Sack, Saque, Robe à la Française

Dateca. 1780

Medium1. Silk compound weave, trimmed with silk fly fringe; linen bodice and sleeve lining. 2. Petticoat has linen replaced waistband.

Dimensions(gown) OL: 61"; waist 22" (altered; originally much larger) (petticoat) L. 37 1/2"; waist 23" (also altered)

Credit LineMuseum Purchase

Object number1941-212,A&B

DescriptionWoman's gown of heavy ribbed silk with supplementary weft-float decoration in ivory silk on wide deep red stripes, alternating with stripes of white and blue. Gown has fitted front bodice with edge-to-edge front closing ending in a point at waist. The bodice has been altered to make the waist smaller. The back of bodice, cut in one piece with the skirt, is laid in pleats at the neckline, from which the fabric falls freely and merges into the skirt (a style called a sack, sometimes also called "robe a la francaise"). The low rounded neck is outlined with a 1 1/2"-wide band of self-ruching edged with fringe with spaced small tassels or hangers, so-called "fly-fringe." Elbow length sleeves, cut with the stripes running horizontally, have two deep, scalloped ruffles edged with fringe. The bodice is lined in natural linen with back interior lacing (to shape and hold bodice in the loose flowing sack back). The full skirt with side width has pocket slits now sewn shut; wide pleats are laid in either side where the skirt joins the front of the bodice. The front of open skirt is trimmed with graduated serpentine furbelows of self-fabric edged with fringe extending from waist to hem.
2. Petticoat of matching textile, trimmed with undulating bands of self-ruching with deep flounce at hemline, edged with fringe. Replaced waistband and upper skirt portion.
Photographed with reproduction ribbons and antique ruffles.

Construction History:

1. ca. 1780: Initial Construction
2. May 23, 1955: Cleaning, refitting, and restoring by Ernest LoNano for the Margaret Hunter Shop.