What to wear with a cotton dress Part I

The question often appears as to what accessories are appropriate to wear with a cotton, calico dress. While sun-bonnets, aprons, collars and cuffs are obvious for working wear, what how might a woman accessorize a calico dress for more formal occasions such as applying for work, attending church, etc.?

In this post I will share an example of just that from the short story Mrs. West's Experience written by Alice B. Neal and published in Godey's Lady's Book Volumes 46-47 (1853) pages 430-436.

The story begins with two well-to-do young women, Mary Powell and Virginia, languishing in boredom and begging a story from Virginia's cousin Mrs. Augusta West. After some teasing, Mrs. West begins her tale. She was just 17 when the story takes place, and vacationing at a friend's home in New York City, when they, also struck by boredom (and quite unsupervised,) decided to have some fun.

After hearing a story of similar shenanigans, the girls decided it would be quite funny if Augusta dressed as a servant  and applied at a place of service. She borrows a chambermaid's "calico dress" but does not know how exactly to accessorize it. Her "nicely stitched," "fine linen collars and a pair of cuffs" feel too "genteel" so instead she wears a "silk cravat", a "split straw bonnet," "cotton gloves," her "thickest cotton hose" and "some buskins."

She goes on to interview for several positions, and even works for a week in one home, before an accusation of theft brings the charade to an end, (although not before she meets her future husband.)

 So back to our point: what does one wear with a cotton, calico dress?

A silk cravat
A straw bonnet
Cotton gloves
Cotton stockings
Front lacing boots (buskins)

But not fine linen, embroidered collars or cuffs

Images of accessorized working class ladies (not necessarily in cotton dresses)

The woman on the right is wearing a cravat
CDV of British servants c. 1860 via Threaded Through Time

Woman on the right is wearing a cravat
Maids of All Work by John Finnie (1865)

A straw bonnet is on the table next to the hat
A Sewing Lesson by the Fireside by George Smith (1867)

Woman wearing front lacing boots and white stockings
Engraving/CDV from unknown source, via eBay

A survey of Mid-19th Century Corded Bonnets

Corded bonnets were one of the few items of dress that didn't drastically change throughout the 19th century. While curtains did shorten as the decades progressed, the general style was frequently utilized whenever sun protection was required.

A brief aside before we begin. I have done my best to determine certain aspects of color, construction etc. from the photos provided by each source, but there is a limited amount you can glean without examining something in person. If I was particularly uncertain about a specific piece of information I placed a (?) beside it. If there is anything in the post that you think I stated incorrectly, please let me know and I will take you opinion into consideration.

If you are aware of any other examples of mid-19th century corded bonnets online, or have an original you wish to share, I would love to add it to this list. Thank you!

Retrieved from: The MET

Dated: mid-19th century

Fabric content: cotton

Color: white

Pattern: plain

Brim corner: square

Curtain corner: square

Cording: three rows of vertical 4x cording, plus one row 4x on horizontal edge

Brim Attachment: plainly gathered

Crown Attachment: plainly gathered

Retrieved from: Augusta Auctions

Dated: mid-19th century

Fabric content: linen

Color: blue, white

Pattern: gingham

Brim corner: curved

Curtain corner: square

Cording: four rows of 5x cording on the brim, first row extends along horizontal edged. Three rows of 5x cording on the crown. Piping where crown attaches to brim.

Curtain Attachment: gathered on cord, overlapping two rows of cording on brim edge

Crown Attachment: plainly gathered
Details: Self fabric ties at front, 9" curtain, hand sewn

Retrieved from: photobucket, Glenna Jo Christen, sold on eBay(?)

Dated: not dated

Fabric content: not specified

Color: white

Pattern: check

Brim corner: curved

Curtain corner: square

Cording: two rows of 3x cording,  two rows of 2x cording. The first row extends along  the horizontal edge. Piping where crown attaches to brim. 

Curtain Attachment: gathered on cord

Crown Attachment: plainly gathered

Retrieved from: The MET

Dated: ca. 1840

Fabric content: cotton

Color: discolored white or natural

Pattern: plain

Brim corner: curved

Curtain corner: square

Cording: one row of vertical 4x cording that extends along  the horizontal edge. Two rows of vertical 2x cording. Two rows of horizontal 3x cording between the last row of vertical cording and where the crown attaches. Piping where the crown attaches to brim.

Curtain Attachment: plainly gathered, overlapping one cording channel.

Crown Attachment: plainly gathered
Details: self fabric ties at front.

Retrieved from: aawt.com (page not longer available)

Dated: ca. 1840

Fabric content: cotton

Color: blue, white

Pattern: check

Brim corner: straight into curtain

Curtain corner: square

Cording: two rows of vertical 3x cording (?)

