Fitting &
ProperFitting &
Proper
By Sharon Ann Burnston
I have
been waiting
to see this book for almost a year. Thus it was with great anticipation that I
opened the package containing my copy. The wait was worth it, and my
anticipation was well-rewarded. Sharon Burnston has put together a careful study
of clothing and needlework in the Collection of the Chester County
(Pennsylvania) Historical Society and in the process provided the rest of us
with a valuable resource. Sharon's scholarship is consistently high and it is
evident that careful thought went into every aspect of this book.
The best way to
study clothing is to look at extant garments, and those garments are
even more valuable to the scholar when we know who owned and wore them
originally. Many of the items in this book have known provenances, which makes
them particularly interesting and valuable. Yet, while handling the extant
garment may be good for these of us who study clothing, it is not very good for
the garment. Even those in good shape are still 200 years old, and thus, good
shape may still mean somewhat fragile. So one person doing a careful study with
detailed photographs and measured drawings is kinder to the garments and still
allows many people to study the same piece of clothing.
Fitting and
Proper contains
detailed studies of 41 items and a very complete appendix surveying clothing in
Chester County estate inventories. I am sure that I will keep finding new
information every time I refer to this. Also detailed are the descriptions of
the garments and the cloth from which they are made. Thread counts, type of
fabric, conditions of the item and its provenance are provided. Along with
measured drawings on graphs, information is also included on how the item was
constructed. Number of stitches per inch, type of thread, size and type of seams
are all included, so that the reader could reproduce the garment, if she or he
desired. More importantly, the reader can use this information in conjunction
with studies of other garments to get an understanding of 18th century
construction techniques.
Because the
collection contains clothing for men, women and children, this book
is somewhat unique. Most books of this sort concentrate on only men, or women or
children. Another bonus to me is that needlework items are included, once again
with complete information on how they were made.
Fitting and
Proper has measured drawings of three 18th century
women's gowns. Two have edge-to-edge closures of the bodices and en foureau
backs. These two gowns are typical of day dresses, and in fact are similar to
one that I have just studied with a Northfield, Massachusetts, provenance.
Reproducing either one in linen or lightweight wool for use when reenacting
would be a good addition to any woman's wardrobe. The third gown is a silk,
saque-back that is said to have been worn to George Washington's inaugural ball
in 1789.
For less dressy occasions,
there are two short gowns, two petticoats and an apron. One of these shortgowns
has previously appeared in a measured diagram, but in a journal that is not
readily available to most people. The other is a nice example of a plain, easily
made garment with an easy fit. Either of these shortgowns would be easy to make.
Even thought the original owners are unknown they descended in a Quaker family
and are likely to have been owned by a member of this family. The petticoats
include a white linen underpetticoat and a beautifully executed quilted silk.
Either of these would be fun to reproduce and wear. The checked apron is a
typical apron without a pinner, the type that would be worn for everyday use.
The men's and
boy's breeches are wonderful examples. The men's breeches have a
narrow fall and belonged to a gentleman who lived from 1745 to 1832. He married
in 1774, and it is possible that these were his wedding breeches. The boy's
breeches have a fly front, which makes them particularly interesting because
there are few fly-front breeches in other books on clothing. Since children's
clothing was made like that of their parents, men's fly-front breeches could be
patterned from these. And for those of you with small boys, these would be a
good pattern to follow.
Unfortunately
for my interests, the man's coat and greatcoat date from the very end of the
18th century. However, they are good examples of their period and would be very
useful for people interested in the last years of the century. The man's shirt
is quite beautiful, made of very fine linen, with even finer ruffles. Other than
the collar, which makes this shirt date to the end of the 18th century, this is
a classic 18th century shirt.
I mentioned that
this book contains several items of needlework. These include some worked
pockets, two Irish stitch wallets, and a finished and unfinished pinball. These
would make great projects to work on at events. Also included is a pair of man's
white cotton stockings, with clocking worked into the ankle on both sides of the
stocking. These stockings are said to have been worn by Joseph Gest for his
wedding in 1765 and are typical of stockings worn by both men and women
throughout the 18th century.
This book
epitomizes the phrase "good things come in small packages."
It is not a thick tome but is certainly worth its weight in gold for the
information included. Printed on glossy paper, the diagrams are clear and
usable, and the photographs clear and detailed. If you are interested in 18th
century clothing, this book is a valuable addition to your library and will soon
be one of the first books you take off the shelf. As I said at the beginning, I
waited anxiously to see this book, and it was definitely worth the wait. I am
sure that you will feel the same way.
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