The shirt was the basic all-purpose male undergarment of its time. Therefore, it is much larger and longer than a conventional shirt. Shoulder seam placement is off the shoulder on the upper arm. Sleeves are extremely full, with length regulated by wristbands. View A of this pattern may be made up as a common working man’s shirt with plain front and cuffs with button fastenings. View B may be tailored into a gentleman’s shirt featuring center front neck and wrist ruffles, designed to be worn with sleeve-buttons (18th-century cufflinks). In the 18th century, the presence of wrist ruffles stated that the wearer did not work with his hands.
This original pattern incorporates features from shirts in the collections of The Victoria and Albert Museum, The National Museum of American History, and Gunston Hall Museum. Available in XS – XL, 3 sizes per pattern.
