1795 Wrap-front Dress

A sheer wrap-front dress based on a 1795 painting by John Hoppner.

Inspiration & Resources

Construction Details

2010

If you look closely at the Hoppner portrait, it almost looks like its a cross-over front bodice. I wondered if this was a viable option for the period, and then I remembered a wrap front 1790s bodice I had saved in my imaged folder. Good enough for me!

Later, I saw a wrap-front chemise dress at the Dewitt Wallace Gallery in Colonial Williamsburg, giving me more evidence to support my decision.

   

 

I based the construction of the dress on the bodice and the dresses pages 73-74 and 81-82 of Costume in Detail. The back of the bodice is fitted with a gathered skirt attached and the front skirt is pinned under the front, like a round gown.


   

The dress is made from a sheer white striped cotton voile and the bodice is lined in cotton lawn. The skirt and sleeves are unlined and the waist is accentuated with a blue silk taffeta sash. The dress was sewn by machine and finished by hand.