Up until the seventeenth century, young babies were tightly wrapped in swaddling clothes and carried to the font in a "bearing cloth". This was a large square piece of silk, edged with trimmings of gold lace and braid.
What we now call the "Christening Robe", evolved in the mid-eighteenth century when babies were freed of swaddling from an earlier age. The earliest surviving samples were made of white silk and had a front opening which was either left open to show a petticoat underneath or fastened with ribbon ties. Similar to the women's gowns of that period, the robe had similar decorative curving lines of braid.
Made in the same style as every day eighteenth century boys and girls, the first Christening robes wore worn by both boys and girls. Boys and girls wore "slip" dresses; these dresses had a very long flowing skirt which fell from a short bodice and a low neck and short sleeves. Other items such as bonnets and bootees could be made to go with the robe. A number of exquisite Christening sets survived from the seventeenth and eighteenth century, these included bibs, mittens, pincushion covers, head bands and handkerchiefs in embroidered linen.
Victorian babies were dressed in gowns decorated with Ayrshire work, a delicate form of white-on-white embroidery that originated in the Scottish Lowlands.
Pinning a piece of shortbread to the Christening robe was an old Scottish custom and was to be worn throughout the ceremony. If an unmarried girl was to eat the shortbread afterwards, she was thought to dream of her future husband that very night. It was also vital that the baby was to sleep in its Christening robe for the night of the baptism; this was to bring luck and good health into the baby's future.
An ageless tradition
The same fashion for Christenings has remained popular ever since. This is partly due to the tradition of handing down Christening robes from one generation to the other, thus over many years, dozens of babies may use the same Christening robe.
If there's no antique gown in your family, you can create an heirloom for future generations with a gown from our range which has been made in the traditional method in fine natural pure silk, embellished with delicate embroidery and tucking. - 16651
What we now call the "Christening Robe", evolved in the mid-eighteenth century when babies were freed of swaddling from an earlier age. The earliest surviving samples were made of white silk and had a front opening which was either left open to show a petticoat underneath or fastened with ribbon ties. Similar to the women's gowns of that period, the robe had similar decorative curving lines of braid.
Made in the same style as every day eighteenth century boys and girls, the first Christening robes wore worn by both boys and girls. Boys and girls wore "slip" dresses; these dresses had a very long flowing skirt which fell from a short bodice and a low neck and short sleeves. Other items such as bonnets and bootees could be made to go with the robe. A number of exquisite Christening sets survived from the seventeenth and eighteenth century, these included bibs, mittens, pincushion covers, head bands and handkerchiefs in embroidered linen.
Victorian babies were dressed in gowns decorated with Ayrshire work, a delicate form of white-on-white embroidery that originated in the Scottish Lowlands.
Pinning a piece of shortbread to the Christening robe was an old Scottish custom and was to be worn throughout the ceremony. If an unmarried girl was to eat the shortbread afterwards, she was thought to dream of her future husband that very night. It was also vital that the baby was to sleep in its Christening robe for the night of the baptism; this was to bring luck and good health into the baby's future.
An ageless tradition
The same fashion for Christenings has remained popular ever since. This is partly due to the tradition of handing down Christening robes from one generation to the other, thus over many years, dozens of babies may use the same Christening robe.
If there's no antique gown in your family, you can create an heirloom for future generations with a gown from our range which has been made in the traditional method in fine natural pure silk, embellished with delicate embroidery and tucking. - 16651
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