shift & chemise

Summary

Fien white linen with blackwork embroidery: straight section back and front, with square yoke and square neck, opening at back and lower cut in front; long sleeves in one section, seamed under arm, open at wrist; square gusset under each arm; one full length gore and second gore in lower half of garment; front of neck to shoulder embroidered with black silk in 3cm band of embroidery in formal acorn pattern and 1cm band of simple embroidery at back opening; three bands of embroidery in black silk down each sleeve, in different formalised pattern of acorn and oak leaves in back and braid stitches. See plate 76 in Patterns of Fashion 4, linen 1540-1660, Janet Arnold. Probably belonged to Elizabeth Filmer who died in 1638.