Regency Era Fashion Chit Chat - July 1819 Ladies' Monthly Museum

Regency Era Fashion Chit Chat - July 1819 Ladies' Monthly Museum

Among the novelties of the present month, one of those which we consider most worthy of the attention of our fair readers, is a morning dress which has just been made for a public breakfast. It is a robe and petticoat, composed of fine jaconaut muslin; the bottom of the petticoat is trimmed in a very novel style, with a broad full trimming of soft muslin, which is slashed in different places; these slashes are edged with lace; a coloured riband passes through the trimming, and a rosette, composed of this riband cut in points, appears in every slash. There are three rows of this trimming, which is rather better than a nail in breadth; and between each is a row of very rich embroidery. The petticoat has a high body, made tight to the shape; the entire of the bust is composed of letting-in-lace; it is set in something in the same style as the braiding, which is laid in a byas direction across the points of spensers. The robe is in the Turkish style; it has a small collar which stands up in the back of the neck; the body is made loose; the fronts do not meet by nearly half a quarter on each side, so that the rich bust of the under dress is completely displayed; they are left loose, but the back part of the dress is confined to the waist by a band of riband, which is attached to each side of the back, and is ornamented in the middle with a full bow and short ends; the sleeve is very long, and of a moderate width. There is an epaulette, composed of a fulness of muslin formed into lozenges, by bands and bows of narrow riband; the bottom of the sleeve is ornamented with a single row of trimming, to correspond with the bottom of the petticoat, but upon a smaller scale. The skirt of the robe is nearly as long as the petticoat, but not quite; it is worked round the bottom, and up the fronts, in a very rich and broad embroidered border; the fronts are gathered into the collar, which, as we before observed, comes no farther than the back of the neck, and they hang loose on each side, which has a very graceful effect.

Promenade gowns for the morning are always white; and the morning walking dress frequently consists of the robe, or round dress, worn at home, without any other addition than a silk handkerchief tied carelessly round the throat. Spensers, however, are still very fashionable, though they are seldom worn for the early morning walk; and pelisses, notwithstanding the heat of the weather, are frequently made of substantial silk. The most fashionable, however, both for the carriage and dress promenade, are those composed of fine clear muslin, and lined with slight silk; the skirts of these pelisses are made rather more than the usual width; they are gored, and the fulness is thrown a good deal behind; the backs are always full; the fronts tight to the shape, and the greater part are made without collars; they are high behind, but sloped down on each side of the bust, and have, in general, pelerines; the sleeves are rather wide; and there is always an epaulette, which is composed either of a triple fall of lace, or else of muslin, to correspond with the trimming. There is much variety in the manner in which they are trimmed; some are richly embroidered all round; and this embroidery is finished with a broad rich lace, set on at the edge; others have a trimming of muslin bouillonne, which is drawn into waves by casings drawn by narrow riband; others have a broad piece of muslin, or net, laid on very full, and formed into puffs by straps of the same material as the pelisse, which are lined also with silk to correspond; these straps are of various shapes, but they are always pointed at that part which goes up, and in general trimmed with narrow lace; they fasten with a silk button to correspond with the lining.

Bonnets afford no variety as to shape; they are all worn with low crowns and immensely broad brims; some of the brims are cut short at the ears, and this is the most becoming shape; others nearly meet under the chin. The most fashionable for the carriage, or dress promenade, are either wholly or partly transparent; the first are composed of either net or gauze; the shape is formed by satin welts; the others have a satin or gros de Naples crown, with a transparent brim; they are finished at the edge by blond, and always adorned with flowers. Bonnets composed wholly of gros de Naples, are nearly in equal request; and Leghorn is still considered most genteel for plain walking dress. Notwithstanding the warmth of the weather, figured poplins are very much worn in home dress; and silks are extremely fashionable for dinner parties; they are worn, indeed, in the fullest dress. Fashionable colours are primrose, peach-blossom, wild rose colour, and the lightest shades of fawn colour, lavender, and blue; bright grass-green, is also in great request.