Do the Empire in style!
The story goes that the Second Earl of Spencer was sleeping next to a fire. Hot coals rolled out and onto the tails of his coat. So he had the tails of his coat cut off and thus invented the Spencer jacket. The fashion soon ran to cut the tails off their jackets. This may be the origin of women's Spencer jackets.
In the 1820s, the ladies' Spencer jacket returned to its roots as a man's jacket. The Spencer became more tailored with interlinings and interior structure added. The decoration also returned to the military with double-breasted varieties sporting rows of buttons set in martial fashion. Braid adorned Spencer jackets, and in an unusual throwback to the Renaissance, sleeve tops sported elaborately sculpted poufs.
Our easy-to-use pattern, based on extant and pictorial examples, helps you make your own front closing lady's Spencer jacket circa 1820, with long sleeves, center front closure, and rounded collar.
Fits busts 30"- 50". All sizes in one envelope.
Also included are assembly instructions, embellishment suggestions, and the extensive historical notes you've come to expect from Reconstructing History.
Suggested Fabrics: silk taffeta, fine cotton (heavy cotton or linen for underbody)
Notions: thread, ties, decoration to taste
Yardage Requirements: 3 yards at least 54” wide