Woman's Civil War Style White Cotton Blend Guimpe BLOUSE Size Small (34" bust)

Description

Woman's
White Guimpe Body or Blouse,
S
ize Small (34" bust, 32" waist)
Civil War Style Loose Fitting White Eyelet or
Broderie
Anglaise Cotton Blend.
The fabric is a cool cotton blend, with a tiny embroidered design s of flowers and loops. It has a narrow r
olled collar with button closure.  It is easy to accessorize with collars, ribbons, ties and jewelry. It has huge, puffy sleeves finished with narrow cuffs with button closure.  The buttons are white antique milk glass buttons.
All of the seams are flat felled to give a nice, strong seam.
The size small guimpe measures 18" at the neckline, opening,  6" at the cuffs, it is straight cut across the chest and waist and measures 40" across.  It is 26" long from back neck closure to hem. The sleeves are 26" long from neck edge to the cuff bottom and are  22" around.
From the early nineteenth century
onwards
, the term guimpe described a form of under-blouse worn under a pinafore or a low cut dress to fill in the neckline. The easy to fit blouse is made with a raglan style sleeve, which is easy to wear under variety of tops. The fullness of the blouse can be laid into lovely pleats when worn under a lower cut bodice or waist and with fancy bretelles (or suspenders.)  The puffy, full sleeves make an attractive display in the place of undersleeves or sleeve
jockeys. Women loved them because it was much easier to wash a blouse than to launder a dress. The blouse serves a a great wardrobe extender.
These bodies (or as we know them today, blouses) appeared in all the fashion magazines of the Era. They were worn under all types of garments, from open necked dresses to Swiss bodies, tea bodices, vests. Medici belts and zonal waists. The guimpe is peasant style with diagonal raglan style armscye. The garment basically fits  only at the neck and wrists with full puffy sleeves and a keyhole opening with button closure at the back neck. The use of lots of fabric in the
guimpe
would be a sign of status. It is not made to be worn alone with a skirt, that was simply not done by "women of quality." Fashion forward younger women and girls were beginning to wear skirts and guimpes  (and
Garibaldi
blouses) with decorative Medici belts and waists alone.
Easy care:  I suggest  machine wash cool and hang dry.
I am happy to combine shipping on multiple items. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.
Thanks for looking and Happy eBaying!