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.
The Christening robe, as we know it today, evolved in the mid-eighteenth century when babies were freed of swaddling at an earlier age. In white silk, the earliest surviving examples have a front opening which was either fastened with ribbon ties or left open to show a petticoat beneath. The decorative curving lines of braid are similar to those applied to women's gowns of the period.
The early Christening robes were made in the same style as worn by every day eighteenth century boys and girls. Both boy and girl babies wore "slip" dresses combined with a long flowing skirt that fell from a short tucked bodice with a low neck and short sleeves. Additional items of clothing were added to go with the robe, items such as bonnets and bootees. A small number of delicate Christening sets from the seventeenth and eighteenth century managed to survive, amongst the sets included mittens, bibs, head bands, pincushion covers or handkerchiefs in embroidered linen.
Victoria era babies wore Ayrshire decorated gowns. Ayrshire is a delicate form of white-on-white embroidery that originating in the Scottish Lowlands.
An old Scottish custom was to pin a piece of shortbread to the Christening robe and was to be worn for the duration of the ceremony. Afterwards, if an unmarried girl ate the shortbread, she was sure to dream of her future husband that very night. It was also deemed necessary that the baby sleep in its Christening robe for the first night after the baptism in order to bring good luck and good health in the future.
A timeless 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. - 16732
The Christening robe, as we know it today, evolved in the mid-eighteenth century when babies were freed of swaddling at an earlier age. In white silk, the earliest surviving examples have a front opening which was either fastened with ribbon ties or left open to show a petticoat beneath. The decorative curving lines of braid are similar to those applied to women's gowns of the period.
The early Christening robes were made in the same style as worn by every day eighteenth century boys and girls. Both boy and girl babies wore "slip" dresses combined with a long flowing skirt that fell from a short tucked bodice with a low neck and short sleeves. Additional items of clothing were added to go with the robe, items such as bonnets and bootees. A small number of delicate Christening sets from the seventeenth and eighteenth century managed to survive, amongst the sets included mittens, bibs, head bands, pincushion covers or handkerchiefs in embroidered linen.
Victoria era babies wore Ayrshire decorated gowns. Ayrshire is a delicate form of white-on-white embroidery that originating in the Scottish Lowlands.
An old Scottish custom was to pin a piece of shortbread to the Christening robe and was to be worn for the duration of the ceremony. Afterwards, if an unmarried girl ate the shortbread, she was sure to dream of her future husband that very night. It was also deemed necessary that the baby sleep in its Christening robe for the first night after the baptism in order to bring good luck and good health in the future.
A timeless 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. - 16732
About the Author:
Interested in buying or learning more about Christening Gowns? Visit the Poppet Baby Wear website for more.
