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Sometimes stomachers were plain, but often they were heavily embroidered and decorated. ” The backs of the gowns mostly followed two distinct styles. The pleats either fell loosely from the shoulders (called “sack” or “robe à la Française”) or they were stitched down close to the back (“robe à l’Anglaise”). The bodice neckline was rectangular and decorated with a cotton or lace ruffle. The sleeves were narrow and finished below the elbow in cascading ruffles, which often matched the ruffles around the neckline.

36 During this era trade opened up with the Far East through the British East India Company. The most popular imports were Indian cottons and Chinese silks. Favorite among Indian cottons were printed chintzes, with their strong colors and polished surface. The popularity of these items was so strong on both sides of the Atlantic that a law was passed in Britain to allow the passage of those goods through British ports, but only for re-export purposes. This meant that the colonial Americans, unlike the British, could own garments made of these exotic fabrics.

Very often, Virginian gentlemen had their coats made of unlined cotton or linen so that they were not too heavy and hot to wear. WORKING-CLASS COSTUME The majority of the colonists, however, spent their lives in hard physical labor. Working-class clothing was made of sturdier materials: coarse woolens, linens, and cottons that could endure wear and tear. Cheap, British printed cottons, imitative of Indian chintzes, were extremely popular. ” For bed gowns, the skirt and bodice were cut in one piece that opened at the front, and was very often held in place with pins or aprons.