Hi ladies,
curious to see what we would have worn in the spring and summer of 1818? Let's take a look:
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Round dress of fine cambric muslin, superbly embroidered round the border in three distinct rows. Pelisse of rich Tobine silk striped, of Christmas holly-berry colour and bright grass green, trimmed round the collar, cuffs, and down the front with very broad swansdown. Cambridge hat of green satin, ornamented with white ribband, edged with holly-berry red, surmounted by a very full plume of white ostrich feathers. Triple ruff of fine lace; holly-berry velvet ridicule, with clasp and ornaments of gold. Limerick gloves, and white kid half boots.
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Pelisse of celestial blue satin, fastened down the front with Brandenbourgs of polished steel. Toque hat of spotted blue velvet, the hat part crowned with a plume of white ostrich feathers; the cap part confined to the forehead by a bandeau of polished steel, with an elegant tassel of the same material on the left side. Triple raff of fine lace, lemon-coloured slippers of kid leather, and Norman gloves.
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Castillian robe of pearl grey sarsnet, elegantly trimmed with pink satin, interspersed with crape and velvet: the petticoat worn under the dress is finished by a border of fine lace, which just appears below the robe: the sleeves are of fine figured net, with serpentine waves of rolled pink satin, continued close to the wrist, from whence depend two broad frills of blond made to fall over the knuckles. A fichu of the finest net, left open in front, and surmounted by a deep Spanish ruff, standing up a l'Elizabeth. Crown turban of white satin, net, and pearls, with tassels of the latter material, and crowned near the summit with a wreath of pink fancy flowers, and pearls. Pear pearl earrings, white crape fan, and white satin shoes.
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White satin petticoat, trimmed round the border with a chevaux-de-frieze of crape, over which is a rich ornament of full blown roses; the sleeves full, and reaching near the elbow, terminating by two full rows of lace: the body made to display the bust, very low behind, and ornamented with crape en chevaux-de-frieze. Train of royal purple or Prussian blue satin, superbly trimmed with fine broad lace, and lined throughout with white satin. The hair dressed round the face in ringlets a-la-Ninon, and entirely divided from the forehead; the hair on the summit of the head raised in two rows of separate braids, twisted round with pearls; between these braids is a tiara of gold and pearls, to which are fastened the court lappets of the finest Brussels lace. Earrings and chain necklace of pearls, white satin shoes, and white kid gloves, ornamented at the tops with a rich embossment of white satin.
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Dishabille round dress, finished at the border with open Vandykes and embossments of rich embroidery, over which are three rows of narrow tucks, two tucks in each row. Full sleeves a l'Eveque, finished at the wrists with a double ruffle of lace; the gown made partially low, and trimmed with lace next the bust; plain fichu of fine French lawn worn underneath. Village cornette of fine lace, ornamented simply with a broad satin ribband, of celestial blue. Kid slippers of Modena red.
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Round dress of the new Parisian tissue silk, of a beautiful blush colour, trimmed round the border with Persian of the same hue, bouilloni in bias, confined by a narrow rouleaux of blush-coloured satin, and terminated by a plain satin rouleau of tea green. Bonnet of white Gros de Naples, trimmed at the edge with a broad blond; the crown low, ornamented on one side with a bunch of green foliage and white lilacs. Triple ruff of fine lace; black kid slippers, teacoloured kid gloves, and parasol of pearl grey.
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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 louqvet of French double poppies, and yellow everlastings. Lilac parasol, kid slippers of the same colour, and straw-coloured kid gloves.
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Frock of white crape, Venetian gauze, or fine net, richly embellished at the border with small double Indian roses of a beautiful pink colour, and mingled with leaves of crape and pearls: the body finished in the Oriental style, with short sleeves, which approach nearer to the elbow than formerly, and which are finished by a trimming of broad blond. The head-dress consists of a double wreath of Indian roses, interspersed with the braids of hair that are wound round the summit of the head. White satin shoes and white kid gloves.
Which of these outfits is your favourite?
