1885 Three Piece Side Saddle Riding Habit. Double breasted boned jacket with notched lapel, mother of pearl buttons, sleeve gathered at shoulder, over- skirt with side hook & eye closures, button and loop, fall front leggings, leather stirrups, braided trim. via suzilove.com Whitaker Auction whitakerauction.smugmug.com
1800s “Admiration”. By Vittorio Reggianini. Oil on canvas. This looks like a typical drawing room scene from Jane Austen’s lifetime, or the early 1800s, or the Regency Era. Via Wikimedia Commons commons.wikimedia.org
1801-1828 ca. Man’s Outfit, British. Double breasted, swallow tailcoat of navy wool, plush dark blue velvet collar. Buttoned flap and waist beige breeches, cream vest, intricately tied white cravat. via museumoflondon.com
In the early 1800s, men no longer wore complicated styles and extravagant fabrics. Men’s fashion simplified and became more conservative. A well cut tailcoat, vest, pantaloons and an immaculate cravat of beautiful white linen in the style of George Bryan, or Beau, Brummell. Clothes were a status symbol and indicated a man’s social position. These clothing items were the sort worn by Jane Austen’s male family and friends.
From the finish of the 18th century until 1820, men’s fashions in European and European-influenced countries moved away from the formal wear of brocades, lace, wigs and powder to more informal and relaxed styles. Focus was on undress rather than formal dress. 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.
Skirted coats were replaced with short-fronted, or cutaway, tailcoats worn over fitted waistcoats and plain, white linen shirts. Knee breeches were gradually replaced by tight-fitting pantaloons and later trousers, decorative shoes with buckles were replaced with a variety of boot styles, and fussy and ruffled neckwear gave way to intricately tied, white linen neck cloths. A Regency Era, or early 1800s, gentleman was outfitted in more practical fabrics, such as wool, cotton and buckskin rather than the fussy brocades and silks of the late 1700s.
1804 Men's Fashions In The Time Of Jane Austen. #Regency #Fashion #JaneAusten Share on X
1845-1865 ca. Black Faille Evening Slippers, French. Designed By Melnotte for Department Store J. Petit.
Black slippers, which went with anything, were an essential for mid 1800s fashionable ladies. Generally made of satin so dull faille fabric is unusual so possibly for mourning. Label written largely in French of London shop, exclusive agent, plus other fashionable imported Parisian accessories. via Metropolitan Museum, NYC, U.S.A. metmuseum.org
1805-1815 ca. Capote, Or Bonnet, Netherlands. Black quilted bonnet with black ribbon chin ties. Jane Austen and her family and friends would have worn this style of bonnet. via Rijks Museum, Amsterdam, Netherlands. rijksmuseum.nl
19th Century Early. Reticule Or Bag, French. Silk with embroidered flowers, dangling metal decoration and gold clasp. 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. http://books2read.com/suziloveReticules
The term ‘ridicule’ derived from the Latin ‘ridiculum’ and first used in France during the 17th century and meant subjecting something or someone to mockery. As women’s tiny bags were mocked, or ridiculed, for being a useless fashion accessory carried outside when they were first used in the late 1700s, it’s likely this is how the name ‘ridicule’ started. The later term ‘reticule’ derived from the Latin reticulum, meaning ‘netted bag’ and was applied when bags became larger and often made from netting. In the late 1700s and early 1800s, they were also known as indispensables as they carried all the personal items a lady needed upon her person every day. They were easily made by ladies, easy to carry and became an indispensable fashion accessory.
In the early nineteenth century, reticules started to look like future handbags as they were often made from rigid card or molded mâché or card into a variety of shapes. Early bags were circular and with a drawstring but as women wanted their reticules to look individual they could be made with two halves and a hinged metal closure or with concertina sides. Materials varied from silk, cotton and string and shapes were round, hexagonal or lozenge shapes with shell shaped bags becoming very popular during the Regency and Romantic Eras.
1800s magazines were written for well bred women who could read, so they gave plenty of ideas for how ladies could make and embellish reticules for their own use and as pretty gifts. Needlework was highly encouraged as a pastime for a lady so bags were frequently embroidered or decorated with beading. By the 1820s, reticules became more like our modern handbags using soft leather gathered at the top or hard leather with a rigid fastener and metal chain for carrying.
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.
1800’s Chatelaine of Five Pieces Of Mother-Of-Pearl. Via Live Auctions ~ liveauctioneers.com
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19th Century Early Green Silk Stockings With Gold Embroidery, French. via Metropolitan Museum, N.Y.C., U.S.A. metmuseum.org
In Jane Austen’s times, women, men, and children wore silk stockings, often embroidered in silk. In the Eighteenth Century, clocks had fallen out of fashion, but they were still being worn by wealthy aristocrats during the early 1800s.
In 1815, Rudolph Ackermann’s Repository Of Arts had an advertisement for silk stockings. ‘The cheapest and by far the largest stock ever produced by any one house now on Sale at the Manufacturer’s Warehouse, 51, Cheapside. The patterns are of the richest and most elegant description, beginning at the extraordinary low price of 8 shillings, usually sold for 10 shillings and 6 pence, to the very best and finest quality at 12 shillings 6 pence, usually sold for 16 shillings.’
