La Belle Assemblée, January 1812.
“Evening Full Dress.”
This bosomy model is not typical of fashion prints at this time for any publication. The chair is also quite odd, and does not look like any Regency chair I’ve ever seen. I suspect this was created by a new artist who was not used much after this time. There are a few more odd prints in 1812 that look like they might have been created by this artist, who seems to have preferred buxom models, but by June he seems to be gone, as the prints after that time are consistently in the beautiful style we associate with La Belle Assemblée.
During 1811 through the first few months of 1812, waistlines fluctuate a bit. Sometime high, sometimes, like here, not so high, but never as far down as the natural waist. The high waist had been in fashion since around 1793, so maybe a few London modistes thought it was time for a change and experimented with sometimes lower waistlines. But their clientele was perhaps still enamored of the high waist, as this fluctuation did not last. By mid-1812, the high empire waist we associate with the Regency period was universal, and stayed that way for another 10 years or so.
The print is described in the magazine as follows:
“A white or pearl colour gossamer satin gown, with a demi-train; fancy apron of the same; the bottom of the gown and round the apron trimmed with a rich gold fringe of the Brandenburgh kind. A cap in the Persian form, of white satin, with ornaments of gold to correspond with the dress; two gold tassels depending over the left ear, and the same side of the head is adorned with a plume of white ostrich feathers, and one light gold sprig. Small earrings of pearl, with a solitaire necklace of the same; the sleeves very short, fastened up in the front, with gold button and loop; the belt the same colour as the gown, with a superb gold ornament in the front. White and gold fan; kid gloves; and white satin Italian slippers fringed with gold.”
