19th Century Mid Child’s Red Leather Shoes, American. Bow decoration on fronts.via Metropolitan Museum New York City, U.S.A. metmuseum.org
1805 ca. Leather Breeches, French. Buttoned and adjustable waist and narrow drop down front flap, back waist gusset for ease of movement, fitted cuffs on legs with many buttons to fasten and hold in place. via Metropolitan Museum New York City, U.S.A. metmuseum.org The style of men’s breeches worn by men at the end of the 1700s and early 1800s, or in Jane Austen’ lifetime.
19th Century Early Cotton Trousers, British. Buttons at waist, drop down front flap with buttons and cut with excess material to allow easy movement. via Metropolitan Museum New York City, U.S.A. metmuseum.org.
Trousers: In the early 19th century, trousers were sewn with a flap in front called a fall front and was held in place by two or three buttons. Trousers were held up by tight-fitting waists which were adjusted by gusset ties in back of the waist. Seats were baggy to allow a man to rise comfortably from a sitting position.
1780 ca. Gold Silk Banyan, British. For at-home wear, a gentleman had a dressing gown, often with a matching waistcoat, and an undress cap or turban. “This yellow damask banyan with its bold Chinese Chippendale – inspired pattern would have been an imposing sight on the streets or in the drawing rooms of London.” via Metropolitan Museum New York City, U.S.A. metmuseum.org Credit: Catharine Breyer Van Bomel Foundation Fund, 1978 Accession Number:1978.135.1
From the Curator: ‘For at-home wear, a gentleman had a dressing gown, often with a matching waistcoat, and an undress cap or turban.As for breeches, they were not designed especially for this casual ensemble, but rather borrowed from other suits.The dressing gown was cut like a man’s loose coat and usually hung to the floor, though there were also versions that stopped below the knees. Since there were no fastenings, the wearer overlapped the dressing gown in front when he walked so that the sides did not billow out behind him.The sleeves were originally rolled back to form cuffs, but later dressing gowns display the fashionable cuff of their period.In England these dressing gowns were called “banyans” or “Indian nightgowns” because of their kimono-like form and Eastern origin. Banyans were made in a variety of fabrics, including silk brocades, damasks, and printed cottons. By the 1780s, gentlemen ventured out of doors in this comfortable and stylish costume. According to Town and Country Magazine in 1785: “Banyans are worn in every part of the town from Wapping to Westminster, and if a sword is occasionally put on it sticks out of the middle of the slit behind. This however is the fashion, the ton, and what can a man do? He must wear a banyan.”This yellow damask banyan with its bold Chinese Chippendale – inspired pattern would have been an imposing sight on the streets or in the drawing rooms of London.’ via Metropolitan Museum New York City, U.S.A. metmuseum.org
1810 ca. Silk Dress, Probably French. High-waisted, or Empire line, dress with long straight sleeves, back opening, embroidery on neck frill and multiple rows of embroidery on the hem. via Metropolitan Museum New York City, U.S.A. ~ metmuseum.org
Definition Empire Style Dress:Â 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.
1820 ca. Silk Spencer, British. Made of silk and willow. Short length, long sleeves, extensive decoration on shoulders, sleeves and wrists. Military style braiding on the spencer in support of all the soldiers fighting wars across the world. The sort of jacket worn by fashionable Regency ladies over their light and flowing Empire dresses. Credit Line:Catharine Breyer Van Bomel Foundation Fund, 1987 via Metropolitan Museum New York City, U.S.A. metmuseum.org
Definition Spencer: 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. Said to have originated in an accident to Lord Spencer while hunting when his coat tails were torn off and he wore it as a short jacket.Â
1820 ca. Military Style Silk Spencer With Braiding In the Style of the Bridgertons and Jane Austen. #Bridgerton #JaneAusten #RegencyFashion #BritishHistory books2read.com/suziloveSpencers
1820 ca. Silk Pelisse, Probably American. Puffed sleeves at the shoulders, scalloped collar, military style braiding to decorate, waist slightly lower and skirt more bell shaped than typical Empire style, straight front and gathered back. via Metropolitan Museum, N.Y.C., U.S.A. metmuseum.org
Definition Redingote Or Pelisse Or Walking Dress Or Coat: French word developed from English words, riding coat. Long fitted outdoor coat worn over other garments for warmth. Often left open at the front to show off the dress underneath. Sometimes cut away in front. Originally made with several capes and trimmed with large buttons. French fashion plates call these coats Redingotes and they are designed for women, men and children. English fashion plates call them a Pelisse, a walking dress, Promenade dress, or Carriage dress.
Definition Military Style: The short puffed sleeves over the long straight sleeves and the military style of braids across the vertical front opening became popular in the late Regency years when many countries, especially Britain and France, had been fighting wars for many years. It was seen as patriotic to wear military styled clothing in support the hundreds of thousands of soldiers wearing their uniforms in cities all across Europe. Aristocrats wearing uniforms were seen as romantic heroes and men who couldn’t fight in the battles wore coats, Redingotes, and Pelisses that looked military with capes, brass buttons and braids. books2read.com/suzilovePelisse
1845-1865 ca. Cream Silk Evening Slippers, British. Cream evening shoes with ankle ties and lace trim. Trim is unusual because mid 19th Century ladies’ shoes were often plain as only toes showed beneath fashionable long skirts. Designed By Hobbs, famous London shoemaker, and with a label attached to lining with a regal crest to show maker’s royal patronage. via Metropolitan Museum, NYC, U.S.A. metmuseum.org
1805-1810 ca. Evening Dress, French. Empire style, or high-waisted, cotton dress, short sleeves
and long train. Gold metallic thread embroidery. via Metropolitan Museum, N.Y.C., U.S.A.
1790-1810 ca. Linen and Metal Corset, American Or European. Front Lacing. #Corset #RegencyEra #GeorgianEra #JaneAusten. https://books2read.com/SuziLoveCorsetBook16
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