1800-1820 ca. Small Pieces Of Drawing Room Furniture as would have been used in houses where Jane Austen lived. Side tables, book tables, chest and foot stool. Collage by Suzi Love.
Light-Hearted look at an Older Lady’s Life In Jane Austen’s Times, or early 1800s. An easy to read overview of what an older lady did, wore, and how she lived in the early 19th Century. Information for history buffs and pictures for readers and writers of historical fiction. Older Lady’s Day, Regency Life Series, Book 5, by Suzi Love. books2read.com/suziloveOLD
The older lady’s day usually started with her toilette in her bedroom, where her maid helped her dress for the day and styled her hair. After that, she would join her family downstairs for breakfast unless she preferred a tray with either tea or hot chocolate in her bedroom as she prepared for her busy day. Her day would be made up of speaking with the housekeeper and the cook about the week’s menus, assuring that the servants were all available that day and no one was ill, and checking the list of foods needed. She would also enquire if the laundry was up to date and that they had enough good linen to make up all the beds before extended family members and guests arrived. If she was in the country and hosting a weekend house party, she would assign rooms to the guests on her lists and query that all was in readiness for their arrival.
Chatelaines and Chains History Notes Book 9 By Suzi Love. What do you know about Chatelaines and Chains worn in Jane Austen’s and Bridgerton times? Women in charge of households carried important items with them. History Notes Book 9 Chatelaines and Chains. books2read.com/SuziLoveChatelaines
Personal Necessities, keys, or chatelaines was a set of useful items hung from waist by decorative chain. Chatelaines and Chains. History Notes Book 9 By Suzi Love. Women in charge of households dangled long chains from their waists to keep essentials within easy reach e.g. keys, notebook and pen, watch, sewing items, vinaigrette or perfume, or magnifying glass. Early chatelaine were simple essentials. Later chatelaine were decorative and expensive. http://books2read.com/SuziLoveChatelaines
Definition Chatelaine: The word Chatelaine is French and means the keeper of the keys. Chatelaine” derives from the Latin word for castle. In Medieval times, the chatelaine was in charge of the day-to-day running of the castle. Women in charge of households dangled long chains from their waists to keep essentials within easy reach e.g. keys, notebook and pen, watch, sewing items, vinaigrette or perfume, or magnifying glass. Early chatelaine were simple essentials. Later chatelaine were decorative and expensive. books2read.com/SuziLoveChatelaines
What did a chatelaine do? Most important task was keeper of the keys. Also ordered supplies, did bookkeeping, supervised servants, taught castle children, and organized guests.
hat were chatelaines used for?
1815 May. Walking Dress, or Pelisse, or Redingote, English. Purple walking dress with wide collar, high white lace neck frill, and white trim down the vertical opening, white reticule, and a high white plumed hat. Fashion Plate via Rudolph Ackermann’s ‘The Repository of Arts’. Google Books (PD-180) suzilove.com Fashion Plate via Rudolph Ackermann’s ‘The Repository of Arts’.
Definition: Walking Dress Or Pelisse Or Redingote Woman’s long, fitted coat often worn open in front to show off the dress underneath. Walking Dress Or Pelisse are the terms used in English fashion plates, while Redingote is seen in European fashion plates, especially the French one, Journal des Dames et des Modes, or Costume Parisien.
1775-1825 ca. Bridgerton and Jane Austen Style Black Silk Breeches, American or European. #Bridgerton #JaneAusten #GeorgianEra #RegencyFashion books2read.com/SuziLoveFashionMen1800-1819
Continue reading →19th Century Early Jane Austen and Bridgerton Style Gold Silk Spencer With Puffed Shoulder. With V-shaped rouleaux trim to the bodice and puffed shoulder detail. via Christie’s Auction Rooms. christies.com
Regency London 1820 The English Metropolis By John Corry Via Google Books (PD-180)
This great metropolis is sixty miles distant from the sea; it is built on the banks of the river Thames; is about seven miles in length, from east to west, but of an irregular breadth, being in some parts two miles, in others three, and at the broadest part four miles. Its three distinct and municipal divisions are, the city of London, the city of Westminster, and the borough of Southwark, which, with their extensive suburbs, cover a space of more than twenty miles in circumference. According to the Population Return of 1811, this metropolis then contained 149,430 houses, including those building and uninhabited; and since that period there have been but few new houses built, so that the real number is probably not more than 150,000.
In the year 1801, the population of London was ascertained to be 900,000. The number in 1811, amounted to 1,009,546. Beneath the pavement large arched sewers communicate with the houses by smaller ones, with the street by small openings covered with iron grating, and with the Thames, which contributes much to the cleanliness and health of the inhabitants of this populous place. Houses on each side of these streets are lofty, spacious, and commodious, generally four stories high, and chiefly occupied by tradesmen, whose shops present the most beautiful and perfect productions of nature and art for the general accommodation of man, There are two extensive lines of commercial streets from east to west, the principal of which begins at Mile End, and thence through Whitechapel, Aldgate,Leadenhall-street, Cornhill, Cheapside, St. Paul’s Church-yard,Ludgatehill, Fleet-street, the Strand, Pall Mall, St. James’s-street, and’ Piccadilly, to the southern side of Hyde Park. But besides these numerous storehouses of merchandise, there are also many thousand shops in various directions. Ample supplies of water afforded by the Thames And New River Water-works, are essentially conducive to the health and comfort of the inhabitants.
