Monday, July 25, 2011

Fashions for July 1818

Monday, July 25, 2011
Loretta reports:

Warm weather style for the fashionable lady—though it may not strike today's viewer as particularly cool-looking, muslin notwithstanding.
~~~
FASHIONS FOR JULY, 1818.
EXPLANATION OF THE PRINTS OF FASHION.
No. I.—Walking Dress.
High round dress of fine jacconot muslin, with three flounces of muslin in full quills; each flounce headed by embroidered Brunswick stars of grass-green, and each flounce edged with the same colour. Sautoir scarf, of Chinese silk, with a rich border of various colours. Transparent bonnet, of white net and lilac satin, crowned with a bouquet of French double poppies, and yellow everlastings. Lilac parasol, kid slippers of the same colour, and straw-coloured kid gloves.


GENERAL OBSERVATIONS
ON FASHION AND DRESS.
 . . . The warm weather which we have of late experienced, has rendered muslin spensers peculiarly general; one of which kind particularly drew our attention at the new Magazin de Modes, in St. James's-street: the pelerine, or bust part, which is richly embroidered in open work, or let in with stripes of narrow footing, or beading, is lined with blush-colored sarsnet. For the more moderate weather, spensers of silk still continue in favour ; they are chiefly of royal purple, trimmed with such narrow roulœux of white satin, as to appear like a cordon, or of peach or lilac, ornamented with white satin palm leaves.  Carriage pelisses, of white figure satin, richly trimmed with blond, are amongst the present elegancies worn by the rich and great.  Rainbow scarfs, of an elastic fabric, are in high estimation.
La Belle Assemblée, 1818

3 comments:

LorettaChase said...

A reader has asked about "elastic fabric." I can only assume this refers to a stretchy knit, perhaps like the knitted breeches we saw at Colonial Williamsburg.
http://bit.ly/nm9jb4
http://bit.ly/ncJG1s
If any of our dress historians can offer further enlightenment, Please enlighten!

Connie said...

You have hit on one of the biggest pleasures I get from reading any historical novel: the clothes worn during that time period. So lovely! Thank you for the shared information.
Connie Fischer
conniecape@aol.com

LorettaChase said...

Connie, I do think the clothes can say a great deal, about the characters & the world they live in & I love being able to offer illustrations from the time period.

 
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