1814 Gentleman’s Ensemble, French. Gentleman in brown tailcoat, white vest, high collared white shirt, knotted white cravat, white pants and white gaiters above black shoes. The style of outfit worn by the men in Jane Austen’s life. Fashion Plate via Journal des Dames et des Modes, or Costume Parisien.
What did the Bridgerton ladies and Jane Austen use to carry her personal items? Ridicule, Reticule, Or Handbag? Call them what you like: purses, bags, handbags, reticules, ridicules, clutches, or pocket replacements. They all did the same job and they changed greatly with the prevailing fashions of time. books2read.com/suziloveReticules
Definition Of A 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. These Reticules, or bags, were the forerunners of our modern day purses.
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.
1808 Blue Grey Redingote, French. High waist, coordinating trim, short puffed sleeves over long straight sleeves, yellow striped bandana in her hair, yellow gloves and yellow walking boots. Jane Austen and her female contemporaries wore coats like these when outdoors because they needed the warmth over the fashionable light muslin dresses that all women wore. Redingotes could be both comfortable and decorative. They often had military elements in support of the thousands of men involved in ongoing wars. Fashion Plate via Journal des Dames et des Modes, or Costume Parisien.
Definition Redingote Or Pelisse Or Walking Dress Or Coat: Long fitted outdoor coat worn over other garments for warmth. Often left open at the front to show off the dress underneath. French word developed from English words, riding coat.
Bandeau: Narrow strip or band worn around head to confine hair. Made of either twisted fabric, length of pearls, flowers, jewels or feathers. From the French word for “strip.
1818 High-waisted Promenade Dress, English. White dress with multiple layers of lace from hem upwards. Narrow striped scarf of bright colors, large brimmed hat decorated with flowers and a pink parasol. Fashion Plate via John Belle’s La Belle Assemblée or, Bell’s Court and Fashionable Magazine, London.
Definition Empire Style Dress: High-waisted white gown defined women’s fashion during the Regency Era. ‘Empire’ is the name given to the period when Napoleon Bonaparte built his French Empire. High-waisted, loose gowns were adopted by the aristocracy as a symbol of turning away from the fussy, elaborate and expensive clothing worn in the 1700s.
1812 October Autumnal Carriage Or Morning Costume, English. Loose white jaconet muslin dress, high in the neck, with double frills of deep vandyke lace that fall over the Spencer. Blue satin Spencer ornamented with silver cord and buttons ‘en militaire’ and held at the throat with a cord and tassels, a quartered foundling cap of lace tied under the chin with a full band and decorated with an autumnal flower. Grey kid shoes, lemon gloves and a ridicule, or bag, of purple velvet. Fashion Plate via Rudolph Ackermann’s ‘The Repository of Arts’.
Dress – Morning: Worn either at home, out shopping, or for walking in the park or country. Presentable but not overly accessorized.
Spencer: Short body-hugging jacket worn for warmth &modesty. Said to have originated in accident to Lord Spencer in hunting when coattails torn off.
1811 Evening Dress, French. Red cashmere dress over white under shirt with short puffed sleeves, carrying a white shawl, long white gloves, earrings and white evening shoes. Fashion Plate via Journal des Dames et des Modes, or Costume Parisien. Though this is a French fashion plate, the outfit is typical of the dresses worn by Jane Austen and her contemporaries. An Empire style, or high-waisted, dress with a white underdress and for warmth there is an extra layer with the shawl.
Definition Cashmere: Soft, fine wool, historically used for costly dress fabric, usually in twill weave. Originally made of yarn handspun from the wool of Cashmere goats but later from other soft wools. Used for dresses, infants’ coats.
1816 January Blue Carriage Dress, English. High neck but no collar, front is fitted but back has slight fullness and very short bodice. Puffed roll to decorate the hem, trimmed in bias cut blue satin, long sleeves finished at wrists with satin, gloves of white kid and ‘sandals’ or shoes of blue kid leather. Head-dress à la mode de Paris is an unusual cap of white lace and decorated with two rolls of ribbon. “We are indebted to the tasteful fancy of Mrs. Bean, of Albemarle Street, for both our dresses this month.” Fashion Plate via Rudolph Ackermann’s ‘The Repository of Arts’.
