A little wonder, every day
Fichus and the pigeon-breast silhouette
. Creator: Not identified on the Commons file page. License: CC0 (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/deed.en). Attribution: Not identified on the Commons file page. Downloaded from the verified Commons file page; unaltered image. Checked 2026-10-25.](https://xtotam-watt-media-442809139467.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/facts/eb53bf0c-fc7a-41bf-b553-85e5b400bcb2/media/f35a6802dc256686efbed403af1e19e7c36b08e0597605a597f837bfc66d8f22/fichu-embroidered.jpg)
. Creator: Not identified on the Commons file page. License: CC0 (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/deed.en). Attribution: Not identified on the Commons file page. Downloaded from the verified Commons file page; unaltered image. Checked 2026-10-25.](https://xtotam-watt-media-442809139467.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/facts/eb53bf0c-fc7a-41bf-b553-85e5b400bcb2/media/1521c024bced71213ba2a69ff98230159f198a8d2404f6bc88238947042527f0/fichu-muslin.jpg)
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British; Fichu;. Original file: [Fichu MET 1975.128.5.jpg](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AFichu_MET_1975.128.5.jpg). Creator: Not identified on the Commons file page. License: CC0 (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/deed.en). Attribution: Not identified on the Commons file page. Downloaded from the verified Commons file page; unaltered image. Checked 2026-10-25.
Listen to fact0:00 / —
A fichu was a light neckcloth worn over a low neckline to cover the chest; it could also be a fashionable accessory. The silhouette sometimes called a “pigeon breast” was shaped by stays and garment construction. Reliable museum sources do not confirm that starch and wire were specifically used for this purpose.