The "Grand' robes"

by Kevin Bellegarde
   
Skirts made out of madras and underskirts made out of lace.

The HEAD-DRESS is one of the basic accessories of traditional creole dress. It is often made with shimmering madras, a fabric from India.

There are two kinds of HEAD-DRESS, also called TETE:

  • The CHAUDIERE and the TETE CALENDEE. (In French, 'calender a fabric' means 'to paint parts of it yellow', as seen in the photograph below left.)
 

The HEAD-DRESSES are made from well-starched checked madras, set diagonally on the woman's head. Firmly pinned behind the head, the two pieces are crossed over and tied in the front. Next, the third extremity is held up to a point. The former pieces are then opened and pinned at the brim of the madras.

The points on the madras are given a meaning according to their number:

  • One point: Heart to be taken (the woman is single).
  • Two points: She is already engaged (but you can still try your luck).
  • Three points: The woman is married.
  • Four points: Everyone can have a place in her heart.

 

The cut of grand' robe has many special characteristics. Besides the sleeves, the front and the back are designed according to very particular technical and aesthetic conception qualities.

The front part is made from a single piece of fabric, from the shoulders down to the bottom, and the back from two pieces: an upper part or back bodice, from the shoulders to the waistband, and the skirt, from the waistband to the ground.

 

 

 

STYLE DESCRIPTION

The Front Part

The NECK.

The neck is square with a visible enforme on the right and sewed so that the overstitching is visible.

Two pleats, 1cm wide and about 15 cm long, start from the shoulder and are held by overlocking.

At the bottom of the neck, 10 pleats are added to the shoulder pleats and are hidden by a horizontal enforme.

REMARKS:

The grand' robe opens in the middle at the front. The slit is about 20 cm long and hidden behind a pleat.

The waistband is two-piece about 35 cm long and 6 cm wide, tied at the front.

The grand' robe is finished with a 30 cm false hem and interior lining.

 

The Back

A. The upper part of the back (back of the bodice).

NECK: A round neck with a visible enforme on the right side.

The bodice waistband is decorated with a series of pleats which spread out from the middle of the back to the left and right. These pleats are held by a series of semicircular lock-stitches.

B. The lower part of the back (skirt)

The skirt waistband is decorated with three triplicate series of box pleats which spread out from the middle of the back to the left and right.

REMARKS:

The skirt, together with its train, reaches the ground.

The train is finished with a 60 cm box pleat, the lining inside.

A braid covered with the labric of the grand' robe is inserted in between the bodice and the skirt (at the waist).

 

The SLEEVES

The sleves are cut to the MANCHE TAILLEUR style, of three-quarter length.

The lower part of the cuff (about 10 cm long) is trimmed with a series of 1 cm wide flat tucks called religious folds. The lower part of the sleeve is finished with a bijou-style pleated flounce, a series of 0.5 cm tiny flat pleats or tucks.

 

The SKIRT

The skirt is made from two or three coloured satin flounces pleated in the bijou style and butt-jointed with a cotton support. It can also be made from 'Chantilly Lace'.

 

The "TITANE" DRESS

The "JUPE-CHEMISE" suit

The "GRAND" ROBE" suit

 

Mourning traditional dress

 

The everyday dress

 

The "GAULE"

 

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