【 Visite short 】
1892, England.
A Victorian lady's jacket with a touch of Japonism.
Reference production of「The cutters' practical guide to the cutting of ladies' garments」
【 sample 】
Produced with stiff wool
The book of the time referred to is named and introduced as Florence Dolman.
Italy was a popular destination for "tourism" rooted in British culture.
Wealthy aristocrats sent their heirs to Paris and Florence to educate their sons and daughters.
(Most of them came back from foreign lands having learned to "play" in addition to learning.)
The short length of this visit is less constrictive at the waist, so it must have been designed for tourism.
A perfect piece of travel wear.
The beauty of the "S-shape" when viewed from the side is uniquely Victorian.
The term "Visite" for this antique clothing is mainly used in Japan and France.
Most museums overseas use the term "dolman".
Many books of the period refer to "dolman" or "wraps," while dealers specializing in antiques call them "Victorian dolman" or "Victorian cape" or "Victorian cloak".
In my blog, the name "Visite" will be used uniformly.
Because the body and sleeves of the Visite are combined, it is not possible to get exact bust measurements.
Instead, we have uploaded photos and videos that show how it feels to wear it, so please use them as reference for choosing your size.
Also, the shoulder width is small, but don't worry.
The sleeves are made large, so you can wear it properly.
You can also choose your size based on your own nude bust measurements.
For example, if your nude measurement is 101 cm (40 inches), a size 5 or 6 would be a perfect fit.
If your nude measurement is 91.5 cm (36 inches), a size 3 or 4 would be a perfect fit.
Here is a video of Visite trying on.
Please refer to it.
The long model shown in the video is not yet on sale.
5 ft. 0.24 in.
153cm
slender female
Wearing 【size 0】
Size 0 is true to size.
This "rounded back" is really cute.
The sleeves are designed to overlap above the belly button
This position was a beautiful set position for women of the time.
5 ft. 6.93 in.
170cm
Wearing 【size 0】
The fit is a little tight.
The above Visite is made of wool melton.
Next, we will introduce Visite for spring and summer, made of light cotton.
5 ft. 0.24 in.
153cm
slender female
Wearing 【size 0】
Size 0 is true to size.
As a waist point, we added a ribbon tape.
The material is so thin that you can see through to the other side, but the softly rounded Visite-like shape is maintained.
This one was made using two colors of dark melton wool material.
It gives a chic impression.
Please refer to it when sewing.
*Visite in the video is arranged to the later vents and decorations.
Everyone is welcome to design and enjoy it as you like.
【 1886 French fashion plate 】
In the 19th century, the development of printing technology led to the publication of numerous fashion plates.
They brought the latest fashions to fashion-conscious women.
The plate confirms two women wearing Visite.
【 Woman wearing black visite 】
The back of the figure is drawn so that the "bustle style" modeling with the raised buttocks can be clearly seen.
There is fringe on the collar and hem, and possibly jet beads sewn into the back seam.
【 Woman wearing brown visite 】
This woman here is styled as a set-up.
At first glance, it may not look like a Visite, but if you look at the sleeve construction, there is no doubt that this is a Visite.
【 1883 English fashion magazine 】
This magazine showcases the latest fall/winter styles.
Looking at the women's outerwear page, 12 out of 20 pieces are visite.
The fact that the visite accounts for a very large percentage of other magazines is indicative of its popularity.
The following text from an 1892 British tailor's book confirms the popularity of this product.
In another tailor's book of the same age, the following text is also found.
This red Visite is from the collection of the Metropolitan Museum.
This Visite is truly a remake of an out-of-fashion cashmere shawl.
Unfortunately for the women who re-tailored their shawls into Visite to keep up with fashion, with the demise of the Victorian era, the Visite's popularity disappeared like a lie.
【 1880's U.S.A. Actual piece of Visite 】
In researching and fabricating the visite, I obtained several actual pieces.
Without a doubt, the most difficult part of producing a visite is the sleeve construction.
These sleeves are very interesting.
In order to understand this sleeve, it was essential to have a real one.
The sleeves, which grow from the back like a cape, curve and connect to the front.
To me, as a Japanese, it looks as if these sleeves are constructed with a mixture of cape, tailored sleeves and kimono.
【 1891 U.S.A. "The Japanese sleeve" 】
An 1891 American tailor's book describes the construction of the visite sleeve as a "Japanese sleeve"
【 1880 France Visite designed like a kimono 】
Amazingly, we were able to discover Visite in France, which looks almost like a kimono.
It looks like a kimono, but the sleeve construction follows Visite.
The design of the collar shows evidence of remaking, which would have intentionally made it resemble a kimono.
It is folded over to the reverse side and sewn shut to resemble a kimono collar.
Taken together with the historical background, the influence of Japonism at the Anglo-French Expo may have been a major factor behind the birth of the Visite.
【 1857 Berlin Woman wearing Visite 】
Even before Japan's participation in the World's Fair, there existed in Europe a clothing style that was a predecessor to the Visite.
However, it looked like a shawl.
I suspect that the vertical silhouette of the kimono may have influenced the Visite during the era of the end of the crinoline style and the transition to the stylish bustle style.
