, do you make? I know there are some who are very versatile and do many different times, but many, probably the most, of us, keep ourselves to a much narrower time frame. When it comes to the 18^th century, I would say that the majority of costumes made can be found in the range 1770-1800. I know I do, most of the time and so do most of the people I know as well. But why? It is only a third of the century, after all.

Should we blame Marie Antoinette? In her court gown has it all. Big hair, big skirts, frills and lace. It is, for so many of us, the archetype of an 18^th century woman, blithely forgetting that big hair wasn’t fashionable for most of the 18^th century and the large panier had largely fallen out of fashion in the 1770’s except as very formal wear. If you opt for he last 30 years of the 18^th century you can take your pick from the simple to the grand and you still get to have poufy hair.

I love the early 18^th century. I think mantuas are a scream and small rococo-hair so elegant. And I love the large paniers hat looks so absurd. My first big 18^th century love was the 1740’s. So why do I do so little from that period? For several reasons, I think.

Budget, for example. Big paniers may not really demand more fabric than pocket hoops (depending on you construct your petticoat), but definitely more than petticoats worn with a cul. And the late 18^th century made cotton more and more popular, which for the modern wallet are much more affordable than silk. That goes for men’s clothes as well, early 18th century demand more fabric of boat coats and waistcoats.

Then there is peer pressure. That sounds a bit harsh, but we all draw inspiration from each other, online and face to face. Gustafs Skål has a (not strictly enforced) timeline of 1746-1792, the life of Gustaf III of Sweden. Still, most do the late 18^th century and if you meet people dressed in beautiful clothes you get inspired by them.

Study of a girl facing left by Carle van Loo

Simplicity. Small petticoats are easier to handle than big ones. Large paniers are a bit of a handful to navigate. Also, silly as it sounds, are big hair. Anyone who has tried to make it on yourself knows how hard they are to make and the toll they take on your arms. But you can wear a wig. A well-styled and well-cared for wig is something that you can more or less plop down on your head any you are set to go. True, you could have an equally style Rococo-wig but in all my years I have actually one seen one of those! And almost none that have taken the effort to style their own hair. If you do early 18^th century you almost always make a high bun with a cap. Which is period, but I would love to see someone in one of the more complicated styles that were around.

And, for me, there is vanity. The late 18^th century suits me. It suits my figure as it is curvier and no matter how much I bone my stays my body won’t conform to the ramrod straightness of the earlier decades. And fluffy hair looks better than strict.

I would like to venture out, though. I’m currently making yet another 1790’s gown and though I think it will be lovely and that it will be useful, it is still the fourth garment made after the same basic pattern that I have made these past years. It has become my go-to pattern, if you like. So I have deliberately been looking at the earlier decades of the 18^th century to see if there are any styles I ought to try out. Some day, when my to-do list are shorter, but still. One can always plan ahead.

 

A mantua, of course. Also, hair in the very early 18th century was quite fluffy.

 

Mantua, ca 1720

Mantua ca 1708

 

The Marchioness Angela Maria Lombardi, ca 1710

A riding habit. I have wanted one for 11 years and again, early 18th century and at semi-big hair.

 

18th century French school

Henrietta Cavendish Holles, Countess of Oxford by Godfrey Kneller,1714

A Robe Batante or Volante. Actually, that one has been in the pipeline for ages. I remember that every summer when I wish I could lounge around without stays on a hot 18th century event.

1720-35

Mrs. Elizabeth Symonds by Allan Ramsey, 1740

And even if the smallset 18th century hair doesn't suit me, there is the 1760's where hair is getting some volume and is, I think, very pretty.

Natalia Alexandrovna Repnina by Per Krafft, 1768-69

Lady Georgian Poyntz by Thomas Gainsborough, 1765

Maria Gunning, Countess of Coventry by Hugh Douglas Hamilton, probably 1760 as she dies that year.

Portrait of a lady by Francis Cotes, 1768

And what about you? My post focus on the 18^th century and upper class clothing, but I would love to hear what favourite decade you have and why. And what you would like t make that you somehow never get around doing