Mid-19th century shifts/chemises are a particular interest of mine. I own a couple of dozen and have probably examined 100+ in other collections. Laundry marks can be found on a variety of places: on the neckband or yoke, on the upper chest, on the inside of the front closure or placket, on the facing/reinforcement at the armscye, at the hip, near the hem, and probably a few other places I haven't personally encountered.
The documentation I have to date indicates shifts/chemises from this era open in the front. The stain on the front of the garment could occur if the wearer tucked her chemise into her drawers. Regards, Carolann Schmitt www.genteelarts.com Ladies & Gentlemen of the 1860s Conference, March 1-4, 2012 _______________________________________________ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
