British Lady’s Magazine, October 1818.
“Morning Dress.”
By 1818 skirts have become more bell-shaped, long sleeves are more full, and greater emphasis is seen in the shoulders. All of these elements will become exaggerated in the next decade.
The huge brim of the bonnet, framing the face, was typical of this late Regency period.
Though her name is not mentioned in the text as the “inventor” of this dress, Mrs. Smith (formerly Miss Macdonald) must certainly have created the huge cork bonnet. She is frequently mentioned in this magazine as the inventor of Ionian cork hats, and I have seen no other modiste or milliner associated with cork bonnets. I suspect they did not gain much popularity, or other modistes would have followed Mrs. Smith’s lead.
The print is described in the magazine as follows:
“A robe of jaconet muslin, ornamented with a very rich trimming round the neck, down the front, and round the bottom of the skirt; the sleeve is made moderately full, and the shoulders and the waist are ornamented with a rich trimming; the petticoat worn with this robe is likewise trimmed in the same manner. A beautiful cork bonnet, very richly ornamented with a plume of feathers, and cork coloured satin.”
