Lady’s Monthly Museum, July 1799.
“Fashionable Riding Habits for July 1799.”
As with many prints in the early years of the Lady’s Monthly Museum, the print depicts the same costume from two different angles and in two different colors. The description refers to both habits shown.
Note the length of the peplum. As lady’s habits in the new Regency high-waisted style were still based on the style of a gentleman’s riding coat with long tails, the peplum was sort of a remnant of those tail coats. Here, it is somewhat long in the manner of a gentleman’s coat, but will soon become much shorter, little more than a ruffle. The peplum remains a key feature of a lady’s habit throughout the long Regency period.
The print is described in the magazine as follows:
“Round beaver close cap, and feather in front, with gold chain-band round the crown. Gold band or muslin cravat round the neck. Blue, green, or corbeau jacket and petticoat, with black velvet collar, and double rows of Nelson’s Ball, gilt buttons, fine tan leather gloves; half-boots of black Spanish or Morocco leather; a small quantity of hair appearing at the cap.”
