A monocle or small magnifying glass dangling from a neck chain or ribbon, worn as a fashionable accessory by both men and women.
See examples of quizzing glasses from Candice’s collection here.
Archives
A flat, slitted pouch or bag worn beneath the dress, tied around the waist with tapes. Generally about 12″ or more long. They were accessed via a pocket slit in the side seam of a skirt. Common during the 18th century before reticules (purses) came into popularity, pockets fell out of use when the skirts narrowed during the Regency. However, muslin gowns c1805 in the collection of the Museum of Costume in Bath include pocket slits, so they did continue in use for the early years of the new century, but must have been reduced in size to avoid a bulky look.
The pocket shown here is an 18th century linen pocket from the Museum of Costume in Bath.
pattens
Ladies footwear for inclement weather, worn over a normal shoe, to elevate her a couple of inches above the mud or slush or rain puddles. The raised patten was made of wood or metal, held in place by heather or cloth bands.
The image shows a detail of a “Costume Parisien” print from the French magazine Journal des Dames et des Modes, December 15, 1811. You can see the normal shoe has been slipped into a leather patten raised on a metal ring.
muslin
A fine, semi-transparent cotton fabric. It could be plain, patterned, or printed.
modiste
A dress-maker or fashion designer. Always female.
mitts
Also called mittens. Gloves with open fingers and thumbs. Though gloves were removed during meals, mitts could be worn for informal meals like tea.
mantle
A cloak. In cooler months, it is typically 3/4 or full length. In warmer months, it can be quite short.
Limerick gloves
Often referred to as “chicken skin” gloves, they were actually made from the tanned skins of unborn calves. They were usually cream or yellow in color and were much sought after for their tight fit due to the extremely thin skin.
lutestring
A very fine, corded glossy silk.
lappets
Two long strips of material, most often lace, that hang from the top of the head down the back or over the shoulders. They can be extensions of a cap band or any sort of headdress. Lappets were a required element of female court dress from the early 18th through the early 20th centuries.
The print shows a detail from “Costume de Présentation” from the French magazine Journal des Dames et des Modes, July 31, 1814. After the restoration of the Bourbon family to the monarchy in 1814, French court dresses seen in prints show many of the same elements of English court dress, including lappets.