St. Paul’s Church is the most magnificent. It is situated near the northern bank of the Thames, and when viewed from Blackfriar’s Bridge in the vicinity, presents one of the noblest ornaments of superb architecture ever beheld by the human eye. This beautiful cathedral is built of Portland stone, in the form of a. cross, adorned in the central part by a lofty dome, on the summit of which is a light and elegant lantern, ornamented with Corinthian columns, and surrounded by a balcony. Next to St. Paul’s cathedral for magnificence, and even greater in extent, is that fine monument of gothic architecture Westminster Abbey, or the collegiate church of St. Peter.Among the modern churches that of St. Mary-le-Bone is remarkable for a spacious and stately portico composed of eight columns and two pilasters of Portland stone, in the Corinthian order. This church is built north and south, and the northern front, which is opposite the Regent’s Park.
The Tower of London, which has been the scene of many a tragic and affecting event, is the only fortress in the city. It is situated on the northern bank of the Thames, eastward of London Bridge, contains the Jewel Office, Mint, three armouries, and the royal train of artillery. The menagerie, near the west entrance, has for ages been a principal object of attraction to rustic visitors, who on their arrival considered it indispensable to see the lions.
1817 White Percale Dress, French. Dress has layers of decoration above hem, black velvet Spencer, or jacket, wide brimmed straw hat trimmed in blue, neck scarf and walking shoes. Fashion Plate via Journal des Dames et des Modes, or Costume Parisien.
Definition Spencers: Short jackets worn for warmth over the high-waisted Empire style gowns said to have originated when Earl Spencer tore the tails off his coat in a hunting accident. In support of military men fighting wars everywhere, fashions for Spencers leaned towards military style embellishments, such as loops, buttons, and braids. Puffed sleeves over long straight sleeves were also very popular. Jane Austen and her friends and family wore Spencers over their high-waisted dresses.
Definition Empire Style Dress: Named after the First Empire in France. Empire dresses had a low neckline and 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 high-waisted dress was worn most days. Cotton, silk or taffeta were the popular fabrics. Only the very wealthy could afford white dress in this style as the cottons were imported from India and had to be carefully cleaned, usually by a lady’s maid.
1810-1814 ca. Muslin Dress, Canada. White muslin embroidered in white cotton with a delicate all-over design of sprigs and sheaves of wheat worked in stem stitch and long and short stitch. Unboned high-waisted bodice with draw-tape casing at square neckline, back draw-tapes at neck and waist, extra-long sleeves, puffed sleeves with flounce and whitework embroidery, straight-cut skirt gathered in back, hem trimmed with crocheted loops in white cotton. Embroidered in white cotton sprigs and wheat sheaves. In 1810s, draw-tapes often replaced drawstrings for bodice adjustment. Skirts changed to flaring around 1815.
The fit of this unboned bodice is controlled by a draw-tape in a casing at the square neckline. The back closure is controlled by draw-tapes at neckline and waist. The extra long sleeves have a narrow shoulder strap, are puffed and end with a flounce. Under the puff is a narrow horizontal insertion of whitework embroidery. The straight-cut skirt is fitted smoothly to the bodice in front, but is gathered to it in back. The hemline is trimmed with crocheted loops in white cotton. Lightweight muslin dresses like this one offered little warmth, so a stole was often needed to cover the shoulders. This dress was originally owned by the De Witt family of Quebec City. via McCord Museum, Canada. musee-mccord.qc.ca
1810-1814 ca. Embroidered White Muslin Dress As Worn In Jane Austen and Bridgerton Times. #Bridgerton #JaneAusten #RegencyFashion https://books2read.com/SuziLoveFashion1810-1814 Share on X
1817 September Glengary Riding Habit, English, as would have been worn during Bridgerton and Jane Austen’s times. Pale blue cloth, richly ornamented with frogs and braiding, front braided on each side and fastens under the body of the habit, which slopes down on each side to define the figure. Epaulettes and jacket are braided to correspond with the front as is the bottom of the sleeve which is braided nearly half-way up the arm. Habit shirt is of cambric with a high standing collar and trimmed with lace. Cravat of soft muslin is richly worked at ends, tied in a bow, narrow lace ruffles at the wrists. Headdress is a Glengary cap of blue satin, trimmed with plaited ribbon of various shades of blue and a plume of feathers. Blue kid gloves are worn and half-boots. Fashion Plate via Rudolph Ackermann’s ‘The Repository of Arts’.
Male tailors made most women’s riding habits during the Regency years and they were constructed similarly to men’s riding outfits. Generally in two pieces, a jacket and a skirt, and with a shirt with a frilled collar or front opening underneath. The trains of a habit could be caught up for walking, usually with a button and loop, and unhooked and let down so that the skirt flowed over the woman’s legs when she rode side saddle. Due to the numerous wars during the early 1800s, it was seen as patriotic for women to add military style touches to outfits in support of military men. The shoulder and cuff trims resemble the epaulettes and coat trims of a military uniform.
