Wrappers
were worn by women as an "in home" lounging type of garment, or as
a functional work garment. The looseness of fit allowed a woman to go
without a corset or loosen the corset so she could move more freely. It
was also comfortable to wear during pregnancy--a frequent condition in the age
before birth control.
Wrappers vary from fashionable loungewear to humble working garb, depending on the circumstances of the wearer. At right is featured a lovely wrapper so fashionable the lady had her picture taken wearing it. It was also the humble workdress of poor women, as is seen below. The social standing of your character will dictate the type of wrapper you wear.
Wrappers were a one piece dress. Fashionable wrappers were built along the same form as a fashionable dress and trimmed accordingly except that the skirt was often gored or cut "princess style" to be smooth at the waist. These fashion items were loose fitting, but required as much effort and trimming as a fashion dress. Remember that these items were usually worn in the privacy of the home, much as loungewear is worn today. My generation remembers when our mothers wore "housedresses" at home, but changed clothes to go out--it is much the same thing with a wrapper.
The
dress portion of the humble working wrapper was gathered or pleated into a yoke
and extended from the neckline to the hem line. The wrapper was rather
shapeless-there was no waistband in this garment. Wearing an apron or
a belt gives the wrapper it's trademark silhouette. The shoulders were
wide set and sleeves were gathered into a cuff. In this way the sleeves
could be easily rolled up when toiling at chores.
This garment is woefully under-represented at reenactments. It is just the thing for someone who can't stand the boning and corsetry of the day dress, or who has an impression of a working woman (laundress or cook). But remember, if you are wearing this type of wrapper in public, you mark yourself as low income.
The
#1 question we've received concerns wrappers and how to make them. We listened
and added this page to satisfy our readers on this important issue!
The type of fabric you use will be based on your character's social standing. If making an elegant wrapper to use as a morning coat, lovely fashion fabrics in solids or simple patterns will be your choice. It is perfectly period to pile the trim on a wrapper belonging to a wealthy character.
If your character is of more humble origins, a good plain cotton fabric will suffice. If you are extrememely poor then consider using calico in a simple print or windowpane plaid.
You will want to line the sleeves and torso and allow for a nice big hem in lining fabric. Thrift shop sheets make great lining material, or if your character is poor, then flour-sack material will suffice.
Past
Patterns #807 is a fine pattern for a nice lounge-wear type of wrapper.
This pattern was made from an actual dress and is an authentic representation
of a period wrapper.
Fanny & Vera used McCalls Pattern #9423 for their laundress wrappers, but the pattern needed a few alterations to acheive the period look.
Vera just bought McCalls Wrapper Pattern #3669 since so many readers asked about it, but we have not been able to find reference to anything that looked like this garment. If you use it, use a gathered sleeve with cuff instead of the bell sleeves and widen the shoulders at the yoke significantly.
