Woman's shift of linen, British, 1740-1780; pleated sleeves

Woman’s shift of bleached linen, known as ‘fine holland’, 36¾ inches (93.0 cm) wide, with a thread count of 120 warp × 100 weft per inch, sewn with linen thread. The fronts were cut on the diagonal at each side and the backs as a rectangle with triangular gores attached. Square and deep, the necklines are bound with linen tape. The elbow-length sleeves retain their original pleating set with starch and ironed. The cuffs have a worked buttonhole at each end for fastening with sleeve buttons.

This shift and T.25-1969 was made from a layout of four, together with another shift, 1969.237 in the Gallery of Costume, Platt Hall, Manchester. All are made of the same linen and bear the same laundry mark. The V&A Museum purchased two shifts from Mrs M A Edmonds in 1969 and Platt Hall bought the remaining one from her in the same year.

Women’s linen shifts were worn next to the skin, under the stays and hoops. They were part of a regime of cleanliness in the 18th century requiring a clean shift be worn everyday.

T.26-1969