1790s Jacket: Finished, Worn, Loved

That’s right, I actually managed to put off finishing my 1790s jacket until the very last possible day, and then completed it just in time, along with an all-purpose quilted petticoat for general skirt support.

The jacket wore extremely well. The armholes were somehow comfortable this time, and there were no major, or even really minor, problems in wearing the ensemble.

Well, the wig and hat, as usual, were and will always be problematic!

I have these ridiculously large red and white sunglasses that just seemed perfectly anachronistic, so I had to wear them for a bit. The shoes, on the other hand, not so great – need to get some proper 18th c. shoes!

The silver buttons were painted, and the paint did not stick so well to them. I may need to sand the wood a bit to get the paint to stick, and then seal them with gloss medium or crystal clear spray.

My first attempt at 18th c. makeup – all-over foundation, strong blush, understated eyeshadow, a slightly pink lip, and a beauty mark…that is actually a mole on my face, just “enhanced,” lol!

The corset was rather comfortable – the tabs at the waist did their job in keeping it from digging in, and every body part was up, in, and where it was supposed to be.

Now for the skirt supports:

The quilted petticoat was made with the idea that it could be a cross-era skirt support. I used a length of pre-quilted fabric I picked up at Hancock’s (the cheap stuff, that’s right!), and gathered it to a rectangular length of yellow broadcloth I had sitting around. This piece was then pleated into the waistband. The ruffle is six yards (double the circumference of the quilting) of red broadcloth, about 9″ deep, gathered and stitched to the mid-section. I chose red because Elizabethan and Tudor petticoats were commonly red, and I wanted to provide the illusion of this, for when I wear it under my 16th c. skirts.

The colors of the quilted petticoat showed through the off-white skirt I was wearing for the outer garment, so I layered on a partially corded batiste petticoat, which worked perfectly in evening out the color. All the skirts were worn over a half-moon shaped bum pad.

There will be more photos to follow, but these are what I have for now! I’m very proud of this ensemble – the fit, the cost, the wear, the look – and am very glad I went for it! Every project is an opportunity to learn better patterning, better construction techniques, better craftsmanship, and I welcome the challenge and enjoy every step of the way 🙂

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