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Info-Research Solutions
Researching the
Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic Site of Canada
Recherche sur la Forteresse-de-Louisbourg Lieu historique national du Canada
CIVIL
COSTUME AT LOUISBOURG: 1713 - 1758
MEN'S COSTUME
BY
MONIQUE LA GRENADE
March 1972
(Fortress of Louisbourg Report H-F16AE)
Translated By Christopher Moore
ILLUSTRATIONS
[Internet Editor's Note: The images are presently unavailable. Please consult the original report at the Fortress of Louisbourg]
The body of the shirt consists of a large rectangle folded in two. The front (dotted line) is shorter than the back (B-B). To form the neck opening, the fold along the shoulders is cut from each side of the slit for the jabot (F-G) to six inches from the shoulders. The bottom third of the sides of the shirt are left open (AB) and a gusset (A) reinforces the corner of this opening. There are also gussets on the shoulders (C), the armpits (D), at the openings at the cuffs (E), and at the bottom of the slit for the jabot (G). The last of these gussets is called the coeur du jabot.
The cuff (bottom left) is a strip of fabric folded lengthwise, stitched and buttonholed at the ends. It is sewn to the end of the sleeve.
The collar (bottom right) is a strip of fabric of variable length. It is pleated and fixed at both ends to squares of toile which attach to each other with buttons. (p.7 - 8)
Illustrations are copied from Diderot Encyclopédie, Article "Lingére", Supplement Planche 1.
The principal parts of the Justaucorps are the front pieces (A), back pieces (B), sleeves (C), the cuffs of the sleeves (D) and the pocket flaps (E). The pleats formed in the extra cloth at the sides (1-2-3-4) are called "basques". (p. lg)
The vest is slightly shorter than the Justaucorps. The front pieces (a), and back pieces (b) have no extra cloth because there are no basques. The sleeves (c) have no cuffs. (p. 19)
The breeches reached to the knees. They attach at the sides of the legs with buttons and buttonholes, and adjust at the waist with a belt (f). (p. 19)
Illustrations taken from The Cut of Men's Clothes, 1600-1900, by Norah Waugh, p. 93.
The classic suit of the 18th century consisted of a justaucorps, (upper left), a vest (upper right) and breeches. The front of the breeches could be closed by a brayette (lower left) or like the breeches à pont or à bavaroise, with a panneau (lower right). Usually the suit was made with sombre coloured cloth. (pp. 18-20)
Illustrations based on Diderot, Encyclopédie, Article "Tailleur d'habits", Planches IX.
Not all vests were made like those for the suit. Some were sleeveless and double-breasted (left).
The gilet waistcoat (center) was a small vest, without basques and sometimes without lining.
The redingotte (right) sometimes replaced the justaucorps but was usually worn as an outdoor coat. Buttoned to the waist, it had two collars, with one covering the shoulders like a very short cape. (p. 24-29, 34, 36-37).
Illustrations from Diderot Encyclopédie, Article "Tailleurs d'habit", Planches IX.
There are several wig styles. At Louisbourg, men wore, amongst others, perrugues à bourse (fig. 3, left), perruques à face (fig. 11, right) and perruques en bonnet (fig. 15, right). Sometimes men wore only the hairsack (bourse) (fig. 9, left) with their own hair. (pp. 43-45)
Illustrations from Diderot Encyclopédie, Article "Perruquier barbier", Planches VIII.
The pieces of the shoe were made first: the vamp (A), the quarters (BC), the welt (I), the heel piece (G), the ailettes (H) and the paillettes (D). The pieces were sewn together (1). This done, the shoe-maker put the shoe on the last (2). The fairly flat heel could be wood (3) or leather (4). Once made the shoe was fastened with a buckle (5). (pp. 53 - 54)
Illustrations from Diderot Encyclopédie, Article "Cordonnier", Supplement Planches I.
The type of shoe reconstructed as a result of the archaeological excavations at Fort Beauséjour correspond to the description drawn from the Louisbourg documents and the information in Diderot's Encyclopédie. Since the same last was used for both shoes, there is every reason to believe that the shoes were identical. Note also that the sole is symmetric. (pp. 54 -55).
Illustrations taken from Fazlur Rahman Boots and Shoes from Fort Beauséjour, p. 9.