Wrapper

Object/Artifact

-

Saco Museum

Name/Title

Wrapper

Entry/Object ID

2014.35.1

Description

Maroon wool wrapper with a yellow, red, and cream border. Round collar, bodice closes in the front, with paisely self-fabric covered buttons that continue down the front of the skirt to hemline. Full skirt, with slightly more fullness in the back than the front. The garment is made of a disposition print fabric, woven specially to be constructed into such a garment with the pattern running both vertically down one side of the warp, as well as across the weft at a predertimed distance in order to make the pattern line up on the front. Has matching jacket (2014.35.1B) Pocket in the skirt on the right side. The bottom of the skirt is lined in a light brown glazed cotton. There is an inner bodice of cotton that buttons down the front. Top of the jacket closes with a single hook and thread eye. Hem of skirt is bound with a narrow band of brown tape of a slightly different color than the ground color of the fabric.

Made/Created

Date made

1860 - 1865

Dimensions

Length

57-1/2 in

Dimension Notes

Sleeve lenght 21.5".

Material

glazed cotton lining, printed wool challis, Silk

Interpretative Labels

Label Type

Cultural/Historical Context

Label

Wrappers were informal garments worn at home in the morning. They first became fashionable in the 1850s and remained in favor throughout the rest of the century. According to an 1873 etiquette manual, "the most suitable dress for breakfast is a wrapper made to fit the figure loosely." After the morning meal, a woman needed to change for the day's activities, as wrappers were not to be worn when receiving callers. Paisley patterns were very fashionable at mid-century, and many manufacturers took advantage of their popularity by designing specially-printed paisley fabrics for wrappers. The skirt of this one is made of a single length of material—there are no seams. The wool challis was printed so that a predetermined length could be made up into a skirt with the borders properly oriented along the front opening. Although mostly finished by hand, the sleeves seams were sewn by machine. According to family tradition, this wrapper belonged to Hannah Marcia Cleaves, who was certainly able to afford a sewing machine in her home if she chose to purchase one. More likely, she commissioned a dressmaker to create the wrapper for her. About this time, wrappers, which did not require elaborate fitting, became commercially available as ready-mades.