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.
As we now know it as the "Christening Robe"; it evolved when babies were freed of swaddling at a younger age in the mid-eighteenth century. The earliest example to survive were made of white silk and consisted of a front opening which could be fastened with ribbon ties or left open to reveal a petticoat underneath. Like the women's gowns of the 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 which were beautifully decorated with Ayrshire work. Ayrshire is an exquisite form of white-on-white embroidery that originated in the Scottish Lowlands.
An old Scottish custom involved pinning a piece of shortbread to the Christening robe, to be worn throughout the ceremony. An unmarried girl who ate the shortbread after wards was sure to dream of her future husband that night. It was also thought essential for the baby to sleep in its Christening robe for the first night after baptism, to bring luck and good health in the future.
An endless tradition
The same fashion has remained popular for Christenings ever since. This is partly due to the tradition of handling Christening robes down from one generation to the next, so that dozens of babies may wear the same gown over many years.
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. - 16738
As we now know it as the "Christening Robe"; it evolved when babies were freed of swaddling at a younger age in the mid-eighteenth century. The earliest example to survive were made of white silk and consisted of a front opening which could be fastened with ribbon ties or left open to reveal a petticoat underneath. Like the women's gowns of the 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 which were beautifully decorated with Ayrshire work. Ayrshire is an exquisite form of white-on-white embroidery that originated in the Scottish Lowlands.
An old Scottish custom involved pinning a piece of shortbread to the Christening robe, to be worn throughout the ceremony. An unmarried girl who ate the shortbread after wards was sure to dream of her future husband that night. It was also thought essential for the baby to sleep in its Christening robe for the first night after baptism, to bring luck and good health in the future.
An endless tradition
The same fashion has remained popular for Christenings ever since. This is partly due to the tradition of handling Christening robes down from one generation to the next, so that dozens of babies may wear the same gown over many years.
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. - 16738
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Interested in buying or learning more about Christening Gowns? Visit the Poppet Baby Wear website for more.
