18th century blog

No, I have not and I have always heard that it was not used for clothes, but I have never seen a source that says so. And evidently it was used, as this gown shows. Very interesting!

I hadn’t seen this - thanks for posting it! It is really interesting. I wonder if someone was being resourceful in the the 18th century and decided to make a gown from old window curtains or bed hangings. It would be useful to know if the date of the fabric’s manufacture predates the time span they’ve put on the gown.

Interesting find. I too would have assumed the unsuitability of that fabric for a full garment. I’m sure all your readers are with me right now in thinking of the Sound of Music and Gone With The Wind though!

Yes, I have seen an early Regency-era dress somewhere that was a red on cream toile. Totially forget where, through.

It’s one of those “never say never” things; “they never used toile” is one of those.

Very best,

Natalie

Thank you for posting this - I have wondered if toile was ever used for gowns, and like you I have never seen an example (until now, of course) - :)

Seeing this dress made me think of the movie Gone with the Wind when Scarlett O’Hara made a dress out of curtains. Maybe it was one of those times when the person wanted to make a dress but didn’t have a lot of fabric available to her? Either that or she just really liked the pattern of the fabric and was a rebel when it came to fashion;).

I have an 18thc. gown made from toile. I designed it and had it made. It is perfectly correct. THERE WERE DRESS TOILES MADE FOR CLOTHING. This is obviously not a garment toile, but mine is. I get tons of compliments on my gown!

I am convinced that I saw a dress like this, made out of toile with people and farm scenes on it (maybe even this one?) in a costume book from my local library… but I forget which book. :-/
I love the fabric, though, and now I want a dress like this! ;) It probably raised a few eyebrows in the 18th century, being a curtain fabric! :)
Thanks for sharing this cool picture!

I’ve not seen anything from this period like this, but the first skirt I ever made (way back when in high school) was made out of upholstery fabric with a print like this and it was floor length and so very heavy. I hated it when I was done. I know upholstery fabric is frequently used for stage costumes for this period but that’s my two cents.

I haven’t seen a vintage garment in that fabric before, I think it looks lovely. I have however seen some very pretty and long classic lolita dresses in very similar fabric and style to that.

It is certainly unusual but I think in one of my textiles lessons in fashion history our teacher mentioned toile de Jouy being used occasionaly in skirts but I can’t find any other source that suggests this. I love it though, it is so fantastical, it would be great as a stage costume! The print is so beautifully detailed, I want it!

Hello Johanna,

Maybe you don’t know, but there is a museum about Toile de Jouy about 5 mn from Versailles city.
http://www.museedelatoiledejouy.fr/en/index.php
If by any means you come back to France, that’s an interesting 18th century traditional place to visit.
Cheers

Greetings,
I have seen dresses made out of toiles. Printmakers would pay women to wear these dresses and walk around town, sort of like a walking billboard. To show off their work.

Love your site!
Thanks