I'm an Australian author of contemporary and historical romances, plus history non-fiction. My books range from sexy to erotic, late 1700s to the mid 1800s, and with a dash of Australia thrown into the mix. My heroes and heroines challenge tradition and my stories often expose the seamier levels of life. I now live in a sunny part of Australia after spending many years in developing countries in the South Pacific. My greatest loves are traveling, anywhere and everywhere, meeting crazy characters, and visiting the Australian outback. I hope my books bring history alive and you have fun adventuring with my roguish heroes and feisty heroines.
1789-1790 ca. Man’s Red Riding Coat, England or France. Wool plain weave, full finish, with metallic-thread embroidery, tan breeches, black riding boots and crop. Credit: (M.2007.211.46) via Los Angeles County Museum of Art, California, USA. collections.lacma.org
1800 Outfit Of A Young Man With Grey Cutaway Coat, French. Grey cutaway coat, red vest or waistcoat, high white cravat, yellow breeches with red fob at waist, yellow gloves, black boots with tassels, hat and walking stick. Fashion Plate via Journal des Dames et des Modes, or Costume Parisien.
In the early years of the 19th century, men’s fashions changed dramatically. Coats were cut higher in the front and finished in long tails at the back. Waist length square-cut waistcoats were displayed beneath tailcoats. The lining of the shoulders and upper chest of the coat was sometimes quilted to improve the fit and some dandies wore boned corsets to give them a small waist. Trousers became increasingly fashionable in the first quarter of the 19th century as men gradually adopted long trousers rather than knee breeches. At first long length pants were only worn for day and informal dress and breeches were still required for court dress, but by the 1820s trousers were accepted as evening wear.
Typical menswear in the early 1800s included a tailcoat, a vest or waistcoat, either breeches, pants, or the newer trousers, stockings, shoes or boots, all worn with an overcoat and hat. This basic ensemble was accessorized with some form of neckcloth or cravat, gloves, walking stick, cane or riding crop, handkerchief, fobs, watch and perhaps a quizzing glass or eye glass. The tan hat from the late 18th century was worn and developed into the top hat which was worn for day and formal dress throughout the 19th century. Hair was carefully styled into a windswept look or worn short and curled.
1830 ca. Quilted Buff Canvas Corset, English. Quilted canvas, wood, boning, and brass. Self lined, quilted with back stitch.
Front fastening, shoulder straps, and brass eyelets for back. The wide centre front busk may be of wood and these stays are boned from the waist through the centre of the bust gussets, with three bones at each side and on each side of the back lacing. The rest is quilted, the top is over a cord foundation, and there are gussets at the hips. Eyelets in the back and strap lacing are of brass and machine inserted. On the left of the centre busk at hip level, is a tape stretched so that it ties horizontally. The top and straps are bound with tape. Self lined, quilted in back stitch, the waist is herringboned, and the bases of the bust and hip gores are button-holed. via Victoria and Albert Museum, London, UK. collections.vam.ac.uk
Hessian Boots: In the 1790s, British Army officers wore boots called Hessians, named after German mercenaries who fought alongside the British in wars, including in the Irish Rebellion of 1798. The soldiers from the German state of Hesse were called Hessians and their boots took their name from Hesse, where they were made. The Hessian boot was made from soft, highly polished calfskin, knee high, curved top and with a V cut at the front and often had a decorative tassel.
They were shaped like a stirrup so the rider could easily insert their feet into the stirrups and the feet were kept securely in place. But tassels on Hessian boots were designed for wearing with breeches and didn’t suit tight fitting and fashionable new trousers that dandies like Beau Brummell wore in 1800s and so were replaced by Wellington Boots.
