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When this most elegant of 18th century dresses first appeared in the 1710s, it resembled a wrapping gown. It had no waist and there were no fastenings as it was pulled over the head. The front was sewn closed, bound with ribbon all down its front, or left hanging open. Contouches were worn as deshabillé or undress, i.e. informal day wear. Sleeves had relatively simple cuffs of a rectangular shape with 2-3 pleats to make them narrower at the nick of the elbow.

Until the 1740s, the contouche gradually developed a waist, opened in front, became more decorated and, like all dresses, wider. By the middle of the century, the contouche had developed variations that could be worn for formal off-court occasions, e.g. weddings and soirées. Sleeves now were decorated with double and triple flounces, not counting the lace flounces attached to the chemise sleeves.

The painter Watteau was so fascinated by the play of the large pleats in back that he painted them over and over again. Today these pleats are known as Watteau pleats.

Important warning: Before you begin to make such a piece, you should have advanced sewing know-how. Please read the remarks on period sewing technique and the complete instructions before even buying the fabric. You may find hints on variations or special cases that have a bearing on an earlier stage of the process.

You should have the corset finished first: The robe can only fit properly if it is draped on the corseted figure. The panier should also be finished since its size and shape determine the length and width of the skirt. i.e. the fabric consumption.

The sequence of the following chapters follows the sequence of steps that has proven sensible in practice:

1. Preparations and material
2. The pattern
3. The lining
4. Cutting the robe
5. Draping
6. Sleeves and the rest
7. Petticoat
8. Variations

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