Glengary Habit

Upstart Joined: 26 Jun 2007 Posts: 8

Candice,
I read your wonderful article on riding habits. Thankyou very much for sharing your knowledge.
I have a question: when did the Glengary Habit first come out? Was it the date of the print ie. Sept 1817?
Another (rather silly) question I have is: could the lady remove her jacket if she got hot? Likewise with the men - were they allowed to take their jackets off if they got hot when riding/ or at balls etc?
Thanks for any insights.

Posted: Thu Oct 25, 2007 5:08 pm Post subject:

I think the Glengary Habit (which I love) was simply the name given to the specific habit shown in the fashion plate. I doubt the name was used in a more generic way for earlier habits. It's simple the name given to this one in Sept, 1817.

As for removing jackets ... that is something left to one of those private moments with the hero. Wink

In public, it was not proper for either men or women to remove their jackets. It's one of the reasons I would not have been comfortable as a Regency lady.
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Viscountess of the Manor Joined: 20 Sep 2006 Posts: 1100

If the lady took off her jacket she wouldn't be fully dressed (as Candice said). Underneath the jacket is (usually) a jumper-like skirt and a habit shirt (like a dicky), over the normal underwear (petticoat, stays, and shift).

habit shirts.
http://www.pemberley.com/images/Clothes/1780s-habit-shirts.jpg

Janet Arnold’s sketch of an extant habit, c. 1800-1810.
http://www.pemberley.com/images/Clothes/1810-habit.jpg

Detail or the 1810 habit showing the under bodice attached to the skirt.
http://www.pemberley.com/images/Clothes/1810-habit-detail.jpg
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-Kalen
w/a Isobel Carr
Ripe for Pleasure, May 2011
Book 1: The League of Second Sons
www.isobelcarr.com