The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1894-03-01
HISTORY OF THE SLEEVE.
Norman Women First Dared to Add EN-
hro

/ Norman Women First Dared to Add EN-
| broidery.
The first approach among Grecian
women to sleeve was when they
taught the folds of the diploidon at
intervals across the upper part of the
urn with either jeweled agrafes or
buttons. This simple device has been
initiated in the sleeves of the sixteenth
and eighteenth centuries, and more
than once in the present day. The
| Saxon woman covered her arm close to
the wrist in tight envelope of cloth.
IhlS sleeve was warm and useful
rather than ornamental, and it is curl
Gus that all through the middle ages
the arm was similarly clothed. The
dresses were generally more or less de-
collete, while the sleeve extended be-
yond the wrist and lay in fiat point
on the back of the hand, permitting
only the fingers to move.
The Norman woman dared not eman-
cipate herself from the sleeve, but she
dared diversity it. The Norman woman
was skilled in cunning embroidery,
and to give her fingers freer play she
buttoned her sleeve up to her elbow on
the inner side of the arm, so that,
when occasion required, she was free
20 unfasten and throw it back. In the
twelfth century the second or outer
sleeve was elongated so much that it
had to be knotted up out of the dirt
Industrious as the Norman lady was,
ME must have found her embroidery
aresome at times, and her only re-
Iource was to diversity as much as pos
sible her sleeve and her head dress.
The cut of the sleeve, as well as its
shape, was curious; and in the thir-
teenth century the edges of everything
sleeve, gown and tunic-were cut
into scallops. Rose leaves and other
things were aptly initiated and the
satirists of the day were fierce in their
disapprobation of this useless ''slytter-
ing" as they called it.
The open pendant sleeves required a
lining, and ermine and other costly furs
were used TO line them. The fur was
frequently turned over the edge, form
ing handsome cuff, and women were
not the worst offenders. The sleeve
was brilliantly extravagant in the
| 1Oui oSShoiA AoOIuClIlllCS IL CA
banded like balloon; again it dropped
like fantastic wings; then the outer
sleeve was cut up It's length, and the
linen of the inner one was drawn out
between, forming long putting. The
| linen shirt was the next new achieve
ment, and the slashed outer sleeves al
lowed to be seen; and soon the simple
linen was not considered fine enough
by handles, who began to use cambria
and silk.
In the sixteenth century the sleeve
asserted its independence, and it got
detached from the gown, and made up
separately for change and variety
Henry VIII. had a variety of sleeves in
his wardrobe, and his daughter, Eliza
beth, improved upon the idea. The
dressmakers of to-day might borrow
many a hint from the wardrobes of
these two Henry Wills had re-
splendent green velvet ones, richly
embroidered with flowers of damask
gold and having raised design of
Venetian gold cord upon it. Each
sleeve had six buttons of gold, and on
each was heart. The damask flowers
were also set with pearls. Another
pair of sleeves were of black silk, with
strawberry leaves and flowers embroi-
| dered in gold. The women of this CEN
fury wore both elaborately slashed
and embroidered linen sleeves and de-
tached outer sleeves, which hung from
the shoulders. These were often tied
into 'love-knots.''
| rNi11 +hn n1acn 90 se
the fashion of inner and outer sleeves
prevailed; but by degrees there were
signs that the outer sleeve would soon
have to retire from its place.
| Elizabeth, that woman of many re-
forms, completed the transformation,
and almost entirely discarded the
outer sleeve. The inner, now the only
| sleeve, was as gorgeous as it might be,
and was an honored item in Eliza beth's
marvellous wardrobe.
The fiat lace collars of the early half
of the seventeenth century had de-
pressing effect on the sleeve. 1t was
| still full, but it was hattened at the
shoulder and the broad lace cuff was
turned back from the wrist. 1t was
not till the latter half of that century
that the elbow sleeves became common
in England, coming from France
Vatican did his best for it. He re-
vived its ancient splendors as well as
he might, and there is grace and
diversity about his sleeves that few
could equal. The eighteenth, century
was emphatically the age of the elbow
sleeve, with its finish of real lace and
ornaments of huttering ribbons.
In the days of the French revolution
sleeves finally vanished. The Empress
Josephine permitted slight and grace
full puff near the shoulder, and the
sleeve again began to be used by de-
grees. Velvet and silk were held out
by whalebone, buckram and cushions
of all sorts. But it remained short,
ending high above the elbow.
At last it was found that the sleeve
was necessary to health, but it was not
lovely in form, and all sorts of I'M
couth, ungracious shapes were tried
throughout the middle of this century.
II remained for the nre- Ranhaelita 70