In 1823, the New Monthly Magazine had a comical story about tight pantaloons and Hessian boots being a perfect pairing. ‘…. tight pantaloons without Hessian boots were as preposterous as a haunch of venison without currant-jelly, or a leg of pork without peas-pudding.’
https://books2read.com/SuziLoveFashionMen1800-1819
19th Century Early Reticule, Or Bag, New England, England or U.S.A. Septagonal, or four sided, with embroidery and silk tassels. White satin embroidered with polychrome silks, silver threads, silver sequins. On front, in center of wreath of roses tied with blue bow, is written VALUE THE TRIFLE. On back, in similar wreath, is FRIENDSHIP. On sides are floral motifs, one of sweetpeas and the other of pansies. On all sides a border of silver threads in chain motif entwined with curling brown vine. Primarily worked in satin stitch. Thirteen silk tassels attached. White ribbon ties. via Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, U.S.A. mfa.org
Definition Reticule Or Ridicule Or Bag or Purse: Often with a drawstring to pull closed and usually made of cloth or covered cardboard and often decorated with beading or embroidery. A reticule, or purse, or handbag, was usually carried by a woman during the Regency period to carry all their daily necessities. Earlier, women used pockets that tied at the waistline and were hidden in the folds of their skirts. Empire style, or early 1800s, high-waisted dresses made it impossible to either sewn in a pocket or to tie on a pocket. So women began carrying small, decorated bags called Reticules, or ridicules, which generally pulled close at the top with a drawstring.
1800 ca. Brown Silk Trousers, French. Though these pants are French, the men in Jane Austen’s life would have worn similar trousers. Drop down front flap, or ‘fall’, buttoned waist front and back, extra fabric in the back for ease of movement and ties at calves to hold in place. via Metropolitan Museum, N.Y.C., U.S.A.
1801 Typical Gentleman’s Suit, French. Normal outfit worn by men in the times of Jane Austen, or the Regency Era, or the early 1800s. Blue tailcoat with brass buttons, taupe breeches tied beneath the knees, white stockings, black dress shoes, black hat, gloves and cane. Fashion Plate via Journal des Dames et des Modes, or Costume Parisien.
Typical menswear in the early 1800s included a tailcoat, a vest or waistcoat, either breeches, pants, or the newer trousers, stockings, shoes or boots, all worn with an overcoat and hat. This basic ensemble was accessorized with some form of neckcloth or cravat, gloves, a walking stick, cane or riding crop, handkerchief, fobs, a watch and perhaps a quizzing glass or eye glass.
1815 Pink Dress, French. Cashmere dress with white underdress showing the sleeves, decorated hem, turban of tulle and satin, diamond pointed hem, slippers and shawl. Fashion Plate via Journal des Dames et des Modes, or Costume Parisien. https://books2read.com/SuziLoveFashionWomen1815-1819
Definition Aigret, aigrette, egret: Plume of feathers or jeweled ornament in shape of feathers worn on head or hats. During the early 19th century., or Jane Austen’s lifetime, the favorite feathers were osprey and heron.
Definition Empire Style: Named after the First Empire in France, by 1800 Empire dresses had a very low décolleté, or neckline and a short narrow backed bodice attached to a separate skirt. Skirts started directly under the bust and flowed into the classical relaxed wide styles of Greece and Rome. This style of dress is associated with Jane Austen and her contemporaries as a simple cotton high-waisted dress was worn most days and accessorized according to the importance of the occasion.
19th Century Early Typical Regency Era Men’s Pants With Drop Down Front Flap. Breeches, pantaloons and trousers usually opened by front flaps which dropped down and were fastened with buttons. No belts but pants were instead held up by tight-fitting waists and adjusted to fit snugly by ties or buckles in the back. Back seats were baggy to allow a man to sit and stand comfortably. Typical of a gentleman’s pants worn during the early 1800s, or the Regency Era, or Jane Austen’s times. They have a front flap, or fall, a back waist tie and buttons and ties to secure the breeches below the knee.
1810 ca. Pineapple Dress, French. High-waisted, Empire style dress with embroidered pineapple motifs, short wide neckline, puffed sleeves and long train. via Palais Galliera, Musée de la Mode de la Ville de Paris.
