British Lady’s Magazine, November 1818.
“Morning Dress.”
Although Queen Charlotte would die on November 17, she was still alive when this magazine went to print, so the black fur trim on the pelisse was not for mourning. The magazine states that “the Queen’s health has experienced very little variation during the last month.” It includes brief reports from Kew Palace in the last days of October stating that she is still quite ill. The fashion prints for the next month both show dresses for deep mourning.
The bonnet is made of cork, something I have not seen before 1818. This dress was made by Mrs. Smith, formerly Miss Macdonald. Every print in my collection that includes a cork bonnet is an ensemble that was made by Miss Macdonald, and later Mrs. Smith. Other issues of this magazine name her as the “inventress of the Ionian Cork Hats.” I’m not sure what makes it Ionian, or why it was named after that region of Turkey. But cork bonnets did not seem to take off as fashionable head wear, as I haven’t yet found one made by another modiste or milliner.
The print is described in the magazine as follows:
“Lead-coloured sarsenet pelisse, trimmed with black fur; jacconet muslin robe dress, very handsomely trimmed, and a rich and novel trimming round the skirt; worked muslin ruff; cork bonnet, very richly ornamented with satin and feathers; boots and gloves to correspond.”
