Victoria and Albert Museum Archives

1795-1810 ca. Roller Printed High-Waisted Dress in Jane Austen style. #JaneAusten #RegencyFashion #historicalfashion

Posted on May 31, 2026 by Suzi LoveMay 17, 2026

1795-1810 ca. Roller Printed Dress, English. Empire style, high-waisted, roller printed dress with skirt gathered at the back to create a full skirt and with simple V-necked bodice and long sleeves. Sleeves are closed with a narrow band of fabric which fastens with a hook and eye. via Victoria and Albert Museum, London, UK. 1810 ca. Sewing of Gown. 1795-1799 ca. Fabric Block Printing. Pattern of floral trails blends influences from Indian-painted and printed textiles, and woven silks, a style which remained popular until the end of18th century.

The pattern of floral trails seen on the printed fabric of this gown exhibits a blend of influences from Indian-painted and printed textiles, and woven silks, a style which remained popular until the end of the 18th century. The sleeves of this gown are closed with a narrow band of fabric, which fastens with a hook and eye.

The dress is styled with a high-waisted , fitted bodice, which fastens centrally. The neck, which is trimmed with a 1″ frill of matching material, is rounded a the back and V-shaped at the front. The bodice is lined with white cotton which extends 1/3 of the way down the full length tapered sleeves. A trimming decorations is attached to the wrist of the right sleeve (made from the same material and lined with white cotton), which fastens with a metal hook and eye at the hip. The skirt has an ‘apron’ style front with fastening tapes attached to either side, in addition to this there are vertical pocket slits situated at either side of the skirt measuring 11″. The front and rear sides of the skirt are constructed from one width of fabric – 39.5″ wide. The waistline at the back of the skirt is gathered a the centre and is constructed from two pieces of material measuring 46″ wide.

The cotton has blue threads in the selvedges denoting English origin, and is block printed in a polychrome palette with pencilled blue on a white ground. The design consists of an all-over pattern of delicate floral trails of carnations, pinks an other stylised flowers interspersed by vertical arborescent meanders bearing exotic fruits and stylised flowers. The pattern repeat measures 10.5″ by 10″.

1795-1810 ca. Gown, English, 1810 ca. Sewing of Gown. 1795-1799 ca. Fabric Block Printing. Pattern of floral trails blends influences from Indian-painted and printed textiles, and woven silks, a style which remained popular until the end of18th century. Sleeves closed with narrow band of fabric, which fastens with hook and eye. collections.vam.ac.uk

1795-1810 ca. Roller Printed High-Waisted Dress in Jane Austen style. #JaneAusten #RegencyFashion #historicalfashion https://books2read.com/SuziLoveFashionWomen1800 Share on X

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1820-1850 ca. Chemise, Corset, Quilted Petticoat and Pocket, American. #Regency #Underclothing #RomanticEra

Posted on April 30, 2026 by Suzi LoveApril 25, 2026

1820-1850 ca. Chemise, Corset, Quilted Petticoat and Pocket. Gift of Mary S. Belden. Corset About 1820-1830 ca. CHS Collection. Pocket About 1820-1840 ca. Chemise About 1839-1850 ca. via Chicago History Museum, U.S.A.

Chemise Or Shift: Sleeveless, mid-calf length garment of white cotton or muslin was worn next to the skin under stays or corset. Called ‘Shift’ from early Georgian (1700-1750) until Late Georgian (1750-1790) to replace ‘Smock’. By 1800, name shift was replaced by ‘Chemise’.

Corset: French term for stays. Structured bust supporting or body shaping foundation garment. Tightened by laces and often with reinforcing e.g. boning, cording and flossing.

From the Curator Victoria and Albert Museum, London: Quilting was a popular form of decoration for a variety of garments including pockets. However, hand-quilting was a time-consuming method of decoration. The increased demand for quilted petticoats, waistcoats and pockets led to the invention of woven quilting.

