Fashions of London and Paris, May 1809.
“Evening Dresses.”
Though the prints in this magazine are not as delicately engraved and colored as those in the more expensive publications, I still find them quite charming. Dresses are typically more simple in style, which would have been appropriate for its less affluent audience, making it easy for the home seamstress or village dressmaker to create a similar look.
The underdress on the left must have been quite lovely in person, with its bugle embroidery, especially under candlelight. The sleeveless velvet robe is quite simple, but beautifully sets off the richness of the crepe underdress.
The open robe on the right figure is the focus this time, with its embroidery, and sleeves of lace and muslin stripes. The dress is so simple is is not described at all.
The print is described in the magazine as follows:
“Fig. 1.–A short dress of blue velvet or silk over a dress of white crape; the bosom, sleeves, and bottom of the latter richly embroidered with bugles. White gloves and shoes. The hair dressed with a tiara and white ostrich feathers.
“Fig. 2.–A robe dress of thin muslin, embroidered all round; long sleeves formed of alternate stripes of lace and muslin. A cap of white lace. White gloves and shoes.”