Further reading:
Belle Assemblée
curious to see what we would have worn in the spring and summer of 1818? Let's take a look:
MARCH
ENGLISH WINTER CARRIAGE COSTUME
Round dress of fine cambric muslin, superbly embroidered round the border in three distinct rows. Pelisse of rich Tobine silk striped, of Christmas holly-berry colour and bright grass green, trimmed round the collar, cuffs, and down the front with very broad swansdown. Cambridge hat of green satin, ornamented with white ribband, edged with holly-berry red, surmounted by a very full plume of white ostrich feathers. Triple ruff of fine lace; holly-berry velvet ridicule, with clasp and ornaments of gold. Limerick gloves, and white kid half boots.
FRENCH CARRIAGE DRESS
Pelisse of celestial blue satin, fastened down the front with Brandenbourgs of polished steel. Toque hat of spotted blue velvet, the hat part crowned with a plume of white ostrich feathers; the cap part confined to the forehead by a bandeau of polished steel, with an elegant tassel of the same material on the left side. Triple raff of fine lace, lemon-coloured slippers of kid leather, and Norman gloves.
APRIL
EVENING DRESS
Castillian robe of pearl grey sarsnet, elegantly trimmed with pink satin, interspersed with crape and velvet: the petticoat worn under the dress is finished by a border of fine lace, which just appears below the robe: the sleeves are of fine figured net, with serpentine waves of rolled pink satin, continued close to the wrist, from whence depend two broad frills of blond made to fall over the knuckles. A fichu of the finest net, left open in front, and surmounted by a deep Spanish ruff, standing up a l'Elizabeth. Crown turban of white satin, net, and pearls, with tassels of the latter material, and crowned near the summit with a wreath of pink fancy flowers, and pearls. Pear pearl earrings, white crape fan, and white satin shoes.
FRENCH COURT DRESS
White satin petticoat, trimmed round the border with a chevaux-de-frieze of crape, over which is a rich ornament of full blown roses; the sleeves full, and reaching near the elbow, terminating by two full rows of lace: the body made to display the bust, very low behind, and ornamented with crape en chevaux-de-frieze. Train of royal purple or Prussian blue satin, superbly trimmed with fine broad lace, and lined throughout with white satin. The hair dressed round the face in ringlets a-la-Ninon, and entirely divided from the forehead; the hair on the summit of the head raised in two rows of separate braids, twisted round with pearls; between these braids is a tiara of gold and pearls, to which are fastened the court lappets of the finest Brussels lace. Earrings and chain necklace of pearls, white satin shoes, and white kid gloves, ornamented at the tops with a rich embossment of white satin.
MAY
MORNING DRESS
Dishabille round dress, finished at the border with open Vandykes and embossments of rich embroidery, over which are three rows of narrow tucks, two tucks in each row. Full sleeves a l'Eveque, finished at the wrists with a double ruffle of lace; the gown made partially low, and trimmed with lace next the bust; plain fichu of fine French lawn worn underneath. Village cornette of fine lace, ornamented simply with a broad satin ribband, of celestial blue. Kid slippers of Modena red.
JUNE
PARISIAN WALKING DRESS
Round dress of the new Parisian tissue silk, of a beautiful blush colour, trimmed round the border with Persian of the same hue, bouilloni in bias, confined by a narrow rouleaux of blush-coloured satin, and terminated by a plain satin rouleau of tea green. Bonnet of white Gros de Naples, trimmed at the edge with a broad blond; the crown low, ornamented on one side with a bunch of green foliage and white lilacs. Triple ruff of fine lace; black kid slippers, teacoloured kid gloves, and parasol of pearl grey.
JULY
ENGLISH 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 louqvet of French double poppies, and yellow everlastings. Lilac parasol, kid slippers of the same colour, and straw-coloured kid gloves.
AUGUST
SUMMER RECESS BALL DRESS
Frock of white crape, Venetian gauze, or fine net, richly embellished at the border with small double Indian roses of a beautiful pink colour, and mingled with leaves of crape and pearls: the body finished in the Oriental style, with short sleeves, which approach nearer to the elbow than formerly, and which are finished by a trimming of broad blond. The head-dress consists of a double wreath of Indian roses, interspersed with the braids of hair that are wound round the summit of the head. White satin shoes and white kid gloves.
Which of these outfits is your favourite?
Further reading:
Belle Assemblée