Black Wrist Ribbons

We've all seen the ubiquitous black silk ribbon around the necks of women and girls in portraits. But what of these wide black ribbons worn around both wrists? Who wore them, under what circumstances were they worn, and most importantly, how did they fasten?!

                                  Mrs. Abingdon, by Sir Joshua Reynolds. 1771

                                           
                                Mrs. Stanhope, by Sir Joshua Reynolds. 1774

Mrs. Clark Grayton, by John Singleton Copley, 1779

Interesting Tidbits

Marie-Antoinette's Last Possessions

'A few linen chemises, and corsets in fine toile, as well as some "linge a blanchir," two pairs of black silk stockings, a lawn headdress, some black crepe, some batiste handkerchiefs, garters and two pairs of cotton pockets. She also left a box of powder, a "big fine sponge" and a little box of pomade--the single last remnants of a toilette that in all its pomp had once occupied the whole of Versailles."
        Taken from Antonia Frasier's Marie-Antoinette: The Journey.

A Trousseau prepared for Marie-Therese


'The two trunks included: four dozen blouses, two dozen toile handkerchiefs, two dozen batiste handkerchiefs, three muslin toile and embroidered peignoirs, three muslin and toile and batiste embroidered peignoirs, two dozen napkins de toilette, six dozen wardrobe napkins, six cotton twill skirts, six English dimity muslin embroidered underskirts, twelve pairs of embroidered pockets, eighteen balls of wool for washing, twelve lace evening caps, twelve hair bands, twelve linen bonnets embroidered with lace, six linen handkerchiefs embroidered with lace, twelve double linen fichus, one linen needlepoint-embroidered lap cover, one English-style lap cover, two decorated lap covers made of linen, four dozen lace neckerchiefs, four dozen frottoirs muslin and cotton twill, two ajustements, one organdy dress with embroidery, one linen dress embroidered in white, four pieces of embroidered muslin, two pieces of linen batiste, two pieces of cotton percale for morning dresses, one piece of English dimity for two dresses, one pink velour dress, one white satin dress with taffeta, one dress of satin moire, two white taffeta skirts, one pink taffeta skirt, one piece of muslin for undergarments (camisoles), one piece of embroidered muslin to decorate the camisoles, English dimity for six corsets, twelve pairs of white silk stockings, two dozen pairs of lisle stockings, two dozen pairs of tricot slippers, twelve lengths of ribbon, one taffeta quilted redingote, one muff and a hat.
"Marie-Therese declared that she would not except the gift from the Directory and asked Bacher to find a seamstress in Basel who could maker her some simple clothing."
       Taken from Susan Nagle's Marie-Therese: The Fate of Marie-Antoinette's Daughter.

Mitts

English, 1st quarter

A number of gorgeous extant mitts in cotton, linen, silk, and kidskin.

English, 1760-1780. Silk taffeta, ribbed tabby weave.

1730

1700-1715

1700-1715

1750-1770

British, 1770

Cotton Mitts

European

Muslin, 1790-1800

English, 1790-1800

Brown leather mitts

Silk Satin

Myth Busted!

      You know what really grinds my gears, when people think 18th century women wore corsets and had their lower two ribs removed in an effort to achieve a tiny waist. First of all, stays and corsets are completely different pieces of clothing. A corset is a 19th century garment used to shape the female torso by cinching in the waist. A pair of stays is an 18th century garment used to shape the female torso by flattening the front and lifting the breasts up, while providing support to the lower back. Fainting couches did not come around until the 19th century. Have you ever slipped on ice and fractured a rib? The break causes each breath to result in extreme agony. Even a bruised rib can restrict movement significantly.
       Let us think about rib excision logically. Consider for a moment what could be called the three magic A's of modern medicine: Antiseptics, Anesthesia, and Antibiotics. Doctors in the 18th century still relied heavily on plants as treatments and believed the body had four humors that had to remain in balance. Protecting agains unseen organisms didn't cross anyone's mind.Imagine going into a surgery where the doctor didn't wash his hands, didn't have clean implements to use to cut you open--didn't even clean the site where the wound was to be made. You're infected with that first cut. The idea didn't occur to anyone until 1861 when Louis Pasteur started boiling water and doing experiments.
       Now let's look at anesthesia. Local anesthetics were used in ancient Peru when Shamans used chewed up coca leaves, but of course no one listened to them because they weren't Christians. It wasn't until 1884 that cocaine was effectively used as a local. Other wise, there was no way to subdue the patient. Chloroform wasn't used until 1831, and ether wasn't used until 1846, and even then these chemicals could kill you if used in too high a dosage for the patient's body weight, which it often did.
       And we all know that Antibiotics were not invented until 1928 when Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin.  Therefore, in an age without antiseptics, anesthesia, or antibiotics it seems highly unlikely that women underwent elective cosmetic procedures.

Quilted Petticoats

Just a few beautiful examples...

A Print!

1770-1780, Colonial

French, 1785

English, 1730

Italian, 1725-50

French, 1760