Girls’ 1780s Portrait Dress Pattern
By Jennie Chancey
The dress options in this pattern were inspired by the beautiful portraits of the 1780s, like the ones shown in the slide show, and by extant garments in the Victoria & Albert Museum and the Museum of London (thank you, Hillary!). I have long loved the beautiful, pastoral portraits of the late Georgian Era. Family groupings set in fields and beneath trees painted by artists like Thomas Gainsborough marked a departure from the stiffer, more formal portraits of a generation before. Children in these paintings gradually made an amazing transition from miniature adults to playful, happy youngsters in relaxed poses. Some of my favorite paintings are by George Romney and Élisabeth-Louise Vigée-Le Brun. Inspired by these lovely, classic portraits, I decided to create this pattern for my own girls, who adore the full skirts and wide sashes of the time.
This pattern includes options for a smooth-bodice dress that fastens up the back and a gathered bodice dress that slips over the head. It also offers elbow-length sleeves with optional ruffles and fitted long sleeves. Appendices give directions for using sheer fabrics, making tucks, and more.
- Sizes 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 & 14 all included in one envelope.
- Illustrated instructions make construction easy!
- Options for long sleeves, and elbow-length sleeves with optional ruffles.
- Click to download the Girls’ 1780s Portrait Dress Pattern yardage chart.
- ePattern also available for instant download.
- Photo instructions now available in PDF format!
A wide sash or ribbon around the waist gives these dresses a darling “Kate Greenaway” look (sash instructions included). The pattern is rated “intermediate” because of the lining and understitching, but it is really not difficult to put together. I think a beginner would have little trouble, and I am always available through the Contact Form if you have questions!
Notes: If you purchased the early versions of this pattern (pre-6/11), please click here for corrections to your pattern.
Several customers have asked about the size of the chest on the girls’ 1780s pattern, which they say is too large in proportion to the waist. Actually, this is simply the wide neckline of the era, which is meant to perch on the edge of the shoulders. If you have a little girl with very narrow shoulders or a smaller chest measurement, you will want to tweak this area so that the dress doesn’t slip off the shoulders or gape at the center front. Another point to remember is that the dresses of this time period had a drawstring through the neckline to make a perfect fit. It is illegal to use drawstrings in garments for children under age 12, so I cannot recommend that method; however, using elastic in the fitted as well as the gathered bodice will help keep those shoulders in place. 
Ariel Redmond
June 9, 2010 at 11:33 pm (1080 days ago)I can’t wait until you get a woman’s pattern for this dress!
Victoria Rose
July 13, 2010 at 12:37 am (1047 days ago)Me too! But I would also love to make this for any of my little cousins
MommaBlogger
July 13, 2010 at 2:42 pm (1046 days ago)Oh, however much longer must we wait? I am so excited about this pattern for the little girls, it looks so beautiful
Jennie Chancey
July 13, 2010 at 9:43 pm (1046 days ago)If all goes well, it will be at the printer and ready for pre-order in two weeks. Here’s hoping! Thanks for your enthusiasm!
raspberiberet
July 15, 2010 at 6:12 pm (1044 days ago)I am in love with that dress. Now I know what my six year old’s Christmas dress will look like this year.
MommaBlogger
July 17, 2010 at 7:03 pm (1042 days ago)Yay! I will have to wait for my arm to recover from surgery next week, but I know the first thing I will be sewing once I can start up again
I might even have the perfect fabric for it 
Jonna
August 6, 2010 at 10:22 am (1022 days ago)Hi Jennie,
When will the ladies’ patterns be available for this?? I’ve been waiting and watching…
Thanks
Jonna
Jennie Chancey
August 6, 2010 at 11:20 am (1022 days ago)I am actually working on the ladies’ pattern this weekend while my model is here.
The girls’ pattern hit a snag in July because we had a lot of travel, but it goes to press next week if all goes as planned! The ladies’ pattern will be ready this fall, because I’m going to work up another pattern first that I’ve promised a friend for a year now. 
Thanks for your patience — patterns have to stay on the back burner with all the busyness around our home and with our travel schedule. But when I have the time to work, I work speedily!
Warmly,
Jennie
Jonquil
September 3, 2010 at 5:58 pm (994 days ago)I’m very excited about the ladies’ pattern; I’ve wanted a round dress for years!
Christina
August 11, 2010 at 12:14 pm (1017 days ago)I like it!
Ariel Redmond
August 23, 2010 at 11:01 pm (1005 days ago)Is this pattern close to being ready? I can’t wait to make one!
Jennie Chancey
August 26, 2010 at 3:34 pm (1002 days ago)It’s going to the printer tomorrow, Ariel! If all goes well, it will be in stock the week after next. Stay tuned!
Vicki
September 3, 2010 at 6:58 pm (994 days ago)Gorgeous, Jennie – I love it!! I’m definitely making this for my granddaughter. Can’t wait for the ladies’ pattern. I’d also love to see a ladies’ and girls’ pattern for a Colonial era gown – around 1770′s (my granddaughter wants a gown like “Felicity” from the American Girls collection). Could I possibly ‘put a bug in your ear’ about a 1770′s gown somewhere down the road?? God Bless you, Jennie.
