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 Originally made of yarn handspun from the wool of Cashmere goats but later from other soft wools.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.
1800s A Young Lady Riding and Carriage Driving, England. #Riding #Regency #Victorian #Cartoon From: 1860 Mr. Sponge’s Sporting Tour by Robert Smith Surtees. via Google Books (PD-100)
A Lady On The Hunt Riding Side-Saddle. From: 1860 Mr. Sponge’s Sporting Tour by Robert Smith Surtees. via Google Books (PD-100) suzilove.comA bold young man kissing a young lady at the hunt. via 1860 Mr. Sponge’s Sporting Tour By Robert Smith Surtees. via Google Books (PD-150) suzilove.com1860 Rebellious Lady driving and smoking a cigar.via 1860 Mr Sponge’s Sporting Tour by Robert Smith Surtees via Google Books (PD-100)1860 A Day at the Turf. Lady riding side-saddle with gentleman. From- 1860 Mr Sponge’s Sporting Tour by Robert Smith Surtees. via Google Books (PD-100) suzilove.comA lady and a gentleman in a carriage. Lady driving and smoking. via 1860 Mr. Sponge’s Sporting Tour by Robert Smith Surtees. via Google Books (PD-100) suzilove.com
1807 Cotton Linen Shirt, British. Non-regulation shirt worn under uniform. High collar to allow room for a stock, fullness and pleated sleeves enable wearer to fit into tight arms popular in coats. The men in Jane Austen’s life would have worn a shirt like this, especially if they were in the military as many men were during the Napoleonic Wars. via Royal Museums Greenwich collections.rmg.co.uk
1804–1805 ca. Evening Dress, French. Narrow white dress of sheer cotton mull, probably from India, and with sheer short sleeves, extra wide neckline, vertical white embroidery which was very fashionable at the time. The cotton fabric was probably imported from India already embroidered with heavy white cotton thread in transparent mull. At the beginning of the nineteenth century, this sort of dress was considered shocking and immodest after the wider hooped dresses of the eighteenth century. This style of dress was worn by most women in Jane Austen’s time, but only the wealthy could afford the best quality mull. Vertical white embroidery was very fashionable in the early 1800s, with the sheer cotton mull probably imported from India already embroidered with this heavy white cotton thread. These daring items of clothing copied the Grecian idea of loosely draped clothing and were the first of many changes to women’s outfits. Heavy fabrics were abandoned, especially in summer, in favor of lighter materials that allowed women to move about easier.
From the museum curator: “On December 24, 1803, Jerome Bonaparte (1784—1860), brother of Napoleon, wed Elizabeth Patterson (1785—1879) of Baltimore. The beautiful and fashionable young American was married in a dress of muslin and lace that, according to a contemporary, “would fit easily into a gentleman’s pocket.” Although originally thought to have been Patterson’s wedding dress, the formal gown illustrated here probably dates from 1804, when this type of vertical white embroidery became fashionable. Napoleon had the marriage annulled in 1805. Jerome was made king of Westphalia in 1807 and he married the princess of Wurttemberg. Elizabeth, banned from France by the emperor, remained in Baltimore with her son, Jerome Napoleon Bonaparte (1805—1870). Metropolitan Museum, New York City, USA.
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.
Busks shaped and reinforced the centre front of stays, or corsets. They were made from whalebone, wood, and bone, and were often inscribed with names, dates, and symbols of love because they were positioned close to the heart. The corsets worn in Jane Austen’s later years and by women in Bridgerton times often had busks to stiffen the corset and support the breasts.
1755 Wooden Busk For Stays, English. Flat piece of wood with design scratched or picked out, and accented with red stain. Design comprises of circles, stylized geometric stars, heart motifs, and the initials and date ‘EB 1755’. Indistinct inscription on the back, scratched into the surface of the wood with three lines of script.1800-1840 ca. Scrimshaw Corset Busk, American. Designs are of a ship and the places the sailor visited. Sailors made these as gifts to be worn close to the heart by their loved ones. Dimensions (inches) 12.5 (L) , 1.3 (W). Dimensions (centimeters). 31.7 (L) , 3.3 (W) via Winterthur Museum Collection.19th Century. Scrimshaw Baleen Corset Busks, American. The first with figure inscribed Annabelle, ship, whale, and verse On the off shore grounds I think of thee, so I’ll catch my whales and leave the sea; the second inscribed Mary and 1836 12 3/8in. high the longest. via Christie’s Auction Rooms. 1833 August. Corset Busk of carved whalebone. Face carvings, house, geometric circle, potted plant, sailing ship, American flag. Joseph Bradford. Carvings, plant, house, anchor, sea birds over ship, tree. Whale skeletal bone, inscribed with knife and using black pigment. Length: 13 1/8″ 33.4 cm; Width: 1 9/16″ 3.9 cm; Thickness: 1/8″ 3 mm.Busks shaped and reinforced front of corsets. Made from whalebone, wood and bone. Often inscribed with names, dates and symbols of love because they were positioned close to the heart. Via Hereford Museum. 1771 Wooden Corset Busk, American. Carved Maple wood. Via Winterthur Museum. 19th Century Early. Corset Busk of Double-Sided Carved Wood. Honey colored wood, probably maple, carved on both sides. Two trees of life, hex symbol design, two entwined hearts, pinwheels, and growing plant. Back has delicate scrimshaw-look design of seashore town, chapel, homes, lighthouse and ships, horizontal rather than front vertical. Measures: 13.75″ x 1.5″. via Antique Dress.18th Century Wooden Busk for Stays, European. Via metmuseum.org18th Century Late – 19th Early Carved Maple Wood Busk, American. Spirals top & bottom, two hearts meet at center, “PC” carved on reverse. Worn by member of Robbins family, inherited by Ellen A. Stone. Via Fine Arts Museum Of Boston, USA.
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
