• A woman stands barefoot in front of ornate burgundy and gold curtains, wearing a white sleeveless romper with lace trim at the hem.
  • video of a woman in a white sleeveless romper in front of curtains
  • A technical sewing pattern measurement chart showing front and back dress/skirt construction diagrams with labeled body points and a size table at the bottom listing measurements for sizes 22 through 46.
  • Black and white technical sewing pattern illustration showing front and back views of a sleeveless romper with a button placket and lace trim.
  • yardage chart for sewing
  • A woman stands barefoot in front of ornate red and gold curtains, wearing a white sleeveless romper with lace trim at the hem.
  • A woman wearing a white sleeveless romper with lace trim stands in front of ornate burgundy and gold curtains.
  • A woman modeling a white sleeveless dress with lace trim, standing in front of ornate burgundy and olive drapes with gold fringe.
  • A woman wearing a white sleeveless romper stands in front of ornate red and gold curtains, gesturing with her hands. The romper has a scoop neckline, button-front closure, and a lace-trimmed hem.
  • A woman in a white sleeveless jumpsuit stands in front of ornate red and olive drapes with gold fringe, looking back over her shoulder.
  • A woman in a white sleeveless romper stands with her back to the camera, holding open a pair of ornate window curtains in a classic room. The curtains feature a two-tone design of deep burgundy velvet and olive green silk with gold fringe and draping.
  • A woman wearing a white sleeveless dress stands in front of ornate drapes with olive green and burgundy velvet panels and gold fringe trim.
  • A woman wearing a white sleeveless romper stands in front of ornate drapes with olive green and burgundy velvet fabric and gold fringe trim.
  • A woman stands indoors in front of ornate drapes, wearing a white sleeveless romper with lace trim at the hem. The setting features rich burgundy and olive curtains with gold fringe detailing.
  • A woman in a white romper stands with her back to the camera, looking at ornate drapery curtains in a classic room. The curtains feature olive green and deep burgundy velvet panels with gold fringe and valance details.
  • A woman wearing a white sleeveless romper stands in front of ornate red and olive drapes with gold fringe trim in an indoor room with classical columns.
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Cinch & Charm

Simplicia Combinations

Simplicia Combinations

$10.00 USD
$10.00 USD
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An essential undergarment for 1800s reenacting. Featuring split front drawers for easy bathroom use, and a low neckline to accommodate both everyday outfits as well as evening wear with plunging necklines. A true beginner sewing pattern that can be completed in a day.

Garment Features

  • Split front drawers
  • Front closure with buttons
  • Front darts for shaping
  • Low neckline for day/ evening wear
  • Separate upper back piece
  • Lace optional

Sewing Guide

Comes with 15+ pages of instructions, materials information, and fashion history. Fabric and supplies are not included.

  • Complete materials list
  • Historical Research
  • Alteration Instructions
  • In-depth Construction Guide 
  • Finishing Tips

    Digital downloads include ALL available sizes. Please ask permission if you plan on making more than 1 garment from the pattern that you purchase, or for using the pattern to teach a class, or if you plan on selling the final product.

Size Guide

The best way to fit this garment is by using your bust, waist, or hip size. I recommend choosing the size with whatever measurement is largest. 

A size chart is included in the download.

If you are not sure about your size, please just ask! You can reach us through the contact form on this site, or by direct message at any of our social media accounts.

Sewing Skill Level

Beginner-friendly pattern. Basic sewing skills such as how to operate a machine are required. Stitch length, thread type, needle type, and materials needed are all explained in the pattern.

Our guide is comprehensive, with in-depth instructions on every part of construction. No guessing!

Historical Accuracy

This garment was adapted from the "National Garment Cutter's Book of Diagrams" by Goldsberry and Doran, published in 1888. The original instructions had an option for a low neckline, which we used. We also based the split front drawers on several extant garments I've seen in person around the southwest. This pattern was made to fit underneath our corsets.

"Simplicia Abeytia" is the name of a mysterious woman who appears on my family tree from the 1880s. She may (or may not) be the mysterious female figure nicknamed "Lia" who helped raise my grandfather and his siblings in the early 1900s. I picked "Simplicia" because this is a very "simple" pattern to make, and she was alive when the design was popular.

Materials

Complete materials list is in the packet included with the pattern. They are also listed at the bottom of this page.

-1.5 yards or 2 yards of 60" fabric, depending on the size. A single set of sheets could make this entire garment. 

-5 buttons of your choice

-Optional lace.

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Combinations History

The combination undergarment, merging chemise and drawers into a single piece, first appeared in the late 1860s or early 1870s, and by the 1890s had largely replaced the older practice of wearing a long chemise over a separate pair of drawers. Its main appeal was reducing bulk: drawers had a gathered drawstring waist, and stacking that under a loose chemise, petticoats, corset, and dress created unnecessary layers of fabric right at the waistline, which the one piece combination eliminated. Elaborate versions in silk and muslin with full, wide legs trimmed in lace were especially popular in the 1890s, though acceptance wasn't universal, since an 1897 issue of Lady's Realm noted that "the fashion for wearing combinations is followed by very few people... who never really took to this form of underwear." 

By the Edwardian era, combinations had become genuinely fashionable rather than merely practical, shifting away from their earlier Victorian reputation as "ugly utility garments," and were typically worn as one of at least three core underlayers, alongside the corset and a petticoat, to achieve the era's desired silhouette.

Go through even more primary sources in our instruction packet!

Were these worn in the southwest?

Yes. Here are some advertisements for inspiration for your finished garment. I will also include some Victorian fabric definitions so you have inspiration for fabric to buy. As is the case today, different brands used different fabrics. Feel inspired to have fun with this project.

Victorian cotton fabric:

  • Longcloth: A fine, soft, plain-weave cotton, usually bleached white, that was a staple for underclothing and linens.
  • Nainsook: A lighter, softer, slightly sheerer plain-weave cotton than longcloth, favored for delicate lingerie and infants' wear.
  • Cambric: A fine, closely woven cotton (or linen) with a crisp, smooth finish, used for handkerchiefs, underclothing, and shirt linings.
  • Muslin: A broad term for plain-weave cotton ranging from coarse to fine, with longcloth being one of its finer grades.
  • Batiste: A very fine, lightweight, semi-sheer plain-weave cotton with a soft, lawn-like hand, used for lingerie, blouses, and trimmings. Beware that modern batiste can be very, very lightweight and sheer. 

The Rocky Mountain News (Daily), Volume 49, Number 162, June 10, 1908

Materials you will need:

Fabrics

It is recommended to use a plainweave 100% cotton that is preshrunk and NOT see-through. 

Protip: Buy a cotton sateen sheet! They are affordable, and one sheet set is large enough for even the largest sizes.

Recommended Tools

Ironing: Steam Iron, Ironing Board, Tailor’s Ham

Sewing: Sewing pins, Plastic Sewing Clips (optional), Sewing Machine, Clear ruler

Sharp scissors or rotary cutter with fresh blade

Heat erasable pens or tailor’s chalk

Fabric snips

Notions

Buttons of your choice (5 total, or more as desired)

Optional:
Lace trim for neckline (1 yard)

Lace trim for legs and arms (2-3 yards)

Making this?

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