Top Hat Styles Chart during the 1800s, from the Regency Era through to the Victorian years. Most popular style was cone shaped and tall in height. Originally made of beaver and very short but later from silk and taller. Tall crown, widens at top, narrow brim turns up slightly at sides. https://books2read.com/SuziLoveFashionMen1800-1819
During the early 1800s, dress fabrics and dresses were thin, sometimes almost transparent. These lightweight white cotton dresses were fashionable in Jane Austen’s times, but they were certainly not warm when a lady was out walking or when riding in a carriage. Numerous outer layers could be added for warmth and to brighten and personalize an outfit. These might be an overdress, pelisse or redingote, hat, shawl, gloves, or large fur muff.
A typical outdoor outfit worn by the Bridgerton family, or Jane Austen and her contemporaries, when going outside consisted of an Empire style, or high-waisted, white cotton dress worn under a Pelisse, or Redingote, or coat, for warmth and with an added layer with the pretty shawl. Hats were made to match gowns and cloaks and fashionable women spent an extraordinary amount of time coordinating complete ensembles which included reticules or bags, shoes, shawls, gloves, hats, parasols, and fans. Typical Empire style dresses had low necklines and with skirts that started directly under the bust and flowed into the classical relaxed wide styles of Greece and Rome. These were worn most days and cotton, silk or taffeta were the popular fabrics.
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.
1816 July Opera Dress of White Lace, English. White dress with scalloped lace hem and shawl collar with lace edge, and worn under a gorgeous pink draping shawl. Skirt trimmed with lace festooned at regular distances, edged by plain band of byas satin and finished by pearl ornaments. Plain long sleeve, very full, caught at the wrists and elegantly finished with lace. Hair ornamented with a wreath of French roses, parted in front, and simply dressed in loose curls. Necklace, ear-rings, and bracelets of pearl. White satin slippers, and white kid gloves and a blush colored French silk scarf. Fashion Plate via Rudolph Ackermann’s ‘The Repository of Arts’.
Extravagant accessories of every color and style were added to the plain white dresses to show individuality and for warmth in cold European temperatures.
Definition Redingote Or Pelisse Or Walking Dress Or Coat: French word developed from English words, riding coat. Long fitted outdoor coat worn over other garments for warmth. Originally made with several capes and trimmed with large buttons. For women, the coat was often cut away in the front or left open to show off the dress underneath. French fashion plates call these coats Redingotes and they were worn by men, women, and children. English fashion plates call the coats a Pelisse, a walking dress, Promenade dress, or Carriage dress.
1818 Walking Dress and Redingote, French. White walking dress under a royal blue redingote, or pelisse, or coat, with a wide fur trim and high shawl collar and with a large bonnet with black plume. The type of outfit young Regency Era ladies would have worn if they were out shopping on Bond Street, walking in a park, or taking a carriage ride through Hyde Park. Fashion Plate via Journal des Dames et des Modes, or Costume Parisien. .
Definition Redingote Or Pelisse Or Walking Dress Or Coat: French word developed from English words, riding coat. Long fitted outdoor coat worn over other garments for warmth. Often left open at the front to show off the dress underneath. Sometimes cut away in front. Originally made with several capes and trimmed with large buttons. French fashion plates call these coats Redingotes and they are designed for women, men and children. English fashion plates call them a Pelisse, a walking dress, Promenade dress, or Carriage dress.
1818 Blue Spencer Of Levantine, French. White cotton print dress with ruffled hem, high plumed bonnet and a neck scarf.
Definition Levantine: Stout silk cloth in twill weave. First made in the Levant, a large area in the Eastern Mediterranean region of Western Asia.
Definition Spencer: Short jacket, cropped at the waist, worn over a dress, or gown. These close-fitting, tight sleeved, waist length jackets were modeled on a gentleman’s riding coat, but without tails. Delicate and regency dresses provided so little protection from the cold, so over garments were essential for warmth, modesty and good health.
1818 Blue Levantine Redingote, French. High-waisted walking coat, high white neck frill, bonnet of blue Gros de Naples with pink flowers, short puffed sleeves over long straight sleeves, white gloves and blue shoes. Fashion Plate via Journal des Dames et des Modes, or Costume Parisien. The type of outfit young Regency Era ladies would have worn if they were out shopping on Bond Street, walking in a park, or taking a carriage ride through Hyde Park.
Definition Redingote Or Pelisse Or Walking Dress Or Coat: French word developed from English words, riding coat. Long fitted outdoor coat worn over other garments for warmth. Often left open at the front to show off the dress underneath. Sometimes cut away in front. Originally made with several capes and trimmed with large buttons. French fashion plates call these coats Redingotes and they are designed for women, men and children. English fashion plates call them a Pelisse, a walking dress, Promenade dress, or Carriage dress.
1797 Elegant Couple Dancing At A Ball. Man: Bottle green tailcoat, yellow knee breeches, white stockings, red vest and black dancing slippers. Lady: White spotted dress with a pale pink overdress open at the front, high belted waist, red and green turban and a parure, or jewelry set. via Fashion Plate via Journal des Dames et des Modes, or Costume Parisien.
1808 January Trio In Half Dress Walking Ensembles, English. Lady on left wearing a pink dress and green coat and carrying a reticule. Lady on right in a white trained dress, long draping shawl and fitted hat. Gentleman in a blue tailcoat, white vest, extra high white cravat, knee breeches, shoes, and black top hat. Fashion Plate via Le Beau Monde. The sort of outfits ladies and gentlemen in Jane Austen’s times would have worn while out walking, shopping, or going to visit friends.
1802 February, 15th. ‘Advantages of Wearing Muslin Dresses.’ during the Regency Era, or Jane Austen’s times. By James Gillray. Fat lady sitting with man and woman at tea table reacts in horror when hot poker from fire falls on her dress. Man sits helplessly while second woman upsets the table. Butler drops plate of muffins and cat scampers away from fire. Painting of Mt. Vesuvius hangs over fireplace. Via Wikimedia Commons commons.wikimedia.org (PD-ART)
1812 Gentleman’s Outfit, French. Brown overcoat, or Redingote, with front pockets, cream Drap trousers buttoned at the ankle, knotted kerchief, top hat and holding a cane. Fashion Plate via suzilove.com and Journal des Dames et des Modes, or Costume Parisien. By 1812, men no longer wore complicated styles and extravagant fabrics. Men’s fashions had simplified and these practical and relaxed clothing items were the sort worn by Jane Austen’s male family and friends when out and about in town or on their daily excursions.
Definition Redingote Or Coat: French word developed from English words, riding coat. Long fitted outdoor coat worn over other garments for warmth. Originally made with several capes and trimmed with large buttons. French fashion plates call these coats Redingotes and they were worn by men, women, and children. English fashion plates call the coats a Pelisse, a Walking Dress, Promenade dress, or Carriage dress. Definition Drap: French equivalent for the English word cloth or stuff and generally applied to fabrics of wool or silk.
1800-1809 ca. Colorful Day Dresses, Designed by Jean-Francois Bony, France.
Though white was the most fashionable color, some designers, such as Jean-Francois, advocated greater use of color in women’s fashion. He was primarily a fabric designer and flower painter and his designs frequently made use of his ornate and colorful fabric designs.
