1800 ca. Gentleman’s White Dimity Waistcoat, England. This vest is typical of the move away from the 18th Century’s formal styles and fussy fabrics and matched the shift of women’s fashions towards lighter and airier styles and fabrics. via Whitaker Auction whitakerauction.smugmug.com
Waistcoats worn at the very beginning of the early 19th century generally had a straight bottom, double-breasted and with wide lapels. Not long after this, waistcoats began to be cut higher up to the waist in front so men during Jane Austen’s lifetime would have worn both styles.
Katie woke sluggishly, unable to pinpoint what felt different. Outside, it was still dark and she guessed it was a couple of hours before the tropical dawn. Already the heat was oppressive and sweat dotted her body, the bed linen a crumpled tangle on the floor. She usually awoke with a jolt, fearful of what the day might bring and uncertain if she’d be alive to see tomorrow’s dawn. But today she felt alive. Even her body felt different, sort of enjoyable lassitude, but with a few puzzling tender areas.
She flinched and barely smothered her scream when a heavily muscled arm draped across her bare waist and languidly pulled her backwards. Memory flooded her. Alex was tugging her, gently but persistently, towards him again. Her inner struggle between mind and body lasted only a fleeting minute as she permitted her naked body to be lifted and draped across his, breast to breast, thighs meeting and his aroused flesh, hot and hard, enticing her once more.
‘Alex…’
Gentle fingers against her lips silenced her. ‘Shush, Katie. Shush!’
‘But we have an agreement.’
‘I promise to abide by your ridiculous rules, but we still have many hours before full tide and I want to love you, again and again. I need this! We both do. This may be all the time we have to be together for a long while.’
Listening to McLeish extol his own greatness nearly had Lord Alexander St. John at screaming point, but he fixed an interested look on his face while he let his mind wander to Lady Katharine, his thoughts touching over her like a caress. He wanted to kiss her, to taste her sweetness, to allow his tongue to sweep the inside of her soft mouth while his hands explored her body. Oh, God. He had to pull his thoughts back from the direction they were heading before McLeish noticed that his groin was suddenly hard and hot from just thinking of Katie.
Feigning a large yawn, he apologized to McLeish as he excused himself. ‘I thank you for a delightful evening, Robert, but I find I am extraordinarily tired and if I am to discuss business with you tomorrow in any sort of reasonable fashion, I will retire now to my bed.’
‘Yes, yes, Alexander. I understand perfectly. I will meet you at nine at the warehouse.’
‘Ah, Robert. A little later would be better. I will need to arrange things on board my ship first.’
‘Of course, of course. Whatever suits. Until tomorrow.’ He turned to scream for the Chinese houseman, who Alex could see was already waiting in the shadows. ‘Tong! Show Earl St. John out and bring me another whiskey. Quickly!’
Alex started to correct McLeish about promoting him to Earl while his father still lived, but even another minute spent in the company of this appalling man would be too much.
1804–1815 ca. Fawn Cotton Dress With Embroidery Beading, Austrian. Simple Empire style dress with A-line skirt from a high waistline and short bodice as Jane Austen and contemporaries across Europe would have worn. Fawn colored cotton with deep bead embroidered hem, embroidery on the wrists and around the wide scooped neckline. Transparent fabrics of the early were beginning to be replaced with fabrics with more weight that were less likely to tear. Plain silks in vivid colors were at first made up in the simple lines of muslin dresses but then plain gowns began to be decorated with intricate contrasting applications and beading. This dress was part of “The Fine Art of Costume” exhibition, 1954 October 15th at the Met Museum, N.Y.C. via Metropolitan Museum, NYC, U.S.A. metmuseum.org. Credit: Gift of Mr. Lee Simonson, 1939. Accession Number:C.I.39.13.52
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.
1804-1815 ca. Front Fawn Cotton Dress with Bead Embroidery, Austrian.
1804-1815 ca. Back Fawn Cotton Dress with Bead Embroidery, Austrian.
1804-1815 ca. Side Fawn Cotton Dress with Bead Embroidery, Austrian.
1804-1815 ca. Black and White. Fawn Cotton Dress with Bead Embroidery, Austrian.
1804-1815 ca. Black and White Group. Fawn Cotton Dress with Bead Embroidery, Austrian.
1804-1815 ca. Beading View. Fawn Cotton Dress with Bead Embroidery, Austrian.
1804-1815 ca. Beading View. Fawn Cotton Dress with Bead Embroidery, Austrian.
1804-1815 ca. Beading View. Fawn Cotton Dress with Bead Embroidery, Austrian.
1804-1815 ca. Beading View. Fawn Cotton Dress with Bead Embroidery, Austrian.
1804-1815 ca. Beading View. Fawn Cotton Dress with Bead Embroidery, Austrian.
1804-1815 ca. Fawn Cotton Dress With Embroidery Beading, Austrian. #Regency #JaneAusten #Fashion https://books2read.com/SuziLoveFashionWomen1805-1809 Share on X Fashion Women 1805-1809 History Notes Book 26 What did Jane Austen and friends wear? https://books2read.com/SuziLoveFashionWomen1805-1809
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.
1810-1814 ca. White Muslin Dress, Canada. Sleeve View. via McCord Museum, Canada. musee-mccord.qc.ca1810-1814 ca. White Muslin Dress And Shawl, Canada. Back View. via McCord Museum, Canada. musee-mccord.qc.ca1810-1814 ca. White Muslin Dress Embroidered With White Sheaves Of Wheat, Canada. #Regency #JaneAusten #Fashion
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
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.
1818 September 18th Le Palais Royal de Paris. ‘A Peep at the French Monstrosities’. Two English tourists dressed as dandies walk arm-in-arm under the arcade of the Palais Royal, interested in the promenading courtesans. Their dress is rather similar to that of the Englishmen, but the latter wear bell-shaped top-hats, while the Frenchmen have flower-pot shaped hats. By George Cruikshank. Via British Museum, London, UK. britishmuseum.org (PD-Art)
1890 ca. Ivory, Enamel, and Gold Carnet de Bal, or Dance Card. Formerly in the collection of lady Mairi Bury. Ribs are of ivory, numbered front to back from 1 to 24, either end decorated with polychrome enamel with a lotus flower motif, attached by chain to a ring. Maker’s marks, fitted case, Payne and Sons. via Sotheby’s Auctions. sothebys.com
Easy to read overview of what an older lady did, wore, and how she lived in Jane Austen and Bridgerton’s time. 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
Spencers Or Regency Jackets By Suzi Love. History Notes Book 4. What was fashionable for outer wear in past centuries? Call them what you like: Spencers, short jackets, or Regency jackets were very popular. Take a look at the jackets being worn by women in the early 1800s or the times of Jane Austen. books2read.com/suziloveSpencers
Definition: Spencer – Short, bodice hugging, usually long sleeved, outer jacket. For warmth and for fashion.
Definition Caroline Spencer: Worn during the Directoire and First Empire (1790-1815 C.E.). Spencer with pelerine cape that was made of white kerseymere and trimmed with light blue satin cut on bias.
Spencers were short jackets cut to match the high waistlines of Empire dresses. They often copied military styling, such as braiding, shoulder decoration, buttons and loop fasteners, and wrist adornments. They were generally of complex construction, often with a diamond shaped piece in the back.