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Skirts have become slightly more conical, hinting at the bell-shape skirt to come later. (Figure 8 is a style well ahead of its time, predicting the silhouette of bell-shaped skirt and dropped shoulders that will become so prominent in the 1820s.) Bodices are extremely high, though hem lengths have risen slightly, allowing a clear view of the slipper (and, of course, the well-turned ankle.)
Figure 2
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La Belle Assemblée
August 1816 (printed in the July issue)
"Parisian Walking Dress"
Magazine text:
"Round, high dress of fine cambric, or jacconet muslin, ornamented at the bottom with four rows of Vandyke trimming of rich embroidery, surmounted by a flounce vandyked at the edge. Full sleeves of muslin, à la Duchesse de Berri, confined by bands of embroidered cambric, and surmounted by imperials wings of clear muslin. Treble ruff of broad lace, and sash of muslin, the ends trimmed with lace of a Vandyke pattern. Bonnet of leghorn ornamented with ears of Indian corn, and turned up slightly in the front. Shoes of lilac kid. The hair in full curls, dressed forward."
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Long sleeves are fuller, often emphasized with bands of ribbon or lace, as in Figures 2, 3, and 10. The shoulder is emphasized with added trim of cord and lace, as in Figures 2, 5, 8, and 12.
Pelisses (Figures 1, 5, and 11) and spencers (Figures 4 and 12) are still the favored garments for outerwear. Capes (Figure 9) are also worn.
La Belle Assemblée
September 1816 (printed in the August issue)
"Morning Walking Dress" – Invented by Mrs. Bell
Magazine text:
"Round dress of fine leno worn over either a white or peach-coloured slip; the dress flounced with the same, with a ribband of peach colour placed above the flounce. Loose sleeves, à la Caroline, confined by bands of peach coloured ribband. British Lady's Bonnet, the texture black, over peach color. The hair parted on the forehead. Half-boots, and gloves of peach-coloured kid."
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Figure 3
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Note: The British Lady's Bonnet mentioned in the description was an invention of Mrs. Bell. It is described (no doubt by the lady herself) as follows in an earlier issue in the General Observations on Fashion and Dress:
"Lastly, we mention a bonnet which, for its peculiar elegance and utility, must occupy a place by itself; it is aptly styled The British Ladies Bonnet, and is well deserving their attention. Formed of a material most light and unique, its durability and flexibility are such, that it is almost impossible to put it out of shape; and while its novel texture renders it highly becoming to the British Fair, it calls forcibly for their patronage in the employment, which, if encouraged, it is sure of affording to hundreds of indigent females. This tasteful and laudable invention is to be had only, at present, at Mrs. Bell's Magazin de Modes, in Charlotte-street, Bedford Square." |
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Bonnets continue to get a bit more elaborate in this period. The crowns had risen to new heights in 1814-15 (see Walking Dresses 1813-1815) and that height continued to some degree, arriving finally at the rather amazing bonnet in Figure 11 from 1818. For the most part, however, height was not everything. The concern seems to have been for showy decoration more than anything else, some of it quite ridiculous to a modern eye. Note the ears of Indian corn on the bonnet in Figure 2; the elaborate use of ribbons in Figures 3, 5, and 7; the increasing use of trim at the edge of or inside the poke, as in Figures 4, 6, 8, 10, and 11; and the flowers decorating the bonnets in Figure 1 and Figure 11 (a whole florist shop on that one).
It is interesting to note that Figures 8 and 9 represent mourning wear. Princess Charlotte, the beloved daughter of the Prince Regent, died in November 1817, and both prints acknowledge mourning for her. Figure 8, from December 1817, represents full mourning, as does the woman in walking dress in Figure 9, from January 1818. The second woman in that print, wearing evening dress, represents half-mourning.
Lots more prints below. Click on any print to open another window with a larger image.
Figure 4
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La Belle Assemblée
November 1816
(printed in the October issue)
"Parisian Public Promenade Dress"
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La Belle Assemblée
April 1817 (printed in the March issue)
"Walking Dress"
Magazine text:
"Round dress of fine cambric, ender a pelisse of emerald-green reps sarsnet, ornamented and faced with flutings of green and white satin, elegantly finished by British silk trimming; the waist girt by a rich silk cordon of the same manufacture, with full tassels. Spring bonnet of green curled silk, the crown and ornaments of white satin and emerald-green, to correspond with the pelisse. Green satin half boots and Limerick gloves. Berlin ridicule of green and white satin."
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Figure 5
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Figure 6
Ackermann's Repository
August 1817
"Walking Dress"
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Figure 7
La Belle Assemblée
August 1817
(printed in the July issue)
"Parisian Walking Dress"
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Figure 8
Ackermann's Repository
December 1817
"Walking Dress"
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Figure 9
Lady's Monthly Museum
"Walking and Evening Dress for January 1818"
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Figure 10
Lady's Monthly Museum
"Fashionable Walking and Evening Dresses for August 1818"
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Figure 11
Ackermann's Repository
August 1818
"Walking Dress"
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Figure 8
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Lady's Monthly Museum
"Fashionable Walking and Evening Dresses for October 1818"
Magazine text for Walking Dress (left):
"Jacconaut muslin round dress, the body three quarters height; it is open in front, and the fronts are is form a pelerine. Plain log sleeve, finished, at the wrist with work. The bottom of the skirt is very richly trimmed with three rows of French work set on at some distance from each other. The spencer worn with this dress is composed of Pomona green levantine. The waist is short, the is very small, falls over; the collar, fronts, and the bottom of the sleeves, are very tastefully trimmed with white satin leaves, which are laid on singly, and placed some distance from each other; these leaves are large, and formed of folds of satin, which has a rich effect. The sleeves is of an easy fullness; the half-sleeve is composed of white satin; it is very full; the the fullness is formed into puffs by narrow bands of levantine, placed perpendicularly, and confined at bottom by a band of byas white satin. Head-dress, a Leghorn bonnet of a French shape; he crown is low, the edge of the brim bound with Pomona gree nsatin, and trimmed with riband to correspond. White lace veil, Limeric gloves, and boots to correspond with the spencer."
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For more information on fashion prints, see these sources:
Alison Adburgham, Women in Print: Writing Women and Women's Magazine from the Restoration to the Accession of Victoria, George Allen and Unwin Ltd., 1972.
Irene Dancyger, A World of Women: An Illustrated Hisotry of Women's Magazines 1700-1970, Gill and Macmillan, 1978.
Madeleine Ginsburg, An Introduction to Fashion Illustration, Victoria & Albert Museum, 1980.
Vyvyan Holland, Hand Coloured Fashion Plates 1770-1899, Batsford, 1955.
Doris Langley Moore, Fashion Through Fashion Plates 1771-1970, Clarkson N. Potter, Inc., 1971.
Sacheverell Sitwell and Doris Langley Moore, Gallery of Fashion 1790-1822, Batsford, 1949.
Cynthia L. White, Women's Magazines 1693-1968, Michael Joseph, 1970.
Alison Adburgham, Women in Print: Writing Women and Women's Magazine from the Restoration to the Accession of Victoria, George Allen and Unwin Ltd., 1972.
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