I’m not great at math, unless it’s dress math!
I love that moment when you see a costume and KNOW you have seen it elsewhere… and then have to hunt through the entirety of the interwebs to figure where it came from, lol. I did eventually find the pink jacket (left) in my Pinterest likes. It’s a casaquin c. 1730-40 part of the collection of the Musee de la mode in Paris.
Later I came across this portrait and *lightbulb*! The hat, ribbon choker, rounded square neckline, and unique split cuff sleeves match Annalise’s jacket exactly! Someone else recognized the resemblance of Annalise’s jacket to the Musee de la Mode casaquin and tweeted Terry, who confirmed that it was the inspiration and that they would have copied it exactly if they’d had more time to do the lace over curved edges. BUT no mention of this Gräfin Voss portrait, so feeling very pleased with my discovery. Don’t you love those behind-the-scenes tidbits, especially ones that confirm your fan theories?
Annelise’s outfit is period-perfect and the color palette makes me think of a box of macarons or blooms in a Parisian flower market. Very feminine and sweet. Her jacket is a brighter pink than the inspiration, although I wonder how rich the color was 200 years ago. Dupioni fabric has a beautiful texture and body, but a couple historical costuming blogs mentioned that silk with slubs would not have been used in this era. (I haven’t found any documentation on that however, so comment if you can point me in the right direction!) It doesn’t bother me because it doesn’t stand out like metal grommets or a hoop petticoat—you really wouldn’t think twice about it unless you happen to be an expert. BUT if you want to be HA, look for a deep pink taffeta, peau de soie or even silk-wool faille to have a similar low-shine look. There are some fabric options saved to the caraco Pinterest board.
There are a variety of jacket styles that were worn in the 18th century, including the caraco, pierrot, riding habit, and pet en l’air. Often the contemporary names given to the jackets and the way they’re worn varies, so the proper name for a jacket isn’t always clear. A caraco is a longer jacket, usually hitting mid-thigh, with a fitted back and 3/4 sleeves. The caraco bodice and skirt are cut all-in-one—no seam at hip—and flare over the hips. It was often worn closed, but also worn open over a stomacher, with a compere front (button-front with false stomacher), and with two or more flaps where a fichu could be tucked in. Sometimes the caraco is called a short gown, and that usually refers to the longer versions that go almost knee length.
I plan on going into more detail on the different types when I finish my own jacket for Claire’s Castle Leoch look, but there are links to good jacket explainers in the Sources.
The petals or basques of the casaquin remind me of similar segmented skirts on jumps, a type of undress bodice worn at home. I realize that sounds odd, but in the 18th century “undress” was used as a noun, whereas today we only use it as a verb (“to get undressed”). “Undress” meant anything that was not a formal gown or fitting for company, especially of a higher social class. If you’ve ever been to Colonial Williamsburg or a similar historical reenactment site, most of the interpreters you see are working class types in undress wear, such as linen or homespun petticoats and plain jackets. However, one woman’s imported chintz caraco and wool petticoat might be the finest outfit she owns, but everyday “undress” for an upper class woman with a couple of silk robe à la françaises in her wardrobe.
A jacket and petticoat outfit is less formal than a gown, and very versatile since you can mix and match with a new petticoat or jacket. The silk fabrics elevate Annelise’s combination, making it suitable for a stroll through Versailles and implying a higher social class than the plain woolen jackets and petticoats seen on the majority of the women in the Highlands. Of course, you can mix and match as well if you already have a petticoat that would go nicely with the pink caraco—pale yellow, sky blue, or even green would be nice.
Annalise’s outfit lets the jacket be the focus with an untrimmed petticoat. Undress ensembles favored quilted petticoats in the first half of the century, and then evolved to petticoats with flounces on the bottom third. Quilted petticoats usually had wool batting with a silk top and linen backing so they kept you warm and cozy in addition to supporting the skirt. Women always wore a plain under petticoat for volume and to smooth out any lumps from supports like her bum pad or side hoops, and the quilted ones continued to be worn as under-petties for their warmth after the fashions changed. I adore quilted petticoats and the incredible craftsmanship the designs required leaves me speechless. Definitely on my costume bucket list!
Linen, a fabric made from the flax plant, was used for lining women’s and men’s coats, and often with mismatched remnants from other garments. Although today linen is more expensive than cotton, cotton fabric wouldn’t be widely used as a cheap textile until the Industrial Revolution. You could also line it with an inexpensive poly lining or china silk.
How to Make It
This is certainly the most straightforward make so far! You can sew the jacket and the petticoat from available patterns without having to do any pattern drafting. However, you’ll definitely want to do a mock-up with the correct underpinnings as getting the front to line up and close neatly will probably require some adjustments. Annalise’s jacket has separate basques or skirt pieces, so mark the hip all the way around your pattern pieces. Then sew the jacket pieces together, stopping at that hip mark. Finish the seams of the basques separately and trim with lace. The covered buttons at the elbow and center back seam are such a nice detail so don’t skip them!
I’m currently working on my wool jacket using the JP Ryan jacket pattern, and I recommend using her pattern View A for this project. So far the shape is very accurate and the directions are clear, but an absolute beginner might feel overwhelmed. I’ll do a full pattern review when I’ve finished the jacket. If you want to copy the Musee de la Mode casaquin’s petal hem just a spend a bit of time with a French curve to get a similar shape.
The tricorn hat really makes this ensemble and I’ve seen similar hats from Frontier Milinery on Etsy. Talk about a perfect match! Personally I’d love have one like this—you could also wear the hat with a vintage outfit like a fascinator.
Type: Caraco jacket with closed front and petticoat
HA Rating: 10/10
Est. Yardage:
Jacket- 3 yds. Petticoat- 4-5 yds (depending on size of skirt supports)
Materials:
Silk (or poly) dupioni or shantung
Also: Peau de soie, silk-wool blends or similar low shine silk fabric
Scalloped edge lace
Notions: hooks and eyes, covered button kit
Patterns:
JP Ryan 18thC jackets, view A
Shift with lace trimmed sleeves or tacked on engageantes
Bum roll or pad or panniers
Undergarments (to be used for all costumes)
Paniers/Side Hoops: Simplicity-American Duchess 8411, Dreamstress Panier-Along tutorial OR Bum pad: Simplicity 8162
Stays: Recommend strapless stays with this neckline. See Corsets and Crinolines (Diderot and half-boned stays), Butterick B4254 (View A or B), Simplicity 8162, or Reconstructing History
Shift/Chemise: Self-drafted or Simplicity 8162
Accessories:
Purple or pink tricorn hat
Ruched ribbon choker
Brooch for choker
Leather or fabric-covered 18th century shoes (These dyeable sateen ones from American Duchess are on sale, and would be perfect as-is or dyed magenta or amethyst!)
***
Top 7 Looks from Outlander Season 2
1. 1740’s Dior Bar Suit {Modified Riding Habit}
2. Emerald Brocade Robe à la Piemontaise
3. The Red Dress {Modified Robe de Cour}
4. Raspberry dupioni caraco and lavender petticoat
5. Mocha 1950’s Versailles Garden Party {Modified Redingote}
6. Citrine Robe a l’Anglaise
7. Sapphire Robe Volante with lace stomacher
Sources:
Posts on 18th century jackets: Larsdatter.com, American Duchess
The Cut of Women’s Clothes and other books on the Recommended Reading list
little red squirrel 
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