Le Beau Monde, July 1807.
There are four figures in two prints for this month, but the titles for both prints mix them up. This one is titled “Full Dress and Walking Dress for July 1807” but it shows walking dress for the gentleman and a walking or carriage dress for the lady. The full dress is shown in the other print.
As was typical of prints showing male fashion in this magazine, the male ensemble depicted is not specifically described. Instead, a general commentary of prevailing male styles is provided. The female fashions, on the other hand, are given very detailed descriptions. This may be because the famous modiste Mrs. Bell was married to the publisher of the magazine at this time, and she quite possibly provided the description of female fashions. After her husband sold Le Beau Monde in 1809, the fashion descriptions became very brief, and sometimes non-existent. Based on the very detailed descriptions Mrs. Bell provided for the fashion prints in her father-in-law’s magazine, La Belle Assemblée, when she came on board in 1811, it is reasonable to assume that she had also provided the same for her husband’s short-lived publication. Like many of her La Belle Assemblée print descriptions, the dress here, which we can barely see beneath the coat, is described in great detail.
The print is described in the magazine as follows:
“Fig. No. 3.–Morning Walking Dresses. Light mixed, brown, or nut-coloured mixed coats, either double or single breasted, with collars of the same; covered buttons, or full sized plated button, are much worn, as also some greenish mixtures; but the most fashionable morning coat is of a light mixed cloth, made single or double breasted, to button two or three buttons over the chest, and then to fly off in the skirts. These coats should not have any pocket flaps.–Broad striped quilting Marsailles waistcoats, single breasted, and made without binding.–Fine India Nankin trousers or pantaloons, with gaiters of the same.
“Fig. No. 4.–Carriage Dress.–Plain muslin gown made with a short train, and enriched with a broad point lace across the front, and reaches to the extreme edge, which is finished with a narrow border of cotton plait; the back of the gown is made rather high and full, drawn with ribband top and bottom; the front of the waist is flated very full into a narrow band of rich point lace, about an inch in breadth, and is fastened into the apron of the gown, tied behind with a knotted sash of muslin, and inlet at the bottom of the ends of the sash with point lace to correspond with the dress; long full sleeves of white lace. A muslin coat of rich salmon colour, made with a straight back, and with a small train of about three inches; a fall-over collar, with a long narrow strip, slanted off to a point, gathered at the top of the left shoulder, and hangs carelessly down the front, with a large rich tassel at the end; This coat is trimmed all round with a border of small brown roses, intermixed with a tint of salmon colour. A turban cap made of the same materials; white kid gloves and shoes.”
