Make yourself some linens!
Hot on the heels of the flowing garments of the Middle Ages, the Renaissance ushered in the Golden Age of the tailor's art. Clothing took on impossible shapes and radical forms. But one element of dress harked back to its medieval antecedents: the shirt.
By the 1840s, the square-cut shirt of the previous centuries started to change in major ways. Pleated bib fronts or "bosoms" were inserted into the front of shirts. The reinforcing shoulder strip from previous centuries expanded into a full shoulder yoke. The armscye began to be cut with a curve and the sleeve head was reshaped to match.
Use our pattern, based on extant examples and period tailor's manuals, for 1840s-1850s men's pleated bib shirts!
Fits chests up to 60". 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: 3-5oz linen or cotton, white or natural or half-bleached; Fine cotton batiste for bib, collar, and cuffs
Notions: 40/2 linen thread or equivalent
Yardage Requirements: 3 yards 60” wide