1809 White Walking Dress, French. Green cashmere shawl, green shoes and close-fitting hat. This is a fashionable ensemble as would have been worn by Jane Austen and her family and friends. Walking dress such as this would have been worn when out shopping, walking in a park or the country estate. This sort of outfit needed to be presentable and warm, but not overly accessorized. Fashion Plate via Journal des Dames et des Modes, or Costume Parisien.
1804-1810 ca. Empire style, or high-waisted, French Court Dress called ‘Joséphine’, Attributed to embroiderer Jean-François Bony, Lyon, France. Silk tulle, silk, chenille, and cotton. via Musée des Tissus et musée des Arts décoratifs, Lyon. via Musée des Tissus et musée des Arts décoratifs, Lyon.
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.
1800 ca. White Muslin Gown, British. Empire Style, or high-waisted, gathered under bust to form softly falling skirt, long straight sleeves. Fabric from Bengal, India, made for European market. White cotton embroidered with white cotton thread.
via Victoria and Albert Museum, London, UK. collections.vam.ac.uk.
About 1800 Women’s dress changed dramatically after 1785. The rich fabrics and complicated, formal shapes of the late 18th century gave way to simple, light fabrics that draped easily. These new gowns achieved something of the effect of the simple tunics shown on classical Greek and Roman statues and vases, Muslin embroidered with cotton thread Fabric made in India, gown made in England Given by Miss Frances Vickers Museum no. 444-1888 (2013) Victoria and Albert Museum, London.
By the end of the 18th century, rigidly tailored garments for both men and women were replaced by styles made for ease and comfort, resulting in the neoclassical style of the 1780s. Inspired in part by the statuary of ancient Greece and Rome, the new fashion was epitomised by light cotton gowns falling around the body in an unstructured way, held around the high waist with a simple sash and accompanied by a soft shawl draped around exposed shoulders. This style was ideal for the Indian imports like Kashmiri shawls and Bengali muslin, as used in this embroidered gown. Championed by such influential figures as Emma Hamilton in England and Madame Récamier in France, the so-called ‘Empire’ style catapulted Indian muslin into the forefront of fashion.
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.
19th Century Early Brown Trousers, American. Button waist, drop down front flap, or fall, and extra fabric in the back for easy movement. via Metropolitan Museum New York City, U.S.A. metmuseum.org https://books2read.com/SuziLoveFashionMen1800-1819
1785–1800 ca. Cotton Breeches, American or European. Man’s cotton breeches, drop down, or fall, front opening, button fastening at the waist, extra material in the back allows more movement for riding etc., and buttons secure the leg openings so they can be fitted to wear with boots for riding. via Metropolitan Museum, NYC, U.S.A. These are the sort of pants that the men Jane Austen knew would have worn for riding or in the country.
1812 March 1st Boxing Match between Ward and Quirk for 100 Guineas a side. By Thomas Rowlandson, British. via The Metropolitan Museum, New York City, U.S.A. metmuseum.org
1820 Ball Gown of Embroidered Net, British. Silk satin and silk net embroidered with metal and trimmed with silk blonde bobbin lace, hand sewn. Short-sleeved ball gown comprising of an underdress of silk satin and an overdress of machine-made silk net embroidered with metal and trimmed with blonde bobbin lace. The dress has a low oval neckline, puffed short sleeves, a wedge shaped front bodice panel, and a medium high waist. The skirt has a central front panel, wedge shaped panels and the centre back panels are tightly gathered at the waist.
From the Museum Curator: ‘Women saved their most elaborate dresses for special occasions such as balls. Lavish gowns embellished with gold thread or sparkling beads glittered in the artificial light of the dancing room. Thin, gauzy materials created a soft dreamy look. These light materials also prevented the wearer from getting too hot while dancing in stuffy, overcrowded spaces’. Victoria and Albert Museum, London, UK
19th cent. Early. Reticule, or Bag, of silk, metal and glass, French, as carried in Jane Austen’s times. Silk ribbon work, with rosy glass beads, and silver purl flowers and backgrounding to the wreath motif. via Metropolitan Museum, N.Y.C., U.S.A. metmuseum.org
Definition Reticule: 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. Tan Corduroy Breeches. Drop down front flap, or ‘fall’, with two buttons, three silver metal buttons at the waistband, watch pocket, corner pockets with buttons, pieced back with waist tie, saggy back with extra fabric to allow for easier movement when riding or sitting, four buttons and silk ties at knee. via Whitaker Auction whitakerauction.smugmug.com. https://books2read.com/SuziLoveFashionMen1800-1819.
Typical of a gentleman’s breeches worn during the early 1800s, or the Regency Era, or Jane Austen’s times. They have a front flap, or fall, which unbuttons and drops down and a back waist tie to adjust the waist size and there are buttons and ties to secure the breeches below the knee.
1815 French Couple. Lady in evening dress with scooped neckline on low-cut pink bodice, floral headpiece and long white gloves. Gentleman in brown tailcoat and stirrup trousers, vest, and casual necktie. Fashion Plate via Journal des Dames et des Modes, or Costume Parisien.
The sort of fashionable outfits and items worn or carried by Jane Austen and her contemporaries when out in public. Ladies outfits for evening were accessorized with gloves, headdresses and jewelry and often dresses were of this shorter length for dancing. Gentlemen were always heavily accessorized as well with the essential of gloves, coats, waistcoats and neatly tied cravats. For more about the fashions of 1815, take a look at History Notes Books 23 and 28 men’s and women’s regency Era fashions.
Fashion Women 1815-1819 History Notes Book 28 What did Jane Austen wear? What was fashionable for women at the end of the Regency Era in Britain and the reconstruction in Europe after the wars. Book 28 for 1815-1819 in History Notes Includes fashions for mourning, riding, dresses, hats, shoes, reticules or bags, underclothing, accessories.
Fashion Men 1800-1819 History Notes Book 23 What was fashionable for men in early 1800s, or Jane Austen’s time, or Regency Era? Suits, hats, shoes, underclothing, fashion accessories, military and bedroom fashions. French fashions and Georgian and Regency Era fashions from Great Britain were copied around the world.