Curtain Attachment: gathered on exposed fold

Crown Attachment: attached flat
Details: self fabric ties at front.

Retrieved from: Augusta Auctions

Dated: mid-late 19th century

Fabric content: cotton

Color: white

Pattern: plain

Brim corner: straight into curtain

Curtain corner: curved

Cording: one row of vertical x6 cording and seven rows of x3

Curtain Attachment: attached flat to brim, drawstring in casing where curtain attaches to crown

Crown Attachment: plainly gathered
Details: Self fabric ties at front, 6.5" curtain, machine sewn

Retrieved from: The MET

Dated: ca. 1840

Fabric content: cotton

Color: red, yellow, white, black

Pattern: plaid

Brim corner: straight into curtain

Curtain corner: square

Cording: one row of vertical x11 cording and one row of x3. Piping where crown attaches to brim.

Curtain Attachment: plainly gathered, interior allowance bound with self-fabric

Crown Attachment: plainly gathered
Details: self fabric ties at front.

Retrieved from: Old Sacramento Living History Program

Dated: ca. 1860

Fabric content: not specified

Color: yellow and brown (?)

Pattern: floral or geometric (?)

Brim corner: square

Curtain corner: square

Cording: corded or quilted in vertical lines across entire brim. One horizontal row at brim edge.

Curtain Attachment: attached to brim by gathering on cord (?), drawstring in casing where curtain attaches to crown 

Crown Attachment: plainly gathered
Details: bonnet for a child

Retrieved from: Whitaker Auctions

Dated: ca. 1835-1850

Fabric content: linen

Color: white

Pattern: plain

Brim corner: curved

Curtain corner: square

Cording: one row of vertical 5x cording that extends along horizontal edge. One row of vertical 2x cording that extends parallel to horizontal edge. Two rows of vertical 4x cording, one row of 3x, and one row of 2x. Three (?) rows of vertical 4x cording in crown.

Curtain Attachment: gathered on cord (?)

Crown Attachment: plainly gathered
Details: self-fabric ties at front

Retrieved from: Archive of Webshot, owned by Robin Schwartz, documented by Duchess Martin

Dated: civil war era

Fabric content: cotton

Color: white

Pattern: window-pain check

Brim corner: square

Curtain corner: square

Cording: one row of vertical 20x cording, one of 10x, two of 3x cording, one row of 3x, and one row of 2x. 

Curtain Attachment: attached to brim by gathering on cord, drawstring in casing where curtain attaches to crown 

Crown Attachment: plainly gathered
Details: self-fabric ties at front (1") and back (1.5"), curtain 11.5 inches long, 0.75" hem.

Retrieved from: Godey's Lady Book, image/instructions,  pattern

Dated: 1857

Brim corner: curved

Curtain corner: curved

Cording: per instruction some number of vertical 3x or 4x cording, per image three rows of 3x cording.

Curtain Attachment: not specified, in image it appears to be very lightly gathered or attached flat

Crown Attachment: "filled" or fulled at brim edge (slightly gathered to give 3D shape), gathered "a little" at neck edge with seam allowance bound
Details: Per the instructions there are self fabric ties at the back and ties made of "small tape" at the front. The image seems to show the same material for both. The accompanying image also shows what appears to be a pinked, self-fabric ruffle along front brim edge.

Retrieved from: luminous-lint.com

Dated: 1857

Fabric content: unable to determine

Color: white (?)

Pattern: plain (?)

Brim corner: curved

Curtain corner: square

Cording: not able to determine

Curtain Attachment: not able to determine

Crown Attachment: not able to determine
Details: curtain about shoulder length. Photo of "Jenny," taken by Henry Peach Robinson in 1857

Retrieved from: pinterest, unknown source

Dated:  ca 1850

Fabric content: unable to determine

Color: white (?)

Pattern: plain (?)

Brim corner: curved

Curtain corner: curved

Cording: row of  vertical 4(?)x cording that extends along the horizontal edge. At least one more row of multiple cording.

Curtain Attachment: plainly gathered(?)

Crown Attachment: plainly gathered(?)
Details: curtain about upper-arm length

Summary of Applicable Bonnets

Fabric content: cotton (6/8, 75%), linen (2/8, 25%). Likely linen was used along side cotton in 30s-50s, with cotton becoming ubiquitous by the 60s.

