How did people travel in past centuries? What did they take with them to make their long journeys easier? Travel by road, ship, canal, or railway all took a long time and had dangers so people learned to prepare. And then, in the nineteenth century, road improvements, inventions, and scientific developments made travel more pleasurable. Travel and Luggage By Suzi Love History Notes Book 10 books2read.com/SuziLoveTravel
Horse Power To Steam. Various alternatives to horse power were tested in London’s streets during the 19th century. Steam powered road engines and trams proved too heavy and damaged the roads. Stationary steam engines were used to haul trams attached to a cable but these were only really effective on hills that we too steep for horses. There were also experiments with trams driven gas engines and battery electric power. but was successfully developed. Petrol engines were still primitive and unreliable in the 1890s. In 1900 the reliable horse still dominated the streets of London but new technology was to revolutionize road transport.
What did Jane Austen and friends wear? Early 1800s fashions were elegant and pretty with high waists and fabrics that were almost transparent. These Empire style gowns, named after Napoleon’s first Empress, became popular throughout Europe, and were then copied around the world. Colorful outwear was added to make an ensemble more attractive and warmer. History Notes Book 26 Fashion Women 1805-1809. https://books2read.com/SuziLoveFashionWomen1805-1809
The Empire waist gown defined women’s fashion during the Regency Era. ‘Empire’ is the name given in France to the period when Napoleon built his French Empire. High-waisted, loose gowns were adopted by the aristocracy as a symbol of turning away from the fussy, elaborate and expensive clothing worn in the 1700s. Jean-Jaques Rousseau advocated copying peasants and returning to a simpler life and more natural fashions. Unrestricting clothing was part of the new Democracy in France and these simpler and flowing fashions were adopted all over Europe, including Britain and despite the continual wars being fought against France during the early 1800s. Not even war stopped fashions from being copied everywhere.
19th Century Early Cotton Trousers, British. Buttons at waist, drop down front flap with buttons and cut with excess material to allow easy movement. via Metropolitan Museum New York City, U.S.A. metmuseum.org.
Trousers: In the early 19th century, trousers were sewn with a flap in front called a fall front and was held in place by two or three buttons. Trousers were held up by tight-fitting waists which were adjusted by gusset ties in back of the waist. Seats were baggy to allow a man to rise comfortably from a sitting position.
Fashion Women 1810-1814 History Notes Book 27. This book looks at what was fashionable for women in Jane Austen’s times, or the early 1800s, or the Regency Era in Britain. Wars were being fought around the globe so women’s fashion adopted a military look in support of soldiers. Fashions, like the lifestyle, became progressively more extravagant and accessories went from colorful to over-the-top.
1810 ca Spectacles Or Eye Glasses, British. Fashion accessories as worn by both men and women in the time of the Bridgertons and Jane Austen. via Museum Of London museumoflondon.org. https://books2read.com/SuziLoveFashionMen1800-1819
1817 June Morning Dress as worn in Bridgerton and Jane Austen’s times in England. A round dress composed of jaconet muslin; the bottom of the skirt is trimmed with an intermixture of tucks and embroidery. The body is perfectly novel, it is a three-quarter height, and displays the whole of the throat and a little of the neck: it is composed of the same material as the dress, and is formed to the shape, in a manner at once singular and becoming, by bands of letting-in lace; it is also profusely ornamented with lace, which is set on very full. Long full sleeve, the fullness confined by a tasteful cuff, which is finished by a lace ruffle. Head-dress the Marlborough cap, composed of white lace, ornamented with full-blown roses and blush colored satin ribbon. For the form of this elegant cap, which is perfectly in the English style, we refer our readers to our print. The hair is parted in front so as to display a little of the forehead, and curled lightly over the temples. Necklace and ear-rings white cornelian mixed with gold. White kid slippers and gloves. We are indebted to the elegant taste of Mrs. Marchant of 40, Gerrard-street, Soho, for both our dresses this month. Fashion Plate via Rudolph Ackermann’s ‘The Repository of Arts’.
Definition Morning or At-Home Dress: Loose and comfortable dress and soft lace cap to be worn at home for reading, painting, sewing or for walking in the garden. To be seen by family, servants and close friends. Not accessorized enough to be out in the wider public, although the pretty pink roses and trim on the cap suggest this outfit may have been worn for receiving visitors at home.
1815 June White Carriage Dress, English. Lady reading a book in a high-waisted white satin Pelisse, or Walking Or Carriage dress in the relaxed Empire style as would have been worn at home in the early 1800s, or during Jane Austen’s time. Richly ornamented with clusters of leaves made in white twilled sarsnet, headed with tull. Open fronts, trimmed to the bottom of the waist with a superb shell trimming of white satin ribbon and tull, loose sleeves trimmed at the wrists. High hat of white satin and tull with a plume of feathers of the pomona green. Half-boots of similar color. Gloves en suite and a necklace. Lady is viewing paintings and the program in her hand says ‘British Institution’. In this issue of The Repository there is an article called ‘Exhibition of Paintings by the Flemish and Dutch Masters at the British Institution, Pall Mall.’ Fashion Plate via Rudolph Ackermann’s ‘The Repository of Arts’.
1809 March. White walking dress as Jane Austen. would have worn in England. Pale blue tunic worn over a white dress and with an unusual blue hat trimmed in yellow to match the tunic. Carrying a matching blue reticule and wearing blue slippers and yellow gloves. Description on Fashion Plate, “A Polish cap, and pelisse of silver grey cloth, trimmed with gold or silver, buttoned down the front with small round buttons, a high collar, with a lace ruff ; boots of same colour as the pelisse, and both embroidered with gold or silver. York tan gloves. This dress was transmitted to a lady of high rank from Warsaw, and would alone evince the taste and elegance of the ladies of that country, were they not already sufficiently known. Engraved Plate via Rudolph Ackermann’s ‘The Repository’ of Arts.
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.
Fashion Women 1805-1809 History Notes Book 26 What did Jane Austen and friends wear? This book looks at early 1800s fashions, which were elegant and pretty with high waists and fabrics that were almost transparent. These Empire style gowns, named after Napoleon’s first Empress, became popular throughout Europe, and were then copied around the world. Colorful outwear was added to make an ensemble more attractive and warmer. https://books2read.com/SuziLoveFashionWomen1805-1809