Ackermann’s Repository of Arts, March 1812.
“Indoor Morning Dress”
An indoor morning dress was what ladies wore when they stayed at home, reading, writing letters, and doing other tasks that kept them indoors. They were dresses meant for comfort — a bit too casual for receiving visitors, but decent enough to wear around the house with your family.
A cap is almost always shown with a morning dress. Gloves are sometimes shown as well, though I suspect women did not typically wear gloves when hanging around the house. Unless it was freezing.
The print is described in the magazine as follows:
“A petticoat and tunic of fine jaconet muslin, bordered at its several terminations with needle-work, lace, beading, or small tucks; made high in the neck, with a fan frill, and full plaited bishop’s sleeves. A Spanish night-cap, formed of lace and whit4e satin or muslin, tastefully decorated with pink ribbon, and a simple flower placed on the left side; the hair divided so as to discover much of the forehead, and disposed in waved curls on each side. A pink silk handkerchief tied negligently round the throat in front. Spanish slippers of French kid, and gloves of pale tan colour.”
It is rare to see the signature of an artist or engraver on British fashion plates, but this one has the signature of William Hopwood, a London print maker, who etched this print.
