A thin cotton fabric, with a texture between muslin and cambric.
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India muslin
A soft, opaque, silkier blend of cotton muslin.
half dress
Something worn at informal evenings. Dressy, but not as formal as full-dress.
See the Overview of Half Dress in the Fashion Prints section for a more comprehensive description.
half boots
Ankle high boots for women, typically for outdoor wear, often made of kid, but sometimes of sturdy cloth, such as jean or even velvet. They are flat-soled, and laced up the front or the side.
The half boots shown here are from the Victoria & Albert Museum, c1815-1820.
habit shirt
A short linen or muslin shirt, originally part of a riding costume, it was also worn to fill in a wide-necked bodice for day wear. Sometimes with a stand-up collar or ruff. Also called a chemisette.
gypsy hat
A flat-crowned, wide-brimmed straw hat with ribbons passing from the crown over the brim and tied in a bow under the chin or at the back of the neck.
The print shows a detail of “Garden Promenade Dresses,” La Belle Assemblée, September 1809.
fustian
An inexpensive, coarsely textured cotton fabric with a linen warp.
French gores
Gores added into the skirt of a day dress to eliminate gathers at the waist. Introduced around 1807.
fly-fringe
A fringe of cord with knots and bunches of floss silk attached, used to decorate gowns.
flounce
An ornamental row of decorative trim at the bottom of a skirt.