Half Dresses, August 1813

Lady’s Monthly Museum, August 1813.

“London Fashions for August 1813.”

When this magazine first began publishing in 1798, its fashion prints were original, that is, not borrowed from other magazines. Original prints continued through 1805, but beginning in 1806 they also borrowed prints, first from Fashions of London and Paris and later from Ackermann’s Repository of Arts and The Lady’s Magazine. In 1812, they began to provide original prints once again. The description even mentions that the dresses were “invented by Mrs. Green.”

I am categorizing these dresses as Half Dress as they are described as appropriate for “the fête, the déjeuné, or the Vauxhall promenade,” none of which would have required Full Dress.

The print is described in the magazine as follows:

“We have this month given two fashions of dress figures, calculated for the fête, the déjeuné, or the Vauxhall promenade; the first dress is a Vittoria boddice, of cerulean blue satin, à l’Espaguole, over a white crape dress, and petticoat of white sarsnet; a Spanish ruff of white lace; hair à la Catherina, with a single bird of Paradise figure rising from a bouquet of diamonds. Shawl of Imperial Primrose, of real English manufacture.

“The second figure has a plain dress, of white satin, worked round the bottom with pearls, or silver sprig; white shoes and gloves; hair as before [ie as described in the previous issue].”

 

 

 

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