Middle English toile, from
French toile ("cloth"), from
Old French teile, from
Latin tela ("web"), from
Proto-Indo-European *(s)teg ("to cover") (see
List of Proto-Indo-European roots in
Wiktionary). In Australian and British terminology, a
toile is a version of a garment made by a fashion designer or
dressmaker to test a
pattern. They are usually made of
calico. Multiple toiles may be made in the process of perfecting a design. In the United States
toiles are sometimes referred to as
muslins, because during the
Middle Ages they were made from the cheap, unbleached
muslin-fabric available in different weights.
Toile de Jouy The French "Toile de Jouy" simply means "cloth from
Jouy" in English and describes a type of fabric printing. "Toile de Jouy", sometimes abbreviated to simply "toile", is a type of decorating pattern consisting of a white or off-white background on which is a repeated pattern depicting a fairly complex scene, generally of a pastoral theme such as a couple having a picnic by a lake or an arrangement of flowers. The pattern portion consists of a single color, most often black, dark red, or blue. Greens, browns, and magenta toile patterns are less common, but not unheard of. Toile is most associated with fabrics (curtains and
upholstery in particular, especially
chintz), though toile wallpaper is also popular. Toile can also be used on teapots, beddings, clothing, etc. In upper-class (primarily American, but also northern European) society, toile is often seen on dresses or aprons used at such events as country-themed garden parties or tea parties. Toiles were originally produced in Ireland in the mid-18th Century and quickly became popular in Britain and France. The term "Toile de Jouy" originated in
France in the late 18th century. In the
French language, the phrase literally means "cloth from
Jouy-en-Josas", a town in the south-west suburbs of
Paris. Although it has been continuously produced since then, it experienced a marked upsurge in popularity around the year 2000. Previously only a decorating design, designers have been recently experimenting with toile-patterned apparel as well, although toile-patterned shirts were widely worn in the 1970s. Toiles were very popular during the
Colonial Era in the United States and are highly associated with preservationist towns and historical areas such as
Colonial Williamsburg. When Williamsburg saw a resurgence in popularity in the 1930s, so did toiles, as they did again in the 1970s in celebration of the
United States Bicentennial. ==References==