Jennie Chancey
September 3, 2010 at 7:23 pm (994 days ago)Thanks, Vicki! This one will already make “Felicity” dresses, as the styles for girls in the 1770s remained unchanged into the early 1790s. Women’s fashions of the 1780s actually followed girls’!
Warmly,
Jennie
Deanna
September 11, 2010 at 1:53 pm (986 days ago)Jennie,
It is perfect and so is the ladies version.
Can’t wait to try them!
Becky
September 11, 2010 at 4:18 pm (986 days ago)Such a stunning gown! I love it!!!
Munger Mom
September 15, 2010 at 9:07 am (983 days ago)I adore it. And I already have some nativity print toile, in burgundy on cream, that would make a lovely Christmas dress for a granddaughter.
Leah H.
October 7, 2010 at 10:46 pm (960 days ago)Oooh sounds wonderful!
MommaBlogger
September 17, 2010 at 9:02 am (981 days ago)Will there be an epattern available?
Jennie Chancey
September 17, 2010 at 4:01 pm (980 days ago)Hi! Yes, there will be an ePattern as soon as I have a chance to create it.
I’m in England right now, so it will be late September at the earliest. Thanks for your patience!
Josie D'Aubigne
September 24, 2010 at 4:54 pm (973 days ago)Oh, this is simply lovely! I wish I had younger sisters for whom I could make it!
That said, I can’t wait for the women’s dress to come out! Hopefully it will be ready in enough time so I can use it for a Christmas dress. It is simply stunning!
Ivania
October 5, 2010 at 3:54 pm (962 days ago)Is the Women’s dress going to available soon? Because I am in love…
Beautiful patterns!
Jennie Chancey
October 5, 2010 at 4:05 pm (962 days ago)Thanks for asking! I’m working on the instructions and illustrations now. Hope to see the ladies’ version off the printer by mid-October!
Leah H.
October 7, 2010 at 10:52 pm (960 days ago)These are SOOO Beautiful! Well done, Jennie!
PS I can’t take my eyes off those beautiful dining room chairs in the picture of the lovely ladies in the white gowns.
Jennie Chancey
October 7, 2010 at 11:32 pm (960 days ago)Thanks, Leah! Can’t take credit for the chairs! A friend from church let us use his family’s dining room for those photos. They are antique European chairs and are even more beautiful in person!
Leah H.
October 8, 2010 at 11:14 pm (959 days ago)Ah, well it made the perfect backdrop for those charming dresses! I showed my daughter the photos and she was enchanted. I think I may have gotten a good idea for a Christmas present this year.
mommablogger
October 29, 2010 at 10:27 am (938 days ago)What would work for underthings for this dress?
Jennie Chancey
October 29, 2010 at 11:04 am (938 days ago)Hi there! If you want to make a sheer gown out of voile or organdy, you can make a full petticoat out of the bodice and skirt pieces (just leave out the sleeves). Girls of the time wore chemises and stays, but I made the pattern for a more modern fit without stays (I don’t even think there’s a pattern out there for little girls’ stays!).
Hope this helps!
Warmly,
Jennie
Franicia
November 2, 2010 at 3:56 pm (934 days ago)How beautiful and precious! I am so grateful for your God-honoring work and ministry.
I look forward to seeing the adult sewing pattern as well. Now I know what girls’ items to save up for. 
Thank you for being such a blessing.
For His glory,
Franicia
Natalie
November 17, 2010 at 7:06 pm (919 days ago)I can’t wait to make this pattern. I love the girls. I can’t wait to make the ladies for myself.
ErinAnn
November 21, 2010 at 5:19 pm (915 days ago)I think that the ladies version of this will be my next attempt at making a dress for myself. This one, though, will be a lovely red Christmas dress for my 5yo.
Jay R
December 2, 2010 at 12:51 am (905 days ago)Elizabeth Stewart Clark at The Sewing Academy has a girls’ underthings pattern that includes stays. It’s for Victorian era underthings, but I bet it wouldn’t be hard to change the stays from Victorian to Georgian, especially in the case for young girls.
A.E
December 6, 2010 at 5:20 pm (900 days ago)I love this dress, I am ordering it right away!
Kryslyn
December 9, 2010 at 4:10 pm (897 days ago)My mama said she’s going to make it for me.Awsome i love my mama.
Kryslyn
December 9, 2010 at 4:15 pm (897 days ago)I love this dress.
Julie
December 13, 2010 at 3:56 pm (893 days ago)Does the girl portrait dress require Georgian stays like the womans? Lovely dress.
Jennie Chancey
December 13, 2010 at 4:57 pm (893 days ago)No stays required for the girls’ version.
