Yellow Smock, Part 1
This is part one of a two part post, but unlike other series of posts, this one might actually get past the first one, because the item in question is nearly finished, and I like it even if everyone else will probably think it's ridiculous.
Currently, I am using the word "smock" to designate any garments of a particular basic type. One of the very common forms that clothing has taken, through time and in various parts of the world, is this "smock". For the basic pattern, the front and back are made of rectangles (with a shoulder seam or one continuous piece of fabric), obviously with some kind of hole for the head, triangular pieces are added at the sides to widen it, and rectangular pieces for sleeves. Underarm gussets may or may not be added, and additional triangles might be added to the centre front and centre back to widen it further.
Variations can be made by having tapered sleeves, or sleeves that start rectangle and change to tapering around the elbow. There are various neckline shapes. The length can be anywhere between from mid-thigh (for a man's shirt) to ankle length (dresses/gowns/tunics for either gender). On outer garments, the sleeves might be three-quarter length, or "t-shirt" length. The same pattern might also be used for coats by making an opening down the front and using a fabric suitable to this kind of garment.
This basic pattern developed in some cultures, particularly Europe, into a dress that was fitted on the upper body, which required it to open down the front, back, or side, often closed with lacing. Also, generally for undergarments (shirts for men and under-dresses for women), the sleeves became fuller and gathered into a cuff, and a straight collar added and maybe the body made fuller and gathered into the collar. Eventually, the dress shirt came about.
How were these garments worn? Short garments like shirts would be tucked into some kind of bifurcated leg garment, something trouser-like. The longer ones (remember the longer ones could be worn by both men and women) might be worn with several layered over each other, with some kind of trousers underneath, with skirts and bodices over the top, with long coats over the top, and as night-wear. Generally this kind of item is a kind of under-garment - either a layer under other clothes quite differently made (eg. Victorian women would wear a chemise ultimately derived from this kind of garment whereas their outer garments were radically different), or if both the inner and outer garments are made to this kind of pattern, the differentiation would be in the fabric and decoration rather than shape and style. The undergarments were often quite standardised either way, being made of specific fabrics and specific colours (eg. white or unbleached in Europe).
Here's my layout for this specific, yellow, garment:
I believe I based it on something specific when I started making it, but I forget now. Something European in any case, medieval or earlier.
Here it is, this is close to the actual colour. It doesn't have the decoration on it yet. The neckline is not as shallow as in the drawing. I think this was 100% linen, and it's both soft and smooth.
This is the sleeve gusset.
This shows the shoulder and neck reinforcement (which is hard to see on the shoulders, but is little triangles), which I made up but is a standard place to add reinforcement, so it is in the right spirit for the garment. ie. this is not an authentic garment to anywhere or when, but it is made in the spirit of this kind of clothing.
The seams are all false french seams (machine sewn), which is also in the spirit of things as these garments were generally washed a lot, and had to last, and so had to not fray so enclosed seams were used. I'm handsewing all the visible stitching for some reason, including the hem.
Currently, I am using the word "smock" to designate any garments of a particular basic type. One of the very common forms that clothing has taken, through time and in various parts of the world, is this "smock". For the basic pattern, the front and back are made of rectangles (with a shoulder seam or one continuous piece of fabric), obviously with some kind of hole for the head, triangular pieces are added at the sides to widen it, and rectangular pieces for sleeves. Underarm gussets may or may not be added, and additional triangles might be added to the centre front and centre back to widen it further.
Variations can be made by having tapered sleeves, or sleeves that start rectangle and change to tapering around the elbow. There are various neckline shapes. The length can be anywhere between from mid-thigh (for a man's shirt) to ankle length (dresses/gowns/tunics for either gender). On outer garments, the sleeves might be three-quarter length, or "t-shirt" length. The same pattern might also be used for coats by making an opening down the front and using a fabric suitable to this kind of garment.
This basic pattern developed in some cultures, particularly Europe, into a dress that was fitted on the upper body, which required it to open down the front, back, or side, often closed with lacing. Also, generally for undergarments (shirts for men and under-dresses for women), the sleeves became fuller and gathered into a cuff, and a straight collar added and maybe the body made fuller and gathered into the collar. Eventually, the dress shirt came about.
How were these garments worn? Short garments like shirts would be tucked into some kind of bifurcated leg garment, something trouser-like. The longer ones (remember the longer ones could be worn by both men and women) might be worn with several layered over each other, with some kind of trousers underneath, with skirts and bodices over the top, with long coats over the top, and as night-wear. Generally this kind of item is a kind of under-garment - either a layer under other clothes quite differently made (eg. Victorian women would wear a chemise ultimately derived from this kind of garment whereas their outer garments were radically different), or if both the inner and outer garments are made to this kind of pattern, the differentiation would be in the fabric and decoration rather than shape and style. The undergarments were often quite standardised either way, being made of specific fabrics and specific colours (eg. white or unbleached in Europe).
Here's my layout for this specific, yellow, garment:
I believe I based it on something specific when I started making it, but I forget now. Something European in any case, medieval or earlier.
Here it is, this is close to the actual colour. It doesn't have the decoration on it yet. The neckline is not as shallow as in the drawing. I think this was 100% linen, and it's both soft and smooth.
This is the sleeve gusset.
This shows the shoulder and neck reinforcement (which is hard to see on the shoulders, but is little triangles), which I made up but is a standard place to add reinforcement, so it is in the right spirit for the garment. ie. this is not an authentic garment to anywhere or when, but it is made in the spirit of this kind of clothing.
The seams are all false french seams (machine sewn), which is also in the spirit of things as these garments were generally washed a lot, and had to last, and so had to not fray so enclosed seams were used. I'm handsewing all the visible stitching for some reason, including the hem.
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