1815 May. Walking Dress, or Pelisse, or Redingote, English. Purple walking dress with wide collar, high white lace neck frill, and white trim down the vertical opening, white reticule, and a high white plumed hat. Fashion Plate via Rudolph Ackermann’s ‘The Repository of Arts’. Google Books (PD-180) suzilove.com Fashion Plate via Rudolph Ackermann’s ‘The Repository of Arts’.
Definition: Walking Dress Or Pelisse Or Redingote Woman’s long, fitted coat often worn open in front to show off the dress underneath. Walking Dress Or Pelisse are the terms used in English fashion plates, while Redingote is seen in European fashion plates, especially the French one, Journal des Dames et des Modes, or Costume Parisien.
1798 Two ladies in Jane Austen style white walking dresses. Left: Dress has gold trim, white bonnet, green Parasol. Right: Stand up collar, short puffed sleeves, brown shawl and coiled head dresses, both with necklaces. via Rijks Museum, Amsterdam, Netherlands. rijksmuseum.nl
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.
1815 July Seaside Walking Dress. A high dress, of short walking length, made of French cambric or jaconot muslin, trimmed at the feet with treble flounces of French work, gathered into a rich bead heading, and laid upon the dress, at a suitable distance, one above the other, the body made with open fronts, worn with a full ruff of the French work, corresponding to the trimming at the feet; a long sleeve, drawn alternately across the arm, terminates with a broad wristband, worn plain over the hand. French bonnet of white satin, edged and tied under the chin with satin ribbon of celestial blue; ornamented with a rich plume of white feathers, edged to correspond. French mantle of the twilled silk en suite, richly embroidered at the ends in shaded silks, composing roses or lilies of the valley. Patent silk stockings. Slippers, or half-boots, or blue kid, or primrose colour. Gloves to correspond.
The bodies of the morning and promenade costume continue to be worn with cross or handkerchief fronts, and are generally trimmed, agreeably to the texture of the dress, with quilled tull or ribbon. The quilled ribbon is also predominant in single rows at the feet of all dresses composed of silk, bombazeen, or fancy prints. The prevailing colours are primrose, celestial blue, and evening primrose; the waist short, and the fullness of the petticoat carried to the back. Ruffs of French work are universally worn, except in full dress. The length of the petticoat continues not to exceed meeting the top of the boot and the color of the latter corresponds with the glove, mantle, and trimming of the bonnet.
1808 Gentleman’s Ball Outfit, French. Long tailcoat, black knee breeches, white stockings, high white cravat, white stockings, black shoes and gloves. Fashion Plate via Journal des Dames et des Modes, or Costume Parisien. Typical Gentleman’s outfit as worn by men to balls and evening events in Jane Austen’s Times.
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.
1807 June Couple In Morning Dress, English. Lady in white dress with lemon cape and an interesting white hat with a tassel. Gentleman in black tailcoat, white shirt and cravat, breeches tucked into high black boots with tan tops, fob and watch chain at his waist, black top hat and cane. via Le Beau Monde, or Literary and Fashionable Magazine, London, U.K.
Definition Morning Dress: Comfortable outfits worn either at home, out shopping, or for walking in the park or country. Presentable but not overly accessorized. For women it was often an Empire style, high-waisted, gown made from sprigged or plain muslin, cotton, or wool and either a Spencer or a coat to cover it for warmth, plus shoes and a bonnet. For men it was breeches or trousers, shirt, cravat, coat, boots and hat. This couple is dressed as a lady and gentleman of Jane Austen’s acquaintance would dress for a morning outing to a village, for shopping, or visiting friends.
1806 Gentleman’s Daily Outfit, French. Bottle green tailcoat, knee breeches, snowy white cravat, white stockings, flat black shoes. Fashion Plate via Journal des Dames et des Modes, or Costume Parisien. French fashions and Georgian and Regency Era fashions from Great Britain were copied around the world. This is the normal daily outfit for a gentleman in the early 1800s, or in the times of Jane Austen, for daily city and country life. https://books2read.com/SuziLoveFashionMen1800-1819
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.
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.