Color: white (8/12, 67%), blue, green, red, etc. (4/12, 33%)

Pattern: plain (6/12, 50%), check/plaid/gingham (5/12, 42%), other print (1/12, 8%)

Brim corner: curved (7/13, 54%), straight (4/13, 31%), square (2/13, 15%) 

Curtain corner: square (10/13, 77%), curved (3/13, 23%)

Total number of rows of vertical cording in brim: four (3/10, 30%), three (3/10, 30%), two (2/10, 20%), six (1/10, 10%), eight (1/10, 10%)

Amount of cords in each row: ranges between 2-20, most common seems to be 2-6, with more per row near the brim front

Cording along horizontal brim edge: yes (7/12, 58%), no (5/12, 42%)

Curtain attachment: plainly gathered (3/10, 30%), gathered on cord (3/10, 30%), drawstring at back (3/10, 30%), gathered on exposed fold (1/10, 10%)

Crown attachment: all appear to be plainly gathered

Details: all visible ties are made from self-fabric. Measured curtains range from 6.5-11.5", shoulder to upper arm length.

A Closer Look: "The Old Sewing Machine" (1863)

Today we will be taking a closer look at a steel engraving published in  Godey's January 1863 titled “The Old Sewing Machine” available on archive.org. I was once told that engravings like this one were the Polaroids of the 19th century, showing the everyday moments that weren't captured in photographs. I can't say whether this is true, or if these images are as romanticized as the often staged portraits of the poor and working class, but it does give us one more source for exploring day-to-day life.

In  this image a young woman is sewing what appears to be a men's shirt by candlelight.  Her poverty is immediately evident, as the setting is anything but opulent. The rough lumber of the sloping ceiling and chipping plaster on the walls demonstrate that this is not a room made for comfort, and she is dressed in a very plain fashion. Most likely, she is a servant, tucked away in an attic bedroom.

She sits on a small wooden stool in front of her bed: a folding, tressel. Described in An Encyclopedia of Domestic Economy (1855) as "one of the cheapest made [bedsteads]... [it] has the great convenience of being easily put aside... consisting merely of two frames connected by the sacking... there is no better bedstead for men servants or young people... they may be had complete for less than £1." Available on archive.org. On the bed is a mattress covered with a striped tick, and likely stuffed with a cheaper filling such as straw.

On the mattress sits a wide, shallow basket overflowing with fabric and two spools of white thread. Further back a candlestick with large, round base, finger loop handle and thumb tab sits on what appears to be an un-decorated bandbox with looped handles. On the floor are a simple, unmatched pitcher and basin.

The woman in questions wears a plain, solid colored dress, presumably of a hard wearing material like wool. There are several patches visible on the skirt. From beneath her sleeves poke white cuffs, and around her neck hangs a checked kerchief. Further back, hanging on the wall are what appear to be a slatted sunbonnet and a cloak or shawl. Her hair is pulled back in a low bun with the sides swooping over her ears.  She squints at her sewing in the low light, while hanging her head in apparent exhaustion.

In March of the same year, in the section "Godey's Arm-Chair" the writer states ""The New Sewing-Machine" is also published in the number, a companion plate to the "Old Sewing-Machine" in January number. Our subscribers may make the comparison. The old sewing-machine we rather prefer in some respects, but the new one is cheap at the price."
Both plates appear to be signed "Lauderbach," and were possibly made by James W. Lauderbach of Philadelphia.

Natural Dyes in the Mid-19th Century

Natural dyes generally come in two forms, organic dyes and mineral pigments. Organic dyes, with the exception of indigo, would not readily stick to cotton fabric without the helps of mordants for organic dyes (mineral salts such as copper, aluminum, tin and iron) and protein-binding for mineral dyes (using albumin from eggs for gluten from wheat) These mordants helped the dyes last through washing and reduced fading in light, and also functioned as a way of tinting the material to slightly different hues. None the less, cotton remained the fabric most prone to fading, which is why wool and silk are found more often in solid colors, while cotton was limited to patterns that could hide any irregularities in color.

I would highly suggest browsing the blog Civil War Quilts, which has several posts showing examples of each dye in antique and reproduction fabrics. I have linked her posts under each dye that she has covered.

Mineral Dyes

Prussian Blue

Civil War Quilts blog post on Prussian blue

"Prussian blue was very popular in America in the 1850s, and was first used in the United States in the early 1830s. Prussian blue was commonly used in ombre prints, prints which featured a gradation from light to dark."-quiltindex.org

IndiaMART

Manganese Bronze

"Manganese dyes were responsible for a deep, rich brown and was often used in floral patterns. Manganese dyes have been used in quilts since prior to 1820, however, they were often fugitive. Manganese dyes are often responsible for serious damage to the cloth and other adjacent dyes." -quiltindex.org

Kremer Pigmints

Chrome Yellow

Civil War Quilts blog post on chrome yellow

Chrome yellow is composed of lead(II) chromate (PbCrO4).

