A member of the Sewing Academy posted about sheer basques a little while back. The post’s images got my mind wheeling and envisioning a sheer white basque for wear in the millinery this July. Light, airy, pretty.
I saw Colleen did a sheer outer garment. I need to chat with her to see what she thinks of it.
For me, I am thinking a non-outerwear garment. I picture this paired with a black wool skirt, as that is what I have on hand. It could be nice with any color wool or a silk skirt.
I have the sheer stripe silk I picked up last summer. It has a very soft hand. It may be too drapey. If I am going to have this made by the July event, I would need to order another material asap if that silk isn’t going to work.
Sheer Basques:
- Via Flicker “Angel in White”
- Via Little Penny Dreadful – Possibly Dotted Swiss?
- Cambric basque – 1853
- Cambric basque – June 1853
Taken directly from the SA Thread, posted by EKorsmo:
From Graham’s American Monthly Magazine of Literature, Art, and Fashion, 1855:
“[Detailed description of flounced silk skirt] The basque was trimmed in the same manner but for the warm days we should advise a white basque with pink or light green ribbons.”
“Another dress of very novel and pretty effect of fawn colored barege with three flounces embroidered in a deep scallop with silk of the same color. Between each of the barege flounces is a flounce of plaid silk also scalloped in silk. When a white basque is not worn with this dress the basque made for it is of the plaid silk the same as that which compose the flounces.”
“Light materials are of course prevalent this month, and flounces have established their reign. Moire antique, however, has not been laid aside but then it is only worn as a skirt; thanks to the universal fashion of white muslin basques or waists, rich silks can be worn this year Many prefer this to muslins and bareges which are so soon tumbled and which require so much care in the accessories and the underskirts There are however some beautiful light materials this summer: barege, of course, mousseline de soie, crepe de Paris, grenadine and chali (challis?), which is only a revival, but one much to be admired for it is a beautiful tissue and most becoming from its graceful folds. Besides there are jaconets, and organdies, and lawns of very beautiful pattern… A very good innovation for hot weather is to line the barege basques with soft fine mull muslin; it is better than Florence silk for this purpose at this season… Dresses are almost all made with basques–still for very young ladies we think the plain or full corsage is more suitable…”
The London and Paris Ladies’ Magazine of Fashion, 1855:
“… the bodies of barege and organdy dresses are made full without basques; the flounces of organdys are edged by a small guipure or lace edging the top flounce, left open in front as a tunic which gives the effect of a basque… When the barege dresses are without basques the bodies are full, with ceinture of wide ribbon and floating ends, but the basques are more generally preferred. There is a new material of still slighter texture than barege, but less flimsy; they as well as bareges are worn over silk skirts flounced which is preferred to lining the flounce.”The New Monthly Belle Assemblee, 1853:
“Gowns in barege, organdy, tarlatane, and grenadine are made with flounces… As for the corsages of the gowns, those in thin materials are either a la vierge or full bodies gathered at the waist and shoulders or a sort of vest with basquines; but this last is very difficult to make and rarely fits well. The basques are much easier to succeed in and produce the same effect. Most of the corsages with basques, particularly those in silk, are made quite high.”
[A few people have told me they can’t see the whole post and links are not working. I am starting to wonder if it is a WP formatting issue or WP advertisements at the end. This is the end of the post.]
If I Had My Own Blue Box: 
Really wanted to read the rest of this post and was hoping for pictures but the link didn’t bring up the remainder:(
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I’ll see what is wrong. Sorry.
I cannot read the rest of the post, the links do not work.
Sent from my iPad
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I’m so confused. You are the second person to say that. I can see the whole post, even on a browser I’m not signed in for. I am not sure what links aren’t working. Can you tell me what you are seeing?
The whole post shows up for me. I’m using a Mac and Firefox is my browser.
This sounds lovely to look at, own, and to wear! I do hope you make one and post about it!
Best,
Quinn