Regency Fashion: Carriage, Evening, and Ball Dresses (1819)

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This collection of gowns appeared in the January 1819 issue of La Belle Assemblee. In addition to descriptions, we have included the general observations of fashions and dress for the month.

EXPLANATION OF THE PRINTS OF FASHION ENGLISH ficiently her indubitable superiority in the No 1 BALL DRESS fabrication of the different articles belongFrock of scarlet gauze brocaded with ing to the modish toilet and the versatility of her taste in the classical arrangement of white silken flowers worn over a white satin slip the dress richly ornamented every different part of a lady's costume with fine lace The head dress consisting The mourning now is but partially obof either a beautiful tiara of pearls or a served except by ladies belonging to the fancy ornament of downy plumage or of court and even amongst them coloured frosted Italian frivolité this ornament is pelisses rainbow scarfs and variegated however almost concealed by a bonnet de Madras turbans have already made their Turc composed entirely of white ostrich appearance The festive ball and the midfeathers playing in different directions night gala have now invariably adopted The stamina of the Turk's cap with the their usual motley costume and for the forpistil are represented by a small plume of mer the elegant engraving in this Number short wbite heron's feathers is now the most admired and is likely to be in very bigh estimation No 2 Evening Dress This new and beautiful manufacture of Gallician frock of black Italian gauze over brocaded gauze is the most fashionable a white satin slip short sleeves Head article for evening dresses for the young dress composed of pearl cordons and rich the more matronly adopt the rich Tobine plumes of white ostrich feathers Oriental sarsnet either striped or plain the chain pearl necklace and white satin slippers reps silk or the gossamer satin A slatecoloured frock of Italian gauze trimmed FRENCH with satin and worn over a white satin No 3 CARRIAGE Costume slip is in high favour for its chaste sim Round dress of fine cambric with six plicity and peculiar elegance founces of India muslin spencer of cherry The Otaheitan pelisse described in our coloured or Tyrian purple velvet with last and the superb velvet Witzchoura bonnet to correspond the spencer ele pelisse trimmed with ermine or distinct gantly finished down the bust with rich rows of swansdown still continue to grace silk Brandenburgs the bonnet lined with the carriages of those distinguished for rank white and surmounted by a plume of white and wealth and a pale blue satin spencer ostrich feathers Black satın slippers and with light infantry wings of white satin Florence gloves edged with blond and finished down the front à la militaire seems an out door covering in particular favour with young GENERAL OBSERVATIONS ladies to whose sylph like forms and blooming countenances it is highly appropriate and becoming and worn over a FASHIONS AND DRESS morning dress of fine cambric finished at The crowds of beauty rank and fashion the border with two founces of fine lace which daily resort to the elegant repository between which are two broad rows of rich of taste and fancy under the guidance of embroidery it forms a most elegant cosMrs Bell in St James street prove suf tume for morning visits No 119 Vol XIX E ON
The bonnets for walking are still im emysely large and have a kind of slouching appearance if we may be allowed the ex pression which we do not admire The eye is relieved and gratified by sometimes seeing a lady step out of a carriage either with her head partially covered by a cap veil a velvet college cap with tassels or the becoming Caledonian bonnet with its warlike plumes depending over the fair forehead Cornettes now begin to be on the decline except merely for the breakfast table when they are wholly unornamented One of a new kind has however been invented by Mrs Bell called the College cornette the mob part of which is of fine net and blond and the college crown by which it is sur mounted is of straw coloured satin or some other pale colour this head dress is for home déshabille the most superb and novel head dress is the Marguerite de Valois hat it is of striped black velvet the antique toque part of this hat is in the Mary Stuart style and is elegantly finished by two rows of pearls the same ornament surrounds the edge of the hat which is turned up like that seen on the portraits of Henry VIII A large drooping ostrich feather finishes this favourite head dress of the beautiful repudiated wife of the warlike and good King Henry IV of France Our fair readers will recollect that two most beauti ful and youthful females then resided in the luxurious court of Catherine de Me dicis Marguerite her daughter and the lovely but unfortunate niece of the ambi tious Guises Mary of Scotland married to the sickly and imbecile Francis II These distinguished females gave laws to fashion and regulated the taste of the toilet we can almost perceive that this hat was the result of consultation between them or at least of imitation on one hand for the toque part is exactly similar to that worn by the young Queen of France afterwards Mary Queen of Scots Fashion a whimsical and sportive deity sometimes takes a retrograde motion and resorts to the ancient modes of antiquity then spreads her varied wings to distant re gions and comnes home arrayed in the cos tume of nations known but to a few of the Mexican turban a most costly and
beautiful head dress is a proof it consists of a bandeau of the finest Oriental pearls from whence seem to arise about eleven short feathers forming a beautiful plumage and most becoming Indian head dress especially where the face is not too full or short Next in favour is the etherial turand ban of white gossamer gauze ornamented round the border with small ears of corn in oval pearls this light and elegant head dress is placed on the summit of the head rather forward The Arctic cap of a rare and beautifal squirrel skin encircled by a gold band is a favourite head dress for morning rides and is also much worn by those ladies who have not yet quitted their country seats In the articles of jewellery garnets sapphires and turquoise stones are in bigh favour while the topaz still maintains its sunny station as an ornament to dark coBut loured dresses The favourite colours are slate colour Arctic blue orange and emerald green

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5 Responses to Regency Fashion: Carriage, Evening, and Ball Dresses (1819)

  1. Michelle H says:
    January 4, 2022 at 10:05 pm

    Those dresses and their descriptions were fun to read about. I loved the example of a head band as a frivolité. I had to look up Otaheitan and Witzchouran. 😀 I need to take advantage of your website more often, so much history to access.

    Happy New Year, Regency Reader. May everyone there have a safe and healthy, blessed and prosperous 2022.

    • Anne says:
      January 5, 2022 at 8:26 am

      Happy New Year to you, Michelle, and thanks for being a Regency Reader!

      I loved this collection of dresses. The scarlet color of the ball gown is so surprising and delightful, and the deep purple spencer from the carriage dress is the stuff of dreams. I should do a post on Witzchoura, thanks for calling that out.

      We hope all our readers have a safe, healthy, and prosperous 2022 filled with all the best Regencies!

  2. Betty A Smith says:
    January 5, 2022 at 11:02 am

    You are a very important resource as I strive to make my regency novel as accurate about the culture as possible.

    • Anne says:
      January 6, 2022 at 7:38 am

      Thank you for the kind words, Betty, and for being a Regency Reader! We wish you the best with your Regency novel.

  3. Pingback: Regency Fashion: Witzchoura – Regency Reader