"[Chrome] yellows were popular in the period from about 1860 to 1880 and were produced, often in the home, from highly toxic chemical dye powders. Chrome yellows are brighter than butterscotch, another popular yellow from the same period." -quiltindex.org

Swatch glued in a 19th-century dye book

 showing chrome or canary yellow.

Chrome Orange or Cheddar

Civil War Quilts blog post on chrome orange.

"Chrome orange is a range of orange pigments, which consists of lead(II) chromate and lead(II) oxide." -wikipedia

Sampler block, 1840-1860 with chrome orange border

Best Guesses

Manganese Brown

 Le Bon Ton, April 1859. LAPL Visual Collections.

 Magasin des Demoiselles, January 1859. LAPL Visual Collections. 

Chrome Yellow

Le Moniteur de la Mode, 1855. University of Dusseldorf. 

Moniteur de la Mode, September 1862. LAPL Visual Collections.

Chrome Orange/Cheddar

1865-1875 Silk Visiting Dress. Met Museum.

1865-67 House of Worth Orange Silk Evening Dress with White Embroidery. (Kent State Museum)

Prussian Blue

Le Follet, May 1862. LAPL Visual Collections.

Allgemeine Moden-Zeitung, 1862. University of Dusseldorf.

Le Follet, May 1861. LAPL Visual Collections.

Sources:

http://www.quiltindex.org/~quilti/wiki/index.php/Fabric_Dating_References

https://web.archive.org/web/20150316215218/http://info.fabrics.net/madder-minerals-and-indigo-cotton-dyeing-in-the-18th-19th-century/

Griddle Cakes of Unbolted Wheat (1847)

Today's recipe come from "Miss Beecher's domestic receipt book : designed as a supplement to her treatise on domestic economy." Originally published in 1847, the 3rd edition was in print until 1860. 

Here is a transcription of the recipe which can be found on page 95 of the text.

Griddle Cakes of Unbolted Wheat
A quart of unbolted wheat, and a teaspoonful of salt. Wet it up with water or sweet milk, in which is disolved a teaspoonful of saleratus. Add three spoonfuls of molasses. Some raise this with yeast, and leave out the saleratus. Sour milk and saleratus are not as good for unbolted as for fine flour.
These are better and more healthful cakes than buckwheat.

Modern interpretation:

4 cups of whole wheat flour
1 tsp salt
4 cups water or milk*
1 tsp of baking soda
3 tbsp of molasses

*sweet milk is regular milk, sour milk is buttermilk

I prepared this recipe by cutting it in four (so 1 cup of flour, 1/4 tsp of salt, etc.) This makes 5 or 6 medium pancakes. I have used water instead of milk every time I have made it, just for convenience. In the past, I have substituted brown sugar for molasses such that I can have all the dry ingredients pre-mixed and just add water.

I have not included instructions for making it up with yeast, as I have never tried it. Let me know if you do!

This flour to water ratio makes a thinner pancake, which seems to have been the norm at the time. It is half way between modern fluffy pancakes and a crepe. But, as the actual amount of liquid is not specified, feel free to experiment and find what works for you!

Top with molasses, maple syrup, or whatever you prefer! This is a wonderfully simple recipe that is tasty and easy to prepare. Definitely a win in my book!

1860s Fabrics Part 1: Gingham

Gingham: 

A checkered pattern where the checkers are square. The pattern is usually two colors, one of which is white. The stripes of color are the same width, one darker than the other and darker still where they overlap.

Period Photographs
It is difficult to differentiate between different types of plaid/checkers in photographs, but here are some "best guess" examples. Click on the photo to go to the original source.

The Barrington House Collection

The Barrington House Collection

The Barrington House Collection

The Barrington House Collection

The Barrington House Collection

The Barrington House Collection

The Barrington House Collection

The Barrington House Collection

The Barrington House Collection

Photo Print for Sale on Ebay

The Graceful Lady collection of CDVs of Children's Clothing

Original Dresses

Dress and wrapper worn by Mary Todd Lincoln. Chicago Histroy Museum.

Cotton dress. 1860-1865. Ohio State University Costume Collection

Same dress up close

The Graceful Lady collection of wool and cotton day dresses

Same dress up close 

Child's dress, c. 1860. Augusta Auctions

The same dress up close

Silk taffeta dress, c, 1865. FIDM Museum.

Conclusions

Gingham fabric seemed to be used in both lady's and children's clothing. Patterns were both large and small scale, and found on both cotton and silk fabric. The original dresses I found all used shades of blue or green, but I can't say for certain if this was a common trend.