Katie Hughes
December 22, 2010 at 11:14 am (884 days ago)I think this is just a lovely dress and can’t wait to order the patterns for both the girl’s and the lady’s. I want to get them together not just for myself but I know several mothers and daughters that I go to church with and they would love matching dresses… trying to wait as patiently as possible. It’s HARD… hahaha
Katharine
January 25, 2011 at 7:52 pm (850 days ago)Beautiful! I’m going to purchase this pattern soon and make it all in white for my daughter’s First Communion dress. Looking at fabric right now to figure out what will give me the look I want (crisp with nice drape and not too sheer as I am not a lining expert and don’t want any slight mistake to show through). I think a nice cotton would look lovely and be easy to work with but I don’t want the dress to look too plain. Thought about an eyelet but that might be overkill. I am somewhere just beyond a beginner so don’t want to go with anything too hard to match up nicely. Will see what I come up with.
Jennie Chancey
January 26, 2011 at 12:36 am (850 days ago)Hi, Katharine! Pima cotton drapes beautifully and is still crisp enough to drape nicely. It’s also super soft and great to wear. Definitely line the bodice and make a petticoat, though. I’d add net lace to the elbow sleeves to add the elegance that will make the dress extra special. Have fun sewing!
Maricia
February 1, 2011 at 11:24 am (843 days ago)I’ve been waiting for the ladies pattern to be an epattern because I have a gift certificate for here, but that doesn’t work at VisionForum. On the forum you said Vision has the exclusive rights until the end of January. Does this mean the pattern or epattern, which I prefer because of space issues, will be here soon? I really need the womens one.
Jennie Chancey
February 1, 2011 at 1:13 pm (843 days ago)Hi, Marcia! I am getting the paper pattern up on the site right now, but the ePattern will take me until next week to finish. Thanks for your patience!
Stacey Hunter
February 2, 2011 at 11:01 am (842 days ago)Jennie,
Was the toile you used for your girls’ dresses a thin cotton, or heavier? I am planning to try this for Easter dresses this year. I have some toiles in my stash, but they are a bit heavier than dress weight…which would be ok for “dress up” play, but not so nice for Easter. I’d love to know more about what you used. Thank you!
Warmly,
Stacey
Jennie Chancey
February 3, 2011 at 1:00 pm (841 days ago)Hi, Stacey! That material was actually from the upholstery section (curtain-weight). My girls loved it, but it is a little on the heavy side, so I didn’t make the skirts as full. Hope this helps!
janna
February 9, 2011 at 4:18 pm (835 days ago)I’ve used your girl patterns before and the fit’s always been right, but when I made 2 dresses for my nieces, neither fit right. The bust part was a few inches larger than the waist! Did I do something wrong, twice?
Jennie Chancey
February 10, 2011 at 3:28 am (835 days ago)Hi, Janna! I am not sure what happened. Can you tell me which size(s) you used for your nieces? And did you make sure to go my measurements rather than size? Feel free to drop me a line through the contact form.
Katharine
February 23, 2011 at 3:25 pm (821 days ago)Thank you for the suggestions Jennie! If it turns out well I’ll have to send over a photo in may.
May flower
March 5, 2011 at 1:01 am (812 days ago)This looks like such a wonderfull dress!I found your website a little while ago.I love all the patterns. It makes me want to learn to sew very soon.This dress would be so pretty as church dresses for my two Younger sisters.
Anna
April 18, 2011 at 5:18 pm (767 days ago)Oh my goodness! My friend made this dress for my girls for Easter and they are so adorable! I LOVE it and can not wait to have her do some of the other patterns! So great to find something modest and little girl for them. Shopping in the stores is just a pain these days!
Katie Hughes
June 30, 2011 at 12:57 pm (694 days ago)I’m curious as to the big differences between this era and the regency in the child’s dress… I can see some differences but I also see some things that are similar.
Jennie Chancey
July 1, 2011 at 12:46 am (694 days ago)Hi, Katie! It’s actually entirely different. The neckline is very wide and square, the bodice is fitted to the waist, the bodice back has an extra side back seam, the shoulder seam is different, and the sleeves are a completely different animal.
The only thing that is similar is the skirt, which is rectangular, but this one is much fuller. Hope this helps!
Taylor
March 6, 2012 at 7:38 pm (444 days ago)Hi Jenny, i am so happy to discover that i can go on this website at school
but i would really like to make this for my cousin and i was wondering if this pattern is hard to make? I have made the 1914s afternoon dress with my grandma. Kind Regards Taylore
Jennie Chancey
March 7, 2012 at 9:52 am (443 days ago)Hi, Taylore! If you have made the 1914 dress, you can handle this one. Have fun!
anlbe
June 26, 2012 at 10:17 am (332 days ago)Thank you so much for this pattern. I made this dress for my three little girl bridesmaids at my wedding and they were absolutely perfect. Comfortable, warm and just beautiful!
Jennie Chancey
June 26, 2012 at 2:01 pm (332 days ago)What fun, anise! Please feel free to share photos — I love to see what my customers make, and weddings are always a special joy!
Noelani
November 2, 2012 at 1:17 am (204 days ago)This is just gorgeous! I would have loved one when I was a little girl, and my oldest daughter would have, too. Unfortunately, the only little girl in my family now is my granddaughter and she’s a tomboy!