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This dress, from the mid 18th Century, is made in a style known as an ‘Open Robe and Petticoat’. It is made in two parts – an open-fronted robe, or gown, worn over a matching petticoat, or skirt. (In the 18th Century, the word ‘petticoat’ meant a skirt, rather than an undergarment.)

The open bodice would have been filled with a separate panel, or ‘stomacher’. This would be pinned or tied in place. The large skirt would have been worn over a hooped underskirt.

At the back of the robe is a pleated train, falling from the shoulders to the hem. This style is known as a ‘Sack-back’ or ‘Saque’. It was sometimes called ‘Robe a la Francaise’, or ‘French Robe’.

The dress is made from a figured, or patterned, silk fabric called damask. It is woven with a design of stylised leaves, flowers and exotic fruits. The bodice and sleeves are lined with linen.

We don’t know who made or owned the dress. It is one of two 18th century dresses found in an attic in the 1970s. Both dresses are very similar, suggesting they were worn by the same woman and made by the same dressmaker.

By exploring the dress, we can discover some interesting things!

Just below the waist, the side seams of the robe open up into slits 28cms long. 18th century dresses didn’t have pockets. These would be worn separately, sewn to a waistband and worn under the skirt.

The slits in our robe would enable the wearer to put her hands through to similar slits in her petticoat, to reach the pockets worn underneath.

Below the pocket slits are two small buttons, covered with silk thread. It seems an odd place to put buttons! However, on the inside of the robe – at the same place as the buttons on the outside are two cord loops. Together, the loops and the buttons were used to gather up the hem of the robe, showing the petticoat underneath.

The dress is made in the style of the 1750s, but the fabric is older. By looking closely, we can see that the dress has been altered.

There are horizontal seams running round the skirts of the robe, and the petticoat may have had a panel of fabric taken out.

We can guess why the dress was altered… it may have been done to fit the smaller hooped petticoats worn after the 1740s.

Silk was very expensive. Only the rich could afford to buy the latest designs. Perhaps the owner of this dress couldn’t afford new fabric, or maybe she liked the silk so much she decided to alter the dress instead of having a new one made.