1820-1850 ca. Chemise, Corset, Quilted Petticoat and Pocket. Gift of Mary S. Belden. Corset About 1820-1830 ca. CHS Collection. Pocket About 1820-1840 ca. Chemise About 1839-1850 ca. via Chicago History Museum, U.S.A.

1820-1850 ca. Chemise, Corset, Quilted Petticoat and Pocket, American. #RegencyFashion #Underclothing #RomanticEra https://www.bookbub.com/profile/suzi-love Share on X

1730-1735 ca. London pinchbeck chatelaine incorporating scissors case, needle case, two thimble cases, England. #GeorgianEra #Chatelaine #GeorgianFashion

Posted on April 23, 2026 by Suzi LoveMarch 7, 2026

1730-1735 ca. London pinchbeck chatelaine incorporating scissors case, needle case, two thimble cases, England. #RegencyEra #GeorgianEra #VictorianEra #chatelaine https://www.books2read.com/SuziLoveChatelaines

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1840s Man’s Black Leather Opera Boots, British. #RomanticEra #Shoes #Boots

Posted on April 4, 2026 by Suzi LoveFebruary 19, 2026

1840s Opera Boots, British. Black leather with suede leg and silk bow, hand and machine sewn. via
Victoria and Albert Museum, London, UK. collections.vam.ac.uk.

1840s Opera Boots, British. via suzilove.com Victoria and Albert Museum, London, UK. collections.vam.ac.uk_sml

1840s Man's Black Leather Opera Boots With Suede Leg and Silk Bow . #RomanticEra #Shoes #Boots http://ow.ly/4mLSs9 Share on X

1818-1831 Roller Printed Cotton Furnishing Fabrics, English. #RomanticEra #Fabric #RegencyEngland

Posted on March 26, 2026 by Suzi LoveMarch 24, 2026

1818-1831 Roller Printed Cotton Furnishing Fabrics, English.

Between 1820 and 1840 textile printers began to produce designs that were based on the woven silk dress fabrics of the 1750’s. Designs showing curving trails of lace or ribbons between bouquets of flowers became as popular in the 1830s as they had been in the 18th century.

Roller Printed Cotton.

The pattern on printed cotton was made with an engraved metal roller and additional colors were built up by wooden surface roller. Roller printing on textiles was introduced in the late 18th century and at first used mainly for small-patterned dress fabrics. By the 1830s, roller printing was highly mechanized process and had largely replaced block printing for fashionable furnishings.

Materials and Making
The development of roller printing coincided with a radical transformation in the dyestuffs available for printing on cotton. Until the beginning of the 19th century printing had been based on the use of vegetable dyes. In Britain, France and Germany new chemical processes were developed and mineral colors produced that transformed the palette of colors available to the printer and made combinations such as shades of pink and orange possible.

Design and Designing
The false trails of lace and bouquets of flowers in the fabric are inspired by the patterns of woven silks from nearly a century earlier. Changing taste made this design suitable for furnishing a room in the 1830s, while the 18th-century silk that was its inspiration would have been intended for a woman’s gown.

Time
The styles considered fashionable in 1830s furnishings were widely diverse. Among the more recognisable historical references were Rococo, Elizabethan and Gothic. A design such as this seems to be relying on novelty of effect for its success.

Information via Curator of Victoria and Albert Museum, London, UK. collections.vam.ac.u Victoria and Albert Museum, London, UK.

Household_1831 Furnishing Fabric, English. Roller-printed cotton in red and purple_pink background_VAM__sml

1831 Furnishing Fabric Of Roller-Printed Cotton. Green, red and pinks and Includes acanthus scrolls with stars. Curving lines, naturalistic motifs, leaves and fronds of seaweed based on designs of 1750s. Developments in dyes in 19th century meant designs more intensely decorated than in 18th century. via Suzi Love - suzilove.com & Victoria and Albert Museum, London, UK. collections.vam.ac.uk.

