Gallery of Fashion, August 1798.
“Morning Dresses.”
I love Gallery of Fashion prints that place their models in a scene. This outdoor scene is quite beautiful. Even the dress of the model behind the bushes, most of which we can’t see, is described in detail, down to her shoes. Even the shoes of the model in the foreground are described, even though we can’t see them either. I suppose the full descriptions of an ensemble help the modistes to put together fashionable outfits for their clients (for surely the readers of this expensive, exclusive magazine did not include home seamstresses).
The two bonnets shown here could not be more different. They look as though they came from completely different eras. Though the changes in English bonnet styles throughout the Regency are fairly predictable, so that you can almost date a fashion print by the style of hat, this print reminds us that nothing is predictable about fashion.
The print is described in the magazine as follows:
“Fig. CLXXXVIII.–The front hair cut short, and the hind hair dressed in ringlets. leghorn slouched bonnet, trimmed with satin riband. Round gown of cambric muslin; short full sleeves, tied in the middle of the arm with riband, White muslin spencer, trimming of the same in small scollops. Grey gloves. Carmelite shoes, trimmed with blue.
“Fig. CLXXXIX.–The hair cut short and dressed à la peruque. Patent straw hat, trimmed round the crown with white riband in small puffs. Round gown of cambric muslin, the train in Vandyke scollops; short close sleeves. White muslin cloak trimmed with lace, and tied to the waist with a green riband. Gold loop ear-rings. Flesh-coloured gloves. Purple shoes, trimmed with white.”
