The base of your Georgian outfit is a cotton or linen shift/chemise, next comes the stays, then underpinnings (normally panniers, bum roll or rump), then under-petticoat, next the top petticoat (the skirt), and then you have a choice of caraco (short jacket), or a full length gown: robe a l’Anglaise, robe a la Française, robe a la Polonaise. Your outfit will be complete with a wig, cap and hat (normally a bergère or tricorn).
Fabric types
Linen – Working class
Silk – Middle and Upper class
Cotton (nearly always chintz) – Just Upper class, and remember it was technically illegal to sell cotton in the UK from 1721 to 1774
Wool/Worst – All classes
Fabric warehouses
Dalston mills silk taffeta
Puresilks
Sartor Bohemia
Linen
Replica Georgian cotton patterns – Dutch site
Example Dutch Heritage Fabric UK site
Fabric dying
AmoThreads
Kantha Decor – block prints
In person for reenactment silks and linens ARM, see the websites for dates of market in March and November
In person for reenactment linens TORM, see the websites for dates of market in March and November
In person local to Oxfordshire – Masons in Abingdon
Underneath everything you have a linen or cotton shift
Amazon example shift pattern
6 piece wardrobe including a shift
Then comes the stays (not a corset, this was for support and a little shaping, not like Victorian or modern corsets)
18th Century half-boned stays
Strapless 18th Century stays
1750 stays pattern
1760-1780s stays pattern
1770s stays pattern
1775-1789 stays pattern
1780s stays pattern
There are several options for boning for 18th century stays, the cheapest option would be to use cable ties, a more expensive and historically would be German synthetic whalebone
Link for German synthetic whalebone
YouTube link showing how to make these stays in a historical manner
To give your gown the desired shape you will need underpinnings
Then comes the petticoats, the top of which is normally visible.
These are very easy to make following the traditional method. The steps:
The Skirt is made up of two rectangles, one for the front half and one for the back half. Hem both rectangles of fabric (you don’t need to bother hemming the top), then sew the sides of the rectangles together to create the skirt (remember to leave about an 8-inch gap both sides, so you can reach inside to your pockets). Then gather the two tops together and fold a length of twill over the unhemmed top edge of both. Leave a long length of twill both sides of the gathered rectangle, as this twill will be used to tie both rectangles to you around the waist.
If you would like your clothing to be warming, use a wool lining or wool wadding for one of the under petticoats
And finally, your very top layer is a gown or jacket.
There are many different designs to choose from robe a l’Anglaise, robe a la Française, robe a la Polonaise etc, or a caraco (short jacket) or short gown (more working class)
Robe a l’Anglaise or English nightgown pattern 1
Robe à l’Anglaise or English nightgown pattern 2
Robe a l’Anglaise Routrousse 1770-1780
Robe a la Française or Pet-en-l’air pattern 1
Robe a la Française or Pet-en-l’air pattern 2
Robe a la Française or Pet-en-l’air pattern 3
1770s-1790s gown pattern
1775-1790 Italian gown pattern 1
1775-1790 Italian gown pattern 2
1780s gown pattern
MacCalls’ Georgian gown pattern
Simplicity’s Georgian gown pattern
Caraco pattern
Jackets and short gowns patterns
1775-1795 jacket patterns
1770s riding habit pattern
18th Century Mantle patterns
Accessories
Link to 18th century mitts, perfect for the first item to hand sew
With a follow-along YouTube video
Link for black ribbon for neck
To complete your Georgian look you will need a wig or hair piece
eBay site for good cheap Georgian wigs
White wig 1
White wig 3
White wig 4
White wig 5
White wig 6
Grey wig 1
Grey wig 2
Grey wig 4
Blonde wig 1
Blonde wig 2
Blonde wig 3
Blonde wig 4
Blonde wig 5
Light brown wig 7
Brown wig 2
Brown wig 5
Brown wig 6
Red wig 1
Red wig 2
Reg wig 3
Black wig 1
Black wig 2
Black wig 6
Georgettes of Oxford 