Fashions of London and Paris, July 1805.
“Promenade Dresses.”
Note the long hems of these walking dresses. All of white muslin, they must have been perpetually soiled at the hems. Their poor maids!
The black lace shawl on the left figure is not a mourning piece. In the first 5-6 years of the century, black lace was simply very popular.
Note here, as in other prints of the period, that the closed parasol is held by a strap at the top rather than by the handle.
The print is described in the magazine as follows:
“Fig. 1.–A long dress of cambrick muslin, with a black lace shawl. A small round cap of coloured silk, covered with lace or lenno [a gauze-like linen fabric], and ornamented with bows.
“Fig. 2.–A round dress of plain or worked muslin. A cloak of fine white muslin, with a piece of lace let into the back. A straw hat, ornamented with flowers. York tan gloves.
“Fig. 3.–A dress of fine white muslin, with a long Spanish cloak, tied close round the neck, lined with coloured silk, and trimmed all round with white lace. A gipsy hat, with a wreath of red roses in front. Nankin [a cotton cloth] shoes.”
