This is not a learned put together page - only a scrap book of notes and images about shawl dresses. all images are on pinterest or on the blogs listed, most can be traced back to museum or auction sites for full details.. This is not exhaustive - there are plenty more out there.
see - http://historicalclothinganduniforms.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/not-only-shawlshawl-dresses-and-dresses.html Natalie Garbutt - refs to Josephine etc
Trend in late Georgian/regency to use large shawls to construct dresses. Some cut and assembled as usual making use of the decorative borders for hem and edge details, others leaving the fabric as untouched as possible, clasps on shoulders and then draped as Greek chiton or tunic. Favoured style of Empress Josephine. See quote in N Garbutt's blog- link above.
Shawls originally imported from India - some listed as Kashmiri/Cashmiri. Fabrics varied - wool, silk, cotton. either deep patterned border or all over design. - cheap/effective way of getting large piece of decorative fabric. Home sewn to pattern books/plates or given to dressmaker to make up? Some very couture others more basic.
?n - any home woven textile made specifically for this, mimicking the import design. Some dresses with deep woven borders - re-used shawls or dress lengths made to look like them?
See fransewing - Gwen's scarf dress - evening dress -
http://fransewing.blogspot.co.uk/2014_03_01_archive.html
see - http://historicalclothinganduniforms.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/not-only-shawlshawl-dresses-and-dresses.html Natalie Garbutt - refs to Josephine etc
Trend in late Georgian/regency to use large shawls to construct dresses. Some cut and assembled as usual making use of the decorative borders for hem and edge details, others leaving the fabric as untouched as possible, clasps on shoulders and then draped as Greek chiton or tunic. Favoured style of Empress Josephine. See quote in N Garbutt's blog- link above.
Shawls originally imported from India - some listed as Kashmiri/Cashmiri. Fabrics varied - wool, silk, cotton. either deep patterned border or all over design. - cheap/effective way of getting large piece of decorative fabric. Home sewn to pattern books/plates or given to dressmaker to make up? Some very couture others more basic.
?n - any home woven textile made specifically for this, mimicking the import design. Some dresses with deep woven borders - re-used shawls or dress lengths made to look like them?
See fransewing - Gwen's scarf dress - evening dress -
http://fransewing.blogspot.co.uk/2014_03_01_archive.html
Upto date version of same idea amongst the costume makers seems to be using saris - ebay or thrift shops.- 5 to 6m of fabric - does require some ingenuity when laying out but very do-able, ideal for ball gowns.
Costume in Detail, Nancy Bradbury. p 103 - description of blue eve dress. National Trust, Snowshill Wade collection
   |
| Child's dress. 1810-20 Manchester Art Gallery. Made from a bandanna handkerchief, probably printed in Britain (Manchester or Glasgow) with a design imitating a Bengal Choppa Bandanna handerkerchief. Cotton, discharge printed with white circles and small diamond-shaped spots on a blue ground. Borders of leaves and flowers in white on blue. Wide square neck; bodice front in one section, printed border along upper edge, slightly gathered to narrow waistband each side of centre. Narrow shoulder sections cut from printed border. Back with border along top and centre. Edges in one section each side of CB opening. Drawstring neck and waist. Short sleeves in one section, narrow sleeve band cut from border; CF of skirt in one flared section, border at lower edge, rest of skirt in one straight section, border at lower edge, and at side front edges, overlapping CF section, back of skirt gathered to waistband. |
 |
Cashmere shawls were prized imports from India during the late 18th century. British manufacturers soon began making shawls in similar styles. Not only were they worn with the newly fashionable neo-classical gowns, the shawls were also made into gowns. In this example of the late 1790s, the shawl was cut in half and then sewn together to form the front and back of the gown. Sleeves of cream satin and a collar and over-sleeves of green silk fabric were then added. The waistline is very high, sitting just below the bust line V&A c 1797 |
 |
| shawl cape |
 |
| Empress Josephine. |
 |
| Robert Lefèvre's Portrait of Elisabeth Demidova |
