Fashions of London and Paris, April 1805.
“London. April 1805.”
The black dress is named as for court mourning, which is when the Lord Chamberlain designates a time for public mourning for the death of a member of the royal family. I cannot find any royal deaths in March or April of 1805, so I am not sure who this mourning dress would have honored. If anyone knows whom it might have been, please let me know.
But I must say, the juxtaposition of the white and the black dress makes for a very striking image.
The print is described in the magazine as follows:
“PROMENADE AND EVENING DRESSES. Fig. 1–Dress of plain white muslin, with long sleeves; a white muslin cloak, with lace let in all round. Straw hat turned up in front, and ornamented with a feather.
“COURT MOURNING. Fig. 2.–Dress of sarsnet or muslin. The hair dressed with a wreath of black crape flowers; black glazed gloves.”
