18th Century Patched Clothing

Last updated: Jan 13, 2024

This page focuses on clothing that has been repaired with patches, rather than clothing that has been entirely constructed or decorated with patchwork piecing (such as pockets). The intent here is to look at where clothing has been patched, and how the patches have been attached.

Some of these artistic depictions use patching as an element of a broader satire (e.g. the king’s breeches in Temperance Enjoying a Frugal Meal) or a visual cue for poverty or shabbiness (e.g. the patched curtain in The Modern Harlot’s Progress). Most patches on extant clothing show a preference for keeping the visibility of the repair as minimal as possible, as demonstrated in The Importance of Mending, so the visibility of the patches in many of these depictions may have been emphasized for effect.

(Elsewhere on this site: patched clothing from the 14th-16th centuries.)

• The Cryes of the City of London Drawne after the Life: A Braſs Pott or an Iron Pott to mend, Troope every one one, Any Old Iron take money for, Maids any Cunny Skins
• Covent Garden Market by Balthazar Nebot, 1737 (Tate/Guildhall/Christie’s)
• The Blind Musician by J.S. Müller, c. 1740
• Sketch of a boy sleeping on a block of stone by Daniel Chodowiecki
• London Cries: Fun upon fun by Paul Sandby, 1759
• Modern Love: The Elopement by John Collet, 1764
• Children playing by Johann Conrad Seekatz
• The Methodist Taylor caught in Adultery, 1768
• The Female Orators, 1768
• John Tait, 1772
• A Polite Artist, 1773
• Foolish Sam, 1773
• The Human Passions 17, 26, and 34, 1773
• John Brading, 1774
• The Disbanded Soldier, 1775
• Mad Jack of Margate, 1780
• Portrait of a hedge cutter from Broughton Castle; this portrait has been featured on episodes of Antiques Roadshow and A Stitch in Time
• The Jovial Crew, or, Merry Beggar: A comic opera as performed at Brighton by the Carleton Company, 1786
• The Return from Market by Francis Wheatley, 1786
• The Blind Beggar and His Granddaughter by John Russell
• Frying Sprats, 1791
• The Dutiful Grandson, 1792
• Queen of Patterdale, 1794
• Iohn Doe & Rich^D. Roe, Brothers in Law, 1796
• Man holding a staff by Thomas Barker, c. 1800
• Guy Fawkes Day, The Costumes of Great Britain, 1805

Patches on extant 18th century clothing

Extant patched clothing tends to keep the repairs as minimally visible as possible, but it is not always clear whether these repairs were actually applied in the 18th century or if they reflect later repairs and alterations. (Keep in mind that if clothing were actually deteriorating or otherwise shabby enough to have been patched, it would have been less likely to have been bought by discerning collectors or preserved in museum collections, so there is an element of survivorship bias in what we see in extant examples.)

• Norfolk Museums GRSRM : 2006.172, farm labourer’s trousers found stuffed up a chimney, with heavy patching and repairing, early 18th century
• National Trust 1430672, boy’s breeches in black knit silk, “wool patch to seat”
• National Trust 1348765.2, a coat in shot silk taffeta, 1740-1755, “part of inside sleeve cut away and patched”
• V&A T.148 to B-1964, a brocaded silk sleeved waistcoat, c. 1745; “The small of the back, the underarm and right elbow are patched with a coarser yellow silk.”
• Colonial Williamsburg 1964-386, a child’s linen cap, 1750-1800, “patched repair on lace around the front edge”
• On The Mend has a close-up photo of the mending and repairs to Historic Deerfield F.235, an American striped linen short gown c. 1750-1800; “Holes in both sleeves of this striped linen short gown have been patched from the inside with matching fabric. The edges of the holes have been neatly finished to prevent further fraying.”
• National Trust 1350664, silk breeches, 1760-1770; “The front of the pockets are patched with a piece taken from the back of the waistband.”
• Colonial Williamsburg 1993-336, front-lacing stays, 1760-1775; “The leather lining on the tabs has also been patched or reinforced with more leather.”
• National Trust 1348767, a coat in uncut velvet, 1765-1775; “Appears to have been widened at centre back. Patched with original fabric.”
• Connecticut Historical Society 1959.54.4, a printed cotton day dress, c. 1775-1785; “The lining is patched with blue and white linen gingham at the proper left inside edge.”
• National Trust 1348785, velvet coat, 1780, “repaired under arm with patches of same fabric.”
• National Trust 1348782.1, shot silk breeches, 1780-1790; “Lined with cream silk patched with white cotton … Has been patched with the same fabric.”
• Monticello 1983-14-41, a frock coat c. 1795-1810 with patched elbows; see Thomas Jefferson Wore Patched Clothes and You Can Too!
• Rare Everyday-Wear: A Woman’s Shortgown, c.1780-1800, “This shortgown has been patched, and patched again, with neatly squared patches and careful stitching … some of the patches are scraps of the original fabric, and others are simply similar fabric. Most of the patches are in places that would have received the most stress and wear, under the arm and along the sleeves.”