18th Century Pink and Cream Embroidered Silk Jacket and Skirt

I made this jacket and skirt in the early part of 2016 and wore it to a concert in March, and unfortunately didn’t get pictures.  I wore it again to a Pittsburgh Historical Music Society concert at Depreciation Lands Museum in February 2017 and remedied that!  I designed the outfit based on this original in chintz at Colonial Williamsburg:

Chintz Jacket and Skirt at Colonial Williamsburg

BUT … the motif on my fabric is much larger and didn’t look good with the ruffle.  I didn’t want long sleeves so I made 3/4 sleeves, and I don’t look that great in the base color so I needed to add some trim in coral pink to help it not wash me out.  So the result doesn’t look much like the inspiration!

The fabric was an Ebay find – it is a very light pearl-ish gray colored silk taffeta embroidered with Jacobian looking coral pink flowers and green leaves and vines.  I did copy the peplum with ruffle from the original, and added the same ruffle to the neckline and sleeves.  As I was short on time I did not hand sew the trim – I sewed it with a double seam and I actually like the way it turned out.  The bodice is lined with cotton canvas.  I used my fitted JP Ryan English Nightgown pattern for the bodice and just made up the peplum as I went along.

I love it with the pink Dames a la Mode necklace, but the neckline is really low.  I am talking millimeters above the top of my stays.  It would be less revealing with a tucker, or a poofy late 18th century fichu as shown in the last 2 photos.  All night I felt like one of my clams was going to pop out of the bodice and land in my drink.