【 Focus on the sleeve structure 】
Now, let's take a closer look at the special sleeve construction of visite, also known as the "Japanese sleeve".
The pattern visite that I sell has sleeves connected like this.
The sleeves can be rolled up to reveal the body.
The waist is less constricted and fits loosely.
This Vigite Short is made with larger armholes.
So you can wear it comfortably even with a layer of clothes inside.
The distinctive sleeves erode into the back and are integrated with the rear body.
The small side body is hidden within the sleeves.
It is a very interesting structure.
【 Inside the Visite 】
From the inside, the intricate structure can be seen more clearly.
There are two key points of sewing that I will explain.
Part A
The "side body" and the "back body" are hand-sewn together at the very end.
We have checked several original visite, and many of them are hand-sewn only here.
This part is difficult to sew with a sewing machine, so hand sewing is more beautiful and error-free.
Part B
Up to the arrowed area is where the inside sleeve is sewn.
The sleeves are not attached to the back side body.
Please watch the sewing video and check carefully.
First, let's keep it simple and make a full lining.
It is easier to start with and easier to make.
The "Parts Set" of the patterns we sell is a pattern for full lining tailoring.
【 Inside the original Visite 】
Visits are basically " Full Lining".
It is also characterized by the fact that there is no Facing at the front end and it is immediately lined.
And "quilting" which was the latest material at the time, is used to enhance thermal protection.
You can also see the larger armholes in the original Visite.
Part A
As expected, the side body and back body are hand-sewn together at the end.
Part B
Here, too, the inner sleeves are sewn only halfway up.
What do you think?
Did you understand the mysterious sleeve structure called the "Japanese sleeve"?
It is completely different from actual kimono sleeves, but I think it is a Japonism style expressed with 19th century Western techniques.
At first glance, it looks difficult, but if you check the pattern carefully, you can tailor it properly.
The Visite I created incorporated hussar's design.
For about 100 years, starting around the time of the Napoleonic Wars, women's clothing incorporated designs from military uniforms.
I have tried to design with this trend.
The most distinctive feature of the hussar is the Russian blade on the chest.
This braid serves both decorative and protective purposes.
Huge Austrian knots are embroidered on the sides of the sleeves.
This motif has also long been used on military uniforms.
It means good for all three.
I also focused on the back style.
A ribbon is placed at the waist to match the bustle shape.
From here, we will also take a deeper look at the original visite design of the time.
It is tailored in a chic brown velvet fabric.
Velvet is a material often used for visite.
Attached to the chest and back are countless "glass beads".
The glass beads reflect the flickering candlelight and shine like a mirror ball.
The extremely curved sleeves are the most distinctive feature of visite.
The buttocks are designed to be short in order to fit the bustle style.
The sense of balance between the front and back lengths is interesting.
I like the rounded back view.
【 Swaying decoration 】
Visite were often adorned with swinging decorations.
For example, there are many examples of tassels and fringe sewn in abundance.
The visite I own has a bell ball, which shakes and sparkles every time I walk.
Since a large amount of decoration is attached, its weight is moderately heavy.
There are numerous vignettes with ribbons on both ends of the inside pocket.
(*The ribbon on the right side is frayed.)
Because of the highly decorative nature of the visite, it has been designed without skimping on the inside.
You can actually wear them in my exhibition.
When worn by a human being, Visite's form can be clearly seen.
The beauty of the S-shaped curve when viewed from the side is first-class.
I have another interesting visite that I own.
【 Circa 1900 American Visite 】
The "wheat pattern" embroidered all over the body is undeniably eye-catching.
It may be a visite tailored by a bourgeois farmer's madam to wish for a bountiful harvest.
The imagination is full of imagination.
The characteristics of modeling are the same as those of visite introduced above.
However, this visite is very interesting because it has a peculiar structure.
【 Structure with elastics 】
The side body is missing, and the left and right fronts body are connected by elastic.
The use of elastics makes them extremely comfortable to wear.
When I first saw this method of construction, I was amazed.
It is a wonderful design that is both rational and efficient.
The inside sleeves are also not sewn to the body, but are fastened to the outside sleeves with elastic.
This is the most rational and efficient way to create a garment.
This makes it easy to make even difficult-to-sew visite.
When worn, it is a powerful design.
The back hem is bounced up for the bustle.
The triangular shaped sleeves were a fashionable design at the time.
Note the elastic on the inside sleeves.
The tassels are sewn in large quantities, each one very intricately made.
Wooden balls are wrapped with silk thread to make the tassels.
The lining construction clearly shows that the left and right fronts body are connected by elastic.
【 1891 U.S.A. Drafting Book 】
I checked the American materials and found the same structure listed.
This is a visite to be produced with elastics.
Checking the drafting, the side body is indeed not written.
The arms and waist are connected by elastic.
The documents from that time confirm the unique visite.
They all have nice, eye-catching designs.
【 France, 1881 】
【 France, 1881 】
【 France, 1875 】
This concludes the introduction to visite.
We hope you will all create a great visite.
I hope my patterns are helpful.
Thank you for reading to the end.
