La Belle Assemblée, November 1809.
“The Garden Promenade Dress in Sept 1809”
The dating in this magazine can be confusing. This print is in the October 1809 issue. Each issue include fashions for the NEXT month, so that the fashion section in this issue is titled “Fashions for November 1809” and the prints are always dated at the bottom with that date, eg November 1809 in this case. But the design for this print was drawn showing what ladies were wearing in the previous month, hence the title of the print says September 1809. On this website, to be consistent, I always date the prints based on the provenance printed at the bottom and the title of the fashion section, which are always the same. But in this case, that date is 2 months later than the date in the print title. Confusing, right?
The print is described in the magazine as follows:
“A GARDEN PROMENADE DRESS. A Pamela robe of fine white cambric, made to fit close to the shape, confined down the front, and marked off to the bust with a trimming of coloured chenille and buttons forming a diamond; the bottom of the dress brought off in an easy slope, finished with three small tucks, worn over a slip made to correspond; long sleeves with lace or cambric ruffles. A Witch’s hat [very similar to a Gypsy hat], in white chip, ornamented with a demi-wreath of fancy marigolds. A shawl mantle in purple silk [painted blue here], trimmed with a rich amber coloured fringe fastened on the bosom with a pebble brooch. Amber hoop earrings. Shoes of white Morocco. Gloves of York tan; parasol purple shot [painted blue here], and fringed with amber.
“The figure in the back ground represents a lady with a Nun’s hood thrown carelessly round the head, and falling in graceful negligence over the shoulders. A high dress of jaconet muslin, let in round the neck in vandyke points. Coral necklace and earrings. Parasol, pink shot with brown.”
