Regency Era Fashion Chit Chat - June 1819 Ackerman's Repository

Regency Era Fashion Chit Chat - June 1819 Ackerman's Repository General Observations on Fashion and Dress The uncommon fineness of the weather has induced our elegantes to adopt the light attire of summer at an earlier period than usual. We see, however, with pleasure, that silks of various descriptions are still in great favour both for promenade and home dress. For the former, white dresses are now most fashionable, but they are worn with spencers or scarfs. One of the neatest morning walking dresses that we have seen, is a round dress composed of thick jaconot muslin: the bottom of the skirt is trimmed with a broad piece of muslin drawn with cords, which are placed in a bias direction; this is finished with a full flounce of work at the bottom, and is ornamented at the top with a row of cotton tufts, one of which is affixed to each of the drawings. The back is full, and is ornamented at each side with a narrow serpentine of cord, which ends in a full tuft at the bottom of the waist: the front is braided in a serpentine direction with very narrow cord, which is interspersed with a number of little tufts. High standing collar, also braided and tufted to correspond. Long loose sleeve, surmounted by a small epaulette, something in the shape of a wing; it is made to stand out from the shoulder by three drawings of cord: the long sleeve is confined at the bottom by drawings of cord to correspond. This is a neat and simple dress; it is very appropriate to the season, and forms also a pretty dishabille. Spencers continue in very great favour, but we do not observe any peculiar novelty in their make. Gros de Naples is the most fashionable material; but satin is also in request, as are fancy silks. Pelisses are still fashionable: in fact, we are surprised, considering the warmth of the weather, to see them so much worn, especially as they are in general composed of very stout silk. Leghorn bonnets are most in favour for the promenade. Though several shapes have been introduced since the commencement of the spring, there is none so generally adopted as the one we used to style the large French bonnet: they continue to be trimmed as we described last month. The principal alteration in carriage dress since last month, consists in the introduction of pelisses composed either of white figured British net, or very fine worked muslin over satin; they are made with a full body, and very loose sleeves, which fall a good deal over the hand: some are trimmed all round with very broad rich lace, set on full; others have a fulness of the same material as the pelisse, which is disposed in bias flutings, and is finished at each edge either by a rouleau of satin, or a row of narrow lace, which is in general pointed. These pelisses are always lined with slight sarsnet, of a light colour. Pale blush-colour, pale lavender, lemon-colour, apple-blossom, and peach-blossom, are the favourite colours this month. The materials for carriage bonnets continue the same as last month. We have observed a few bonnets with satin or gros de Naples crowns, and transparent brims: the brims are composed either of gauze or net. Flowers are now the only ornaments for carriage bonnets; they are worn in general in bouquets, as wreaths do not seem to be at all in favour. The most elegant carriage or dress promenade bonnet which we have seen for some time, has just been introduced by the lady to whom we are indebted for our dresses this month: it is composed of white figured gros de Naples; the crown is very low; it is ornamented en marmotte, as the French style it, with the same material edged with blond; the brim is extremely deep in front, but is short at the ears, and is rounded off in a way that we conceive must be generally becoming: a row of broad blond is set on round the edge of the brim; one part of the blond falls over the edge; the remainder, by a second tacking at some distance from the first, forms a headind: a bouquet of roses is placed to one side. Muslin continues to be the only material adopted in morning dress: jaconot is most fashionable, but cambric muslin is considered genteel: the latter is usually trimmed with French work. Robes are still much worn, but we think that round dresses rather predominate. Dinner dress continues much the same as last month. The full dress which we have given in our print is deservedly the first in estimation. We observe, that for social evening parties clear muslin is much worn; the favourite form is a frock: the body is generally richly let in with lace, and the trimming of the skirt is composed of satin, lace, or ribbon: it is often formed of a mixture of the two last; as for instance, a deep lace flounce is headed by a corkscrew roll of ribbon, and that is surmounted by a wave, which is also formed of a corkscrew roll of ribbon, or else by a fulness of muslin fancifully interspersed with bows of ribbon. For grand parties the hair is now generally ornamented with jewels, or a mixture of flowers and jewels; but we observe that feathers are very little worn. Turbans have increased a little in favour; toques continue to be very fashionable, but dress caps are not at all in request.