Morning Dress, April 1816

Ackermann’s Repository of Arts, April 1816.

“Morning Dress”

This very loose, slightly full dress is typical of indoor morning dresses, where comfort was the primary goal. This style of dress, sometimes called a “domestic costume,” would not have been worn outside the home, or for entertaining visitors at home. The sleeves of morning dresses had become especially full during these last few years of the Regency. Note that even though this is a simple hanging-out-at-home dress, it still shows the deep ornamentation of the skirt and flounce that was fashionable a this time.

The print is described in the magazine as follows:

“A round dress composed of cambric, and finished at the bottom with a number of small tucks, and a very richly worked flounce with a heading. The back has just fullness enough to give the dress an air of ease, without disguising the contour of the shape, We refer our readers to the print for the front. Long and very loose sleeve and cuff. A shirt richly trimmed round the collar with lace, and thrown open at the throat, where it fastens with a gold and coral broach. Hair parted on the forehead and dressed low at the sides. Head-dress an exquisitely fancied lace cap, of a form extremely simple, but uncommonly becoming: it is ornamented with bows of lilac ribbon. Plain gold ear-rings, and white kid slippers and gloves.

“We are indebted to the good taste and exquisite invention of Mrs. Gill, of Cork-street, Burlington Gardens, for both our dresses this month.”

Related Regency World Articles: