A fichu (, from the French "thrown over") is a large, square
kerchief
A kerchief (from the Old French ''couvre-chef'', "cover head"), also known as a bandana or bandanna, is a triangular or square piece of cloth tied around the Human head, head, face, or neck for protective or decorative purposes. The popularity of ...
worn by women to fill in the low neckline of a
bodice
A bodice () is an article of clothing traditionally for women and girls, covering the torso from the neck to the waist. The term typically refers to a specific type of upper garment common in Europe during the 16th to the 18th century, or to the ...
.
Description
It originated in the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
in the 18th century and remained popular there and in
France
France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
through the 19th with many variations, as well as in the
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
. The fichu was generally of
linen
Linen () is a textile made from the fibers of the flax plant.
Linen is very strong and absorbent, and it dries faster than cotton. Because of these properties, linen is comfortable to wear in hot weather and is valued for use in garments. Lin ...
fabric and was folded
diagonal
In geometry, a diagonal is a line segment joining two vertices of a polygon or polyhedron, when those vertices are not on the same edge. Informally, any sloping line is called diagonal. The word ''diagonal'' derives from the ancient Greek � ...
ly into a triangle and tied, pinned, or tucked into the bodice in front.
A fichu is sometimes used with a brooch to conceal the closure of a
''décolleté'' neckline. The fichu can thus be fastened in the front, or crossed over the chest. The cross-over fichu sometimes extended all the way to the back. Some models include a large over-the-shoulders back piece.
The fichu found in several traditional cultures resembles a
poncho
A poncho (; ; ; "blanket", "woolen fabric") is a kind of plainly formed, loose outer garment originating in the Americas, traditionally and still usually made of fabric, and designed to keep the body warm. Ponchos have been used by the Indige ...
that covers only the shoulders and chest.
Gallery
File:Gullager Salisbury.jpg, Elizabeth Sewall Salisbury wears an embroidered
Embroidery is the art of decorating Textile, fabric or other materials using a Sewing needle, needle to stitch Yarn, thread or yarn. It is one of the oldest forms of Textile arts, textile art, with origins dating back thousands of years across ...
fichu pinned at the neck, 1789.
File:Anonymous - Jeune femme au fichu blanc - J741 - Musée Cognacq-Jay.jpg, ''Jeune femme au fichu blanc'', between 1790 and 1800
File:Fichu MET 1979.165.7.jpg, American or European, cotton, mid-19th century.
File:Fichu MET 1978.314.7.jpg, Probably American, cotton, mid-19th century.
File:Fichu MET 38.271 CP2.jpg, French, silk, mid-19th century.
File:Fichu MET 34.5869 CP2.jpg, British, linen, knotted, mid-19th century.
File:Fichu MET C.I.69.33.20 S.jpg, American or European, silk, mid-19th century.
File:Le fichu en indienne comtadin.jpg, ''Fichu en indienne'', traditionally worn in the Comtat Venaissin
The (; ; 'County of Venaissin'), often called the for short, was a part of the Papal States from 1274 to 1791, in what is now the region of Southern France.
The region was an enclave within the Kingdom of France, comprising the area aroun ...
.
See also
*
1700–1750 in fashion
Seventeen or 17 may refer to:
*17 (number)
* One of the years 17 BC, AD 17, 1917, 2017, 2117
Science
* Chlorine, a halogen in the periodic table
* 17 Thetis, an asteroid in the asteroid belt Literature
Magazines
* ''Seventeen'' (America ...
*
1750–1795 in fashion
Year 175 ( CLXXV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Piso and Iulianus (or, less frequently, year 928 ''Ab urbe condita''). The denomination 175 for this yea ...
*
Cravat Cravat, cravate or cravats may refer to:
* Cravat (early), forerunner neckband of the modern necktie
* Cravat, British name for what in American English is called an ascot tie
* Cravat bandage, a triangular bandage
* Cravat (horse) (1935–1954) ...
*
Kerchief
A kerchief (from the Old French ''couvre-chef'', "cover head"), also known as a bandana or bandanna, is a triangular or square piece of cloth tied around the Human head, head, face, or neck for protective or decorative purposes. The popularity of ...
*
Neckerchief
A neckerchief (from ''neck'' (n.) + ''kerchief''), also kerchief, scarf, and bandana, is a type of neckwear associated with those working or living outdoors, including farm labourers, cowboys and sailors. It is most commonly still seen today in ...
*
Pañuelo
The ''pañuelo'' or ''alampay'' is a Philippines, Filipino lace-like embroidered neck scarf or shawl worn around the shoulders over the ''camisa'' (blouse). They were square-shaped and were folded in half into a triangle when worn. ''Pañuelos' ...
Citations
General and cited references
* Baumgarten, Linda: ''What Clothes Reveal: The Language of Clothing in Colonial and Federal America'', Yale University Press, 2002. .
*
Cunnington, C. Willett, and
Phillis Emily Cunnington
Phillis Emily Cunnington (1 November 1887 – 24 October 1974) was an English medical doctor and collector, writer and historian on costume and fashion. She and her husband Cecil Willett Cunnington (1878–1961) worked together not only in t ...
: ''Handbook of English Costume in the Eighteenth Century''. London: Faber, 1972.
* Payne, Blanche: ''History of Costume from the Ancient Egyptians to the Twentieth Century'', Harper & Row, 1965. . . .
* Ribeiro, Aileen: ''Dress in Eighteenth Century Europe 1715–1789'', Yale University Prison, 2002, .
External links
''Victorian Fashions and Costumes from Harper's Bazar, 1867-1898''Description from Diderot's ''Encyclopedie''
Neckwear
Shawls and wraps
{{Clothing-stub