Green striped day gown.

This gown would be considered a morning gown which basically means it is what was worn during the day until dinner. This one is a bit of a lower cut than what would have been worn unless it had a shawl to go with it. Homes in England in the early 1800’s were cold and drafty.

These morning gowns would also have long sleeves. They would be constructed of sprigged or plain muslin or wool (which would keep one nice and toasty). Sometimes they were even referred to as a “round gown” meaning that the bodice and skirt were made from an uncut piece of material.

Now if you were going to go out, you needed a “walking dress”. It could be short or long-sleeved depending on the weather. And it had a shorter hem so as not to gather dust, dirt or debris from walking on the cobblestone paths.

These gowns usually had coordinating pelisses or spencers. A pelisse was a longer coat and the spencer was a shorter jacket type article of clothing covering the bodice and arms.