1818-1831 Roller Printed Cotton Furnishing Fabrics. Seen in Jane Austen and Bridgerton years. #Bridgerton #JaneAusten #RomanticEra #Fabric #RegencyErahttps://books2read.com/suziloveROver Share on X

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18th – 19th Century Busks For Stays, Or Corsets, In Jane Austen and Bridgerton Times. #RegencyFashion #Corsets #JaneAusten #Bridgerton #HistoricalFashion

Posted on March 15, 2026 by Suzi LoveFebruary 21, 2026

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.

busk_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. — 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.

busk_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. — 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.

18th – 19th Century Busks For Stays, Or Corsets, In Jane Austen and Bridgerton Times. #RegencyFashion #Corsets #JaneAusten #Bridgerton #HistoricalFashion https://books2read.com/SuziLoveCorsetBook14 Share on X

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1750-1755 Ca. Writing Cabinet Veneered In Kingwood With Marquetry Of Mother-Of-Pearl, Germany. #GeorgianEra #History #Antiques #Germany

Posted on March 7, 2026 by Suzi LoveFebruary 16, 2026

1750-155 ca. Writing Cabinet, Probably by Michael Kimmel, Germany. Veneered in kingwood, marquetry of mother-of-pearl, ivory and brass on pine, stained alder or birch. Mounted in gilt brass and with giltwood, carving of cypher of Augustus III. via suzilove.com Victoria and Albert Museum, London, UK. collections.vam.ac.uk.

1750-1755 Ca. Writing Cabinet Veneered In Kingwood With Marquetry Of Mother-Of-Pearl, Germany. #GeorgianEra #History #Antiques #Germany https://books2read.com/SuziLoveWritingTools Share on X

HN_13_D2D_WritingTools Book 13 What did the lady of the house use to pen notes? What sat on the desk of the man of the house when managing his accounts? #History #Nonfiction #travel books2read.com/SuziLoveWritingTools

18th Century Late Square Inkstand With Pounce Pot, Sheffield, England. #GeorgianEra #amwriting #BritishHistory

Posted on February 7, 2026 by Suzi LoveJanuary 16, 2026

18th Century Late. Inkstand, Sheffield, England. Square, resting on four ball feet, the top pierced with four circular holes into which fit two inkwells, a pounce box and a box for wafers. Silver inkstands appeared in Britain in 17th century and included pot, or well, for ink, plus another pot with pierced cover held ‘pounce’ or sand, which writers scattered over paper to fix ink. Wafers to seal finished letter and tray to hold pens or quills. collections.vam.ac.uk

18th Century Late Square Inkstand With Pounce Pot, Sheffield, England. #GeorgianEra #amwriting #BritishHistory books2read.com/SuziLoveWritingTools Share on X

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19th Century Taking Snuff and Pretty Snuff Boxes In Bridgerton and Jane Austen Years. #bridgerton #RegencyEra #JaneAusten #Antiques

Posted on February 4, 2026 by Suzi LoveJanuary 28, 2026

19th Century Snuff Boxes. Not only were boxes made to serve a purpose, but decorative boxes of all types were prized, especially in the 18th-19th Centuries when everything decorative and extravagant was in vogue and taking a pinch of snuff was fashionable. Snuff is made from ground or pulverized tobacco leaves and is sniffed from a pinch of snuff placed on the back of the hand.Flavorings were added to the tobacco to give a fast hit of nicotine and a lasting scent. Snuff began in the Americas and was used in Europe by the 17th Century.

Snuff became popular from the mid 1600s to the mid 1800s and was more popular than smoking. Inhaling snuff, or snuffing, was first seen by a European missionary in 1493 in Christopher Columbus’s new world within Haiti’s indigenous Taino. Until then, tobacco had been unknown to Europeans, but its use spread quickly throughout Europe during the 1500s. By the second half of the 17th century, ornate boxes started being produced to keep the precious powder dry and an entire industry making accessories blossomed around the fashion of taking snuff. Noblemen, and some women, carried extravagantly decorated snuff boxes with them at all times and would offer a pinch of their own particular blend to friends and family. Therefore, these boxes were always on display and so it became a competition to see who could have the most bejeweled or expensive box possible. By the mid 1800s, snuff taking was no longer popular so these exquisite and expensive snuff boxes became decorative, rather than functional.

