Promenade Dress, August 1812

Ackermann’s Repository of Arts, August 1812.

“Promenade Dress.”

Promenade Dress August 1812I find this such a charming print. The model looks so winsome, and her hat is adorable. In the description, it is called a Lavinia hat, which is more often seen as a type of gypsy hat, as here. Perhaps the term simply refers to a straw hat with a uniform brim all around and held on with a ribbon.

The print is described in the magazine as follows:

“A plain jaconet or imperial cambric muslin round dress, formed high in the neck, and trimmed round the bottom, up the front, collar, and sleeves with full borders of plaited muslin. A white satin hussar cloak, ornamented with deep capes and antique floss trimming and tassels. A Lavinia hat of fine moss straw–a small cap of lace beneath, ornamented on one side with a small bunch of flowers, and tied with cerulean blue ribband on the other. A rosary cross and bracelets of the coquilla nut. Boots, or Roman shoes, of blue kid. Gloves a lemon colour; and parasol of correspondent shot sarsnet, with deep ball-fringed awning.

“We are indebted to the unrivaled tastte and invention of Mrs. Gill, of Cork-street, for these, as for many others of the most elegant specimens of British costume which embellish this work.”

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