La Belle Assemblée, July 1810.
“Morning Walking Dress”
This print shows an interesting arrangement of a long mantle and a short cape. Also interesting is the collar of the mantle can be pulled up like a hoodie. Note the adorable boots, which remind me a bit of this pair in the Victoria and Albert Museum.
The print is described in the magazine as follows:
“A round dress of thick fine India muslin, made high in the neck, with long sleeves, which are trimmed at the wrists with a narrow edging of lace; a lace let in round the bottom of the dress between four rows of small tucks. A light sky-blue mantle, lined with pale buff, with elastic collar, with is formed with letting-in lace, and has the appearance of a full collar, but will, if required, by drawing over the head, form a very pretty and becoming bonnet; a cape of the same materials crosses the back, which is confined at the bottom of the waist, on the inside, with a pale-blue or buff ribband, tied with a bow in the front; it is entirely trimmed round with a narrow edging of lace. A bonnet of straw, and pale-blue ribband, with plaiting of lace, worn underneath, tied under the chin; with a yellow rose in front, and hair in ringlet curls, completes the dress. Gloves of pale buff. Boots of the same colour, calashed and laced with pale-blue.
