Did you know that Becassine, the subject of magazine cartoons and books published by Gautier and Languereau, came from Brittany? In the stories, she worked for the Parisian household of Madame de Grand-Air. She was a domestic servant: a nanny and maid of all work. Brittany supplied more servants to the upper class households of Paris than any other province, according to a learned social scientist.
Above: Becassine and Madame de Grand-Air
Becassine worked in her traditional regional clothing, a wool dress with white apron and coif.
She wore felt house shoes inside, and wooden clogs called "sabot" when outdoors. A pattern for this costume was published in La Semaine de Suzette on 15 October, 1908, in issues 36 and 37. Here is what the pattern looks like when it is made according to the instructions. A printed silk apron was suggested, rather than a white apron, and felt house shoes are also included in the pattern.
The traditional costumes of Brittainy are justifiably famous for their beauty and complexity. This costume is from the Pont Aven area in Brittainy. It includes a lace coif and carved wooden sabot.
And here is the photo of a girl, a little younger than Becassine, photographed in Paris wearing her traditional costume from the area of Bannalec in Brittainy.
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