Thank you! Apparently our initial thought was correct, that openings are in the front. That stain threw me off. Were shifts worn as nightgowns? That might explain things, if the wearer tended to twist around as she slept.
Were drawers worn as early as 1845 (give or take a few years either way)? Although considered well-to-do locally, the Reed family still lived in a cultural backwater, so might not be up on the latest fashions. Shifts from other periods in our collection have smaller necks and really do need an opening, but I don't think these buttons were ever undone. The buttonholes aren't "pulled" from wear at all -- the neck is so wide it's unnecessary. Why bother putting in a placket if you don't need to? Our laundry marks are tiny ornate 3-letter initials which we believe were done with a stencil set. Still perfectly clear after umpteenth washings -- strong ink! I keep wondering why the ink bleed didn't when first applied. Dede _______________________________________________ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
