British Lady’s Magazine, February 1818.
“Ball Dress.”
Note the very high waistline. They will stay that high for another year before beginning to creep back down toward the natural waist.
In the General Observations on Fashion, much is made of that fact that court mourning for the late Princess Charlotte has ended, and “gay colours again amuse the eye, while the hearts of our fair countrywomen heave a sigh to her memory.”
The print is described in the magazine as follows (the spelling and grammar as printed):
“Evening Dress of rich white satin, the skirt tastefully ornamented with double roulleau of white gossimere net, in regular folds, twisted with with a double row of Roman pearls; between the roulleaus are stars of white satin ribbon, the middle of the stars elegantly finished with Roman pearls and chenule [chenille?]. Sleeve composed of gossimere net, very full and short. The body of white satin, of a round shape in the neck, the back rather narrow, richly embroidered with chenule, finished with pearl tassels; the hair plaited to form a tiara, over which is an elegant bouquet of spring flowers, with large leaves tastefully cut out; necklace and ear-pendants of garnet; embroidered fan, white kid gloves and shoes; scarf of figured gauze.
“To the taste and ingenuity of Miss Macdonald, 84 Wells-street, Oxford-street, we are again obliged for both our dresses.”
