Regency Fashions: London Dresses for March (1812)

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Designs and description appeared in March 1812 issue of The Lady’s Monthly Museum.

Cabinet of Fashion WITH ELEGANTLY COLOURED PLATES Fig 1 A round walking dress of plain muslin with a border of needle work at the feet throat and collar A Russian mantle of drab or Wellington brown lined and bordered with rose coloured satin or velvet A village hat composed of feathers and lined with rose coloureà velvet tied on with a Barcelona handkerchief of the same colour formed in a tufted rose on the top and tied under the chin The hair in ringlets round the forehead Half boots to correspond and buff gloves Fig 2 A round Grecian robe of white crape embroidered up the front and round the bottom with a fancy border of green chenille An antique bodice of green velyet trimmed with Vandyke lace or bugles Short full sleeves same as the robe finished with bands of green velvet White satin slippers with silver clasps or roses Veil of Mecklin lace fancifully disposed over the hair which is seen in irregular curls beneath Necklace and ornaments of the satin bead or pearl Glaves of French kid below the elbow Fan of iyory

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2 Responses to Regency Fashions: London Dresses for March (1812)

  1. Michelle H says:
    March 6, 2021 at 3:09 pm

    Lovely dresses aren’t they. I especially like the dress trimmed in green on the left. I’ve long realized that all fashion drawings are meant to portray the ideal in body type, and I’m sure I’m not the first to point this out but the sketches above seem to be ridiculously out of proportion. That lady on the right side has enormous arms and the teeniest feet, among other anomalies.

    I’ll never tire of seeing these fashions though. I just wonder if those illustrations were somewhat rushed to those copies on the newsstands, or they paid the artists a beggar’s wage. HA! What’s your opinion?

    • Anne says:
      March 7, 2021 at 11:11 am

      I agree, the proportions are decidedly wild. I have noticed The Lady’s Monthly Museum used one or two particular artists in this era where often times body parts would be exaggerated, at least in comparison with Ackermann’s Repository or La Belle Assemblee. My guess would be its an inferior artist or maybe a caricaturist…but I am not an expert in this topic. Would love to hear from others who have made as study of historical fashion plates!