Jane Austen and her contemporaries would have worn this style of outdoor, or carriage ensemble with a coat over a dress. These outdoor dresses were labelled a variety of names. In England, this might also have been called a Walking Or Promenade dress, or Pelisse. In Europe, it would be called a Redingote.
Definition: Pelisse, Walking Dress, Carriage dress, Promenade Dress, Redingote. Long, fitted coat sometimes cut away in front to show off the dress underneath. Originally made for men with several capes and trimmed with large buttons, they were adapted to add an additional, and warmer, layer to the typical white muslin dresses worn in the early 1800s. Those light weight dresses were good in summer but not suited to harsh winters. Over the carriage dress, a shawl could be added as well as a muff to give a warm and comfortable outfit for traveling by carriage.
1805 Women’s Dresses and Fashion Accessories. Fashion plates from Fashions of London and Paris. Gorgeous Regency Era clothing came in a wide range of styles to suit every season and occasion. Ladies in Jane Austen’s times wore Empire style dresses which were usually of light fabric and floaty in style so accessories were essential to keep women warm. Accessory: item which contributes to the overall effect but is of secondary importance is the dictionary definition of an accessory, but the term has only been applied in relation to personal appearance since the 19th century. As defined by dress historians, accessories usually complete an outfit and are chosen to complement it. Accessories fall into two groups: Those worn, such as bonnets, caps and hats, boots and shoes, cravats and ties, gloves, mittens and muffs, jewellery, scarves and shawls, socks and stockings. Those that are carried, such as bags, canes, fans, parasols and umbrellas, and swords.
1811 Half-Mourning Dress, French. Black dress, high white neck ruffle, black hat with white trim and white shoes. Jane Austen and her family would have worn this type of outfit when mourning a relative or friend. However, as black dresses, black tunics, and black lace shawls were popular throughout the Regency years, it is often hard to decide what was definitely made for mourning and what was simply fashionable wear. Fashion Plate via Journal des Dames et des Modes, or Costume Parisien.
In November, 1810, Princess Amelia, youngest daughter of George III, died. At the end of 1810 full mourning of complete black would have been worn but by the beginning of 1811, half mourning would still have been to respect the loss of a royal family member. Half-mourning allowed touches of silver, grey, mauve and white to be added to a mostly black outfit and would be worn after the period of full mourning was ended, times depending on the relationship to the deceased person. Garments and accessories could either be trimmed with black, jet jewelry worn, black ribbons added, or a layer of black net or gauze added to a dress or hat.
Definition Half or Slight Mourning: Allowed touches of grey and white to be added to full, or deep, mourning ensembles. Some lustre, or shine, was allowed in fabrics and accessories. After a time, mauve or deep purple could also be worn. https://books2read.com/SuziLoveFashion1810-1814
1812 February Winter Walking Dress, English. Scarlet Merino wool pelisse lined with straw colored sarsnet, trimmed with light colored spotted fur attached with loops of black silk cordon and rich frog tassels, broad fur in front forming a tippet, pointed at back, narrow fur passes from top of sleeves, worn over a white dress, yellow winter hat, gray gloves, and paisley shawl. Fashion Plate via John Belle’s La Belle Assemblee.
Definition Merino Wool: Finest quality wool, originating in Spain. Just before and during the Regency, Merino sheep were exported from Spain into Britain and other parts of Europe. Napoleon supported Merino growth in France. In 1808, after French invaded Spain, King George purchased additional 2000 Merinos for royal flock but Britain too wet for thriving industry. Other countries i.e. Australia, began producing fine quality Merino.
I can picture Jane Austen and her female friends and family wearing a Pelisse, or Walking Dress, Or Redingote, like this to keep them warm when shopping or paying visits to friends. During the Regency Era, out door activities were encouraged and outside clothing needed to be more practical and with thicker fabrics, such as Merino wool. Tunics gave an additional layer to thin dresses and walking dresses, pelisses, Redingotes and half cloaks were worn and accessorized with cashmere shawls and oversized fur muffs.
