Caraco
Encyclopedia
A caraco is a style of woman's jacket
that was fashionable from the mid-18th to early 19th centuries. Caracos were thigh-length and opened in front, with tight, three-quarter or long sleeve
s. Like gowns of the period, the back of the caraco could be fitted to the waist or could hang in pleat
s from the shoulder in a "sack-back". Caracos were generally made of printed linen
or cotton
.
The caraco emerged as an informal style in France in the 1760s, based on working-class jackets. It was worn with a petticoat
and, if open in front, a stomacher
or decorative stays
. The English caraco was generally closed in front. A similar garment with a wrap front, called in English a bedgown
or short gown, was the standard working woman's costume of the later 18th century.
, c.
1770s.
Jacket
A jacket is a hip- or waist-length garment for the upper body. A jacket typically has sleeves, and fastens in the front. A jacket is generally lighter, tighter-fitting, and less insulating than a coat, which is outerwear...
that was fashionable from the mid-18th to early 19th centuries. Caracos were thigh-length and opened in front, with tight, three-quarter or long sleeve
Sleeve
Sleeve is that part of a garment which covers the arm, or through which the arm passes or slips. The pattern of the sleeve is one of the characteristics of fashion in dress, varying in every country and period...
s. Like gowns of the period, the back of the caraco could be fitted to the waist or could hang in pleat
Pleat
A pleat is a type of fold formed by doubling fabric back upon itself and securing it in place. It is commonly used in clothing and upholstery to gather a wide piece of fabric to a narrower circumference....
s from the shoulder in a "sack-back". Caracos were generally made of printed linen
Linen
Linen is a textile made from the fibers of the flax plant, Linum usitatissimum. Linen is labor-intensive to manufacture, but when it is made into garments, it is valued for its exceptional coolness and freshness in hot weather....
or cotton
Cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
.
The caraco emerged as an informal style in France in the 1760s, based on working-class jackets. It was worn with a petticoat
Petticoat
A petticoat or underskirt is an article of clothing for women; specifically an undergarment to be worn under a skirt or a dress. The petticoat is a separate garment hanging from the waist ....
and, if open in front, a stomacher
Stomacher
A stomacher is a decorated triangular panel that fills in the front opening of a woman's gown or bodice. The stomacher may be boned, as part of a corset, or may cover the triangular front of a corset...
or decorative stays
Corset
A corset is a garment worn to hold and shape the torso into a desired shape for aesthetic or medical purposes...
. The English caraco was generally closed in front. A similar garment with a wrap front, called in English a bedgown
Bedgown
A bedgown is an article of women's clothing for the upper body, usually thigh-length and wrapping or tying in front....
or short gown, was the standard working woman's costume of the later 18th century.
External link
Caraco and matching petticoat, Victoria and Albert MuseumVictoria and Albert Museum
The Victoria and Albert Museum , set in the Brompton district of The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London, England, is the world's largest museum of decorative arts and design, housing a permanent collection of over 4.5 million objects...
, c.
1770s.