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
1890 Cotton Twill Corset, England or Germany. Machine stitched with front hooks and back lacing and made in two parts. Brown corset with the bones covered with a darker cotton twill, black fabric covered busks and a trimming of black machine-made cotton lace. Lined with white cotton twill and the top and bottom are bound with reddish brown tape.
The front fastens with a busk and the backs are provided with metal eyelets for a lace. The corset is hip length, curving to a rounded point in the front and less deeply at the back. The bones are close-set and splayed out at the bust and hips, and at the tops are trimmed with fancy stitching in cream. There is a band of dark brown cording at the top, covering the breasts. At the waist there is a V-shaped band in darker brown stitching. With metal fastenings. via http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O351699/corset-unknown/
Corsets 1880-1900 History Notes Book 20 This book shows how a fashionable silhouette became of paramount importance and how a well-fitted corset became a fashion essential. As well as a decorative fashion item, tight lacing gave a narrow waist and the desired feminine form under clothing. https://books2read.com/SuziLoveCorsetBook20
1819 Gardens of the Tuileries Near the Rue de Rivoli, Paris, France. Woman in a red walking dress, or Redingote, or Pelisse, modeled after British riding dresses and worn with a high white bonnet with feathers, or plumes. The skirt remains fairly narrow and the waist is fairly low, indicating the transition into 1820 styles. In the background are women walking with children. From Illustrations by François Courboin from Octave Uzanne’s Les Modes de Paris.
Variations du goût et de l’esthétique de la femme, 1797-1897, L. Henry May, Paris, 1898, or from the English translation of the same work: Fashion in Paris : the various phases of feminine taste and aesthetics from 1797 to 1897, William Heinemann, London, 1898.
1815-1818 ca. Cocoa Silk Figured Dress with Spencer. High-waisted, Empire style, dress with long sleeved Spencer, decorated shoulders, bodice and hem. The Bridgertons, Jane Austen, and their family and friends would have worn this style of dress and Spencer. via Whitaker Auction whitakerauction.smugmug.com Spencers were needed to cover the flimsy dresses made of lightweight fabrics of the Regency years, to provide warmth and some protection from windy conditions when the transparency of gowns might cause modesty issues. Jane Austen and her contemporaries often walked to places and so would have needed the warmth of a Spencer over her dress in the cold British winters.
Definition Spencer: Short jacket said to have originated from an accident to Lord Spencer’s coat when hunting and tails were torn off.
1809 February Walking or Carriage Dress, English. Polanese coat, Saragossa mantle of spring green Virgnia cloth, trimmed round the edges and up the front of the coat with black velvet bindings, and edgings of gold lace. High puckered collar, confined round the throat with a gold cord and acorn tassels. Belt of black velvet, and rich gold clasp. Military cap formed of the same material, and trimmed also with black velvet and gold. Short white lace veil falling from the edge of the cap just below the chin. Half-boots of green kid or cloth, calashed and bound with black, and laced with gold cord. Fashion Plate via John Belle’s La Belle Assemblée or, Bell’s Court and Fashionable Magazine, London.
Cartoons For Riders At The Hunt. Typical comical scenes from The Bridgertons and Jane Austen’s Daily Lives. From: 1860 Mr. Sponge’s Sporting Tour by Robert Smith Surtees. via Google Books (PD-100)
1817 June Blue Riding Costume, English. Loose riding habit with a train on the skirt, high white neck frill on the shirt underneath, and rows of decoration on the shoulders and cuffs of the habit jacket, an extra high hat with multiple plumes, or, feathers and gloves. Fashion Plate via The Lady’s Magazine Or Entertaining Companion for the Fair Sex.
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.
1817 June Bridgerton and Jane Austen Style Riding Habit and Plumed Hat, English. #Bridgerton #RegencyFashion #JaneAusten #Fashion https://books2read.com/SuziLoveFashionWomen1815-1819 Share on X
18th Century Gorgeous Georgian frock coats and waistcoats for men. via The Argory, County Armagh, National Trust Collections, U.K.
Typical men’s fashion in the 1700s was a silk three piece suit. This consisted of a vest or waistcoat, a coat and breeches, Fabrics were luxurious an usually featured multi-colored embroidery and buttons, often of the same fabric. Vests were generally collarless and coats had turned over collars.
1890-1920 ca. Sterling Silver Chatelaine, England. Center Medallion With Portraits, three drops of monogrammed mesh purse, globe-shaped watch and book-shaped case. Via Augusta Auctions – augusta-auction.com
Definition
What did a chatelaine do?
What were chatelaines used for?
