What could this item of clothing be?

[Sandy H]

Greetings Everyone! 

New to rootschat.  Photos may be a bit large. Photo of wide neckline.

Regards,

Sandy H

[Danchaslyn]

 

Hi Sandy H

Great pics, thank you................could your tape measure be an heirloom, to?  (Sorry!)   

 

Even more so think the garment is for taking a bath in, and that the date could be the date it was handmade?   

Cheers

Danchaslyn

 

[PrueM]

Hi Sandy!
Glad the picture instructions helped and good to see the lovely garment in all its glory! 

I agree that the initials and date are when it was made, and the initials are who made it/who owned it; this may have also helped if garments were sent out to launder (built in ID).

I think it is probably an undergarment of some kind, most likely a shift, although most of the ones I've looked at (online) have either a gathered or drawstring neckline.  Otherwise they are identical to this one.  I'm not an expert on Regency clothing or social mores so I don't know whether ladies wore modesty garments while bathing - if they did, though, would these not be more closed at the neckline?  I imagine if a muslin shift like this got wet, with such a huge neckline it would droop down to the nether regions!! 

Prue

[Viktoria]

Hi Sandy, It is a chemise and would be worn under the corsets to protect the skin from the stiff corset and keep the corset clean . The neckline was low so  it would not be seen under a low necked dress.Why they were so wide I am not sure, they could be worn over the crinoline cage if they were wide but it would have been more comfy to wear them under . I have several inherited from an old lady I knew but they are well before her time ,she would have been born about the 1890`s and they are definitely adult garments. Exquisite stitching, all by hand . Made from soft smooth cotton . What a lovely thing to have from your family. The marks could be initials and a date or a laundry code mark. Viktoria

[Sandy H]

Hello Everyone!

So many good ideas! Prue & Viktoria, I also like your idea that it is a chemise. That is what I originally thought it was. I was just baffled at the size of it, especially the huge neckline. It seems like it would have been uncomfortable to wear..always falling off at the shoulders!

I agree with everyone that the initials and date indicate who made it and wore it. I hadn't thought about laundry being sent out, but that also makes sense.

Now, the only problem I have is figuring out who S.K. is. I'm sure the "K" is for Kindred because it came from my Kindred family. I have quite a bit of info for this family line, but there are no females with a first name starting with "S" during that time period. The most likely female for the time is named Lucy Kindred, her mother-in-law was named Mary, and Lucy's daughter-in-law, Susan Winter Kindred, wasn't born until 1817. Susan is the only "S" I have. Lucy had several daughters, but none with an "S" name. Mary was born abt 1755 & died in 1801. I don't have a family group for her. Maybe it belonged to one of her daughters.

This problem (date & initials) is one of the reasons I posted on rootschat. I thought maybe there might be a custom or something relating to pregnancy, in which a lady would stitch on the date.

I am new to rootschat and I love it! What fun! You have all helped so much with my Kindred family. Thank you!

Regards 

Sandy H

[Danchaslyn]

 

Hi Sandy H

I read viktoria's posting with interest, as also PrueM's and I'm also so glad that you are as happy with RootsChat as I am.........what a great site.   

Good luck with finding out all you wish to know about your Kindreds.     

Please don't take the embroidered date to literally, it's quite possible that it could be Susan's and may have been commerating the pregnancy onwards.

I'm still not entirely happy with the idea that its a chemise.  All the ones I have seen have drawstrings and/or button up fronts and casings for the drawstrings.  Also, you say that your garment is linen?  Is the weave fairly coarse?   

Cheers

Danchaslyn

 

[Sandy H]

Hi Dan 

The garment is linen. To me the weave is the quality of linen napkins. The weave seems tight. There are a few nubs on it, but that could be wear and tear, since it is almost 200 years old.

The stitching is exceedingly fine, but it is not a fancy garment. No lace or anything. The ruffles on the sleeve are pretty simple. Do you think a chemise would be a little fancier and have lace & ribbons maybe?

The garment is in perfect condition, no wear, tear, frays, or rips. I think that is blood on the front below the initials. (possible DNA!)....just kidding...I think they would have to snip that portion out and I wouldn't dare! 

I have given some thought to possibly hand-washing it, but since it is old and so stained, I don't really know if cleaning would much improve it.

Cheers

Sandy H 

[Hazel17]

Have you thought about getting in touch with a museum of costume for advice? They might be able to help tell you what it was used for and tell you how to clean it. There is one in Manchester, currently closed for renovation, one in Bath and the V&A in London cover clothing as well I think. If you google them they should all come up and have contact details on them somehwere.

[PrueM]

...or contact a textiles conservator:  http://www.conservationregister.com/find-a-conservator.asp?id=2

Don't attempt to wash it until you get professional advice.  Most of the products we use today (laundry whiteners, bleaches etc) may work to brighten the fabric, but may actually cause it to deteriorate faster in the future.