Fashion Women 1810-1814 History Notes Book 27. This book looks at what was fashionable for women in Jane Austen’s times, or the early 1800s, or the Regency Era in Britain. Wars were being fought around the globe so women’s fashion adopted a military look in support of soldiers. Fashions, like the lifestyle, became progressively more extravagant and accessories went from colorful to over-the-top.
1808 Two ladies in high-waisted dresses, French. White dress with blue paisley shawl, blue shoes and red and white bonnet, blue dress with elaborate yellow trims, yellow shoes and bonnet to match.Fashion Plate via Journal des Dames et des Modes, or Costume Parisien.
These are the types of general morning dress worn by Jane Austen and contemporaries in England, as French fashion plates were obsessively copied despite the two countries being at war for many years. English fashion magazines frequently published plates copied from French fashion magazines and both French and English magazines published the same design for both single women’s fashion and for two ladies together.
Ladies clothing in the early 1800’s featured a high waist line called an Empire Line, or Empire style dress, with a waistline just under the natural bust line and much higher than the natural waist. The high-waisted, or short-bodied, Regency styles shifted focus away from the natural waist and so left the natural waist unconstricted, in direct contrast to previous and future styles. Britain took these simple European styles and progressively made them more elaborate by adding complicated embroidery and colorful accessories.
1815 June White Carriage Dress, English. Lady reading a book in a high-waisted white satin Pelisse, or Walking Or Carriage dress in the relaxed Empire style as would have been worn at home in the early 1800s, or during Jane Austen’s time. Richly ornamented with clusters of leaves made in white twilled sarsnet, headed with tull. Open fronts, trimmed to the bottom of the waist with a superb shell trimming of white satin ribbon and tull, loose sleeves trimmed at the wrists. High hat of white satin and tull with a plume of feathers of the pomona green. Half-boots of similar color. Gloves en suite and a necklace. Lady is viewing paintings and the program in her hand says ‘British Institution’. In this issue of The Repository there is an article called ‘Exhibition of Paintings by the Flemish and Dutch Masters at the British Institution, Pall Mall.’ Fashion Plate via Rudolph Ackermann’s ‘The Repository of Arts’.
1804 January London Full Evening Dresses, English. White evening dress has a white tunic overlay and worn with long white gloves, a long necklace, and with an evening hairstyle that leaves dangling curls around her neck. Other evening dress has a tunic trimmed with orange cord, short sleeves, and worn with long gloves, and upswept evening hairstyle with a matching feather. Fashion Plate via Fashions of London and Paris. https://books2read.com/SuziLoveFashionWomen1801-1804
1809 March. White walking dress as Jane Austen. would have worn in England. Pale blue tunic worn over a white dress and with an unusual blue hat trimmed in yellow to match the tunic. Carrying a matching blue reticule and wearing blue slippers and yellow gloves. Description on Fashion Plate, “A Polish cap, and pelisse of silver grey cloth, trimmed with gold or silver, buttoned down the front with small round buttons, a high collar, with a lace ruff ; boots of same colour as the pelisse, and both embroidered with gold or silver. York tan gloves. This dress was transmitted to a lady of high rank from Warsaw, and would alone evince the taste and elegance of the ladies of that country, were they not already sufficiently known. Engraved Plate via Rudolph Ackermann’s ‘The Repository’ of Arts.
Definition Reticule Or Ridicule Or 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.
Fashion Women 1805-1809 History Notes Book 26 What did Jane Austen and friends wear? This book looks at early 1800s fashions, which were elegant and pretty with high waists and fabrics that were almost transparent. These Empire style gowns, named after Napoleon’s first Empress, became popular throughout Europe, and were then copied around the world. Colorful outwear was added to make an ensemble more attractive and warmer. https://books2read.com/SuziLoveFashionWomen1805-1809
1806 Red Velvet Redingote, French. Short puffed sleeves over long straight sleeves, white fur Fichu, or shoulder shawl, interesting matching hat with white satin trim. Fashion Plate via Journal des Dames et des Modes, or Costume Parisien.
Redingotes or Pelisses 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 gowns might lift and cause modesty issues. Jane Austen and her contemporaries often walked to places and so would have needed the warmth of a Pelisse or coat in the cold British winters. https://books2read.com/SuziLoveFashionWomen1805-1809
1806 Jane Austen Style Short Sleeved White Muslin Dress With Train, French. Bodice and sleeves have ribbon decoration, evening flowered headdress, half parure of necklace and ear bobs, and gorgeous Indian hand loomed green shawl. Fashion Plate via Journal des Dames et des Modes, or Costume Parisien.
Definition Jewelry – Parure: Matched set of jewelry, including a necklace, bracelet, earrings, pin etc. Half Parure had no headpiece.
Definition Shawls: The shawl started off in India as a fine wool garment for men that could be worn as a scarf, turban or as a mantle: the word comes from the Persian shäl. Originally imported from the East, European Kashmir shawls were made first in Norwich and Edinburgh in Britain in the late 18th century. Shawls were an essential item in the early 1800s to cover the thin gowns women wore. They were made of muslin, gauze, silk, wool, and velvet, though cashmere shawls were the softest and most prized.
1806 Lavender Morning Dress, French. High-waisted dress with short puffed sleeves over a white spotted bodice, Lorgnette or Looking Glass and holding a straw hat. Gorgeous spotted gloves to match the bodice. Jane Austen and her family and friends would have worn this style of dress. Fashion Plate via Journal des Dames et des Modes, or Costume Parisien.
1806 Two Ladies In Empire style White Dresses, French. Costumes Anglais et Française, or English and French Costumes. Both with brown gloves and straw hats, one with blue shawl and other with blue Spencer and interesting blue trim. Fashion Plate via Journal des Dames et des Modes, or Costume Parisien.
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.
Definition Spencer: Short jacket, cropped at the waist, worn over a dress, or gown. These close-fitting, tight sleeved, waist length jackets were modeled on a gentleman’s riding coat, but without tails. Delicate and regency dresses provided so little protection from the cold, so over garments were essential for warmth, modesty and good health.