A traditional pelmet treatment from the Georgian era, when under curtains were no more than muslin or fine silk and the pelmets were the object of decoration and drapery. The swag or swags across the centre of the window and the tails hang to either side
There are various incarnations of swags and tails, from a single length of fabric pinned into an informal shape, to a very formal set of complex swags and fully lined tails with serious passementerie detailing. The key to swags and tails is in the cut: they need to have ‘life’ – movement – that is implied rather than visible, and this level of workmanship requires a skilled hand.