19th Century Shoe Snuffbox. via suzilove.com and 1st Dibs Auctions 1stdibs.com — 19th Century Shoe Snuffbox. via 1st Dibs Auctions 1stdibs.com

19th Century Engraved Horn Snuffbox. Heart surrounded by flowers and leaves, sides with dove, symbol of purity and peace, brass hinge and setting. via suzilove.com and 1st Dibs Auctions — 19th Century Engraved Horn Snuffbox. Heart surrounded by flowers and leaves, sides with dove, symbol of purity and peace, brass hinge and setting. via 1st Dibs Auctions

Box_Snuff_19th Century Carved Boxwood Snuffbox. Horse with saddle for a lid. via 1st Dibs Auctions — 19th Century Carved Boxwood Snuffbox. Horse with saddle for a lid. via 1st Dibs Auctions

1804-1809 ca. Snuffbox in the Shape of A Lion, Moulinie, Bautte and Cie, Geneva, Switzerland.via Victoria and Albert Museum.

1820 Snuffbox with scene of harvesting fruit. By Johann Wilhelm Keibel (master 1812; died 1862). via suzilove.com and Metropolitan Museum New York City, U.S.A. metmuseum.org — 1820 Snuffbox with scene of harvesting fruit. By Johann Wilhelm Keibel (master 1812; died 1862). via Metropolitan Museum New York City, U.S.A. metmuseum.org

1810 ca. Jeweled Gold Snuff Box, Switzerland. Maker’s Mark Geneva. via Christie’s Auction Rooms. christies.com

19th Century Taking Snuff and Pretty Snuff Boxes In Bridgerton and Jane Austen Years. #bridgerton #RegencyEra #JaneAusten #Antiques https://www.books2read.com/suziloveBoxesCases Share on X

HN_11_D2D_Craftsmen created containers of precious metals, leather, silks, and decorated them with jewels to make exquisite and expensive items as well as practical carrying cases. books2read.com/suziloveBoxesCases

1810-1820 ca. Jane Austen Or Bridgerton Times Double Breasted Red Hunting Coat, English. #RegencyEra #HistoricalFashion #JaneAusten #Bridgerton

Posted on January 25, 2026 by Suzi LoveJanuary 17, 2026

1810-1820 ca. Double Breasted Red Hunting Coat, English.

1810-1820 ca. Red Hunting Coat, English. Hunting was both a popular sport and an essential part of social success. Double-breasted tailcoat of woolen superfine, lined with sateen and cotton, M-notch lapels, nine gold buttons with heraldic crest, cuffs with three smaller matching buttons. via Collection from Castle Howard, Yorkshire, U.K. Victoria and Albert Museum, London, UK. Hunting coats, or colors, often red coats called pinks, were worn by hunt masters and hunters. In Bridgerton and Jane Austen times, or the early 1800s, gentlemen wore red coats like this while riding to the hounds.

Historically, hunt members wore ‘colors’ to distinguish between types of hunters and their level of experience. Traditional red coats were worn by huntsmen, masters, former masters, whippers-in, regardless of sex, while other hunt staff members and male members invited by masters wore colors and hunt buttons as a mark of appreciation for their involvement in the organization and running of the hunt. After the Hunting Act in England and Wales, only Masters and Hunt Servants wore red coats or hunt livery. Gentleman subscribers usually wore black coats, with or without hunt buttons and in some countries, women wore colored collars on their black or navy coats to help them stand out from the rest of the field. Some hunts, including most harrier and beagle packs, wear green rather than red jackets, and some hunts wear other colors such as mustard.

1810-1820 ca. Jane Austen Or Bridgerton Times Double Breasted Red Hunting Coat, English. #RegencyFashion #HistoricalFashion #JaneAusten #Bridgerton https://books2read.com/SuziLoveFashionMen1800-1819 Share on X

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