Friday, February 19, 2010

Fashions for February 1830 Part 2

Friday, February 19, 2010
Loretta reports:

From La Belle Assemblée No. 62.—Vol.XI

A robe redingote, composed of French Cachemire, of a light shade of grenat. The corsage, made tight, turns over en schall, so as to display very much the cambric chemisette worn with it. The facings are of black velvet. Sleeve,à la Caroline, fitting close to the arm from the elbow to the wrist, and extremely full above the elbow; the fulness is divided in the middle of the arm by a broad band of black velvet. The cuff is also of black velvet; is very deep, and finished at each edge by a rich but narrow black blond lace. The trimming of the skirt consists of a bias band of black velvet of moderate breadth. Black velvet ceinture. The chemisette is fastened in front with small gold buttons, and finished round the throat with a full ruff of the same material. Black velvet bonnet worn over a cap of the demi cornette form, which is trimmed with Valenciennes' lace. The shape of the bonnet is rather close: it is ornamented on the inside of the brim with three coques of satin ribbond, figured with velvet. Two large nœuds of this ribbon adorn one side of the crown, and three ostrich feathers placed upright fall over it. Brodequins of black figured silk. Pale lavender gloves. The boa tippet is of chinchilla.

DINNER DRESS.
A DRESS composed of painted foulard ; the ground, gris lavande; the bouquets are large and of vivid colours. The corsage is cut low; the shape of the bosom formed by two bands of ermine, which descend from the point of each shoulder in the style of draperies, down each side of the bust, and the skirt, to the broad border of ermine, which forms the trimming of the dress. The sleeves are à la Marino Faliero: they are bordered with ermine, and lined with white satin. The under sleeve is of a moderate width, at the upper part of the arm, and tight towards the wrist. Small cuff, cut at the upper edge in points. The coiffeure is composed of crimson crape, arranged en béret, and displaying no part of the hind hair, but the large knot, which is drawn through the crape on the crown of the head. A bandeau of coloured gems encircles the knot, and crosses the forehead on the left side. An esprit, placed on the right side droops towards the shoulder, and two others are disposed upright at the back of the head. Ear-pendants, rubies and emeralds. Gold bracelets with ruby clasps. Ceinture of gold net.

 FULL DRESS.
A ROUND dress of white gros des Indes, cut rather high round the bust, except at the shoulders, which are very much displayed. A row of narrow pointed blond lace finishes the top of the corsage. The shape of the bosom is very gracefully formed by a slight fulness, which is looped in the centre by a rouleau, that descends to the waist. The sleeve is extremely wide to the elbow, but tight from thence, so as to display the shape of the arm; the cuff is of a moderate depth, cut in points at the upper edge. The points are finished with blond to correspond with the bosom. Over this dress is an open robe composed of satin duchesse, the colour is emerald green. This is a little shorter than the under dress, nearly meets at the waist, and turns back round the bust en pelerine. The skirt flies open in front so as to display the under dress. The pelerine part, and the sides of the robe, are cut in points: these are edged with a rouleau of plain satin, and in the centre of each is a richly-wrought gold button. The bottom of the skirt is cut in very deep scollops, finished like the points with a rouleau and buttons; the scollops surmounted by a twisted rouleau, placed about a quarter of a yard above them. The shoulder of the robe is finished by a single row of points, corresponding exactly with those of the pelerine part of the dress, and forming a double epaulette. The hair is dressed in full curls on the temples; the hind hair disposed in one very large knot, and two bows formed of plaited bands. The coiffeure consists of two bows of gold-figured gauze, disposed en papillon, near the crown of the head, and the tails of two birds-of-paradise inserted among the bows of hair.

6 comments:

Vanessa Kelly said...

Wow! Those are all over-the-top, but that Full Dress is just wild - especially the sleeves. One stiff breeze and she could be doing a Flying Nun routine!

It's amazing, though. As bizarre as those dresses appear to modern eyes, they're still so beautiful.

Jane O said...

Think how far apart the chairs would have to be to allow room for the hats and the sleeves. No wonder men's coats were so tight!
And the lady in the dinner dress would have to be extremely careful when eating. Imagine if she reached for her wine glass and dipped the ermine in the soup! Would there be any way to clean it, or was each dinner dress expected to be a one-shot deal only?

margravaine louisa said...

thank you - i neede this to start my day properly

LorettaChase said...

Vanessa, I agree that they are bizarre but beautiful. My 2010 book is set in the early 1830s. As Susan & I have discovered, the style kind of grows on us. Initially, I found them comical. Now, I'm imagining them in real life--and appreciating the beauty and workmanship. As to functionality...Jane O, I was about to respond to your comments, but then I thought, "Hey, we have beaucoup de nerdy history persons here. Why not give them a chance to respond first?" I for one will be interested to learn if my ideas correspond to others'.

Jean de Buren said...

I think your blog is great. I scanned some fashion prints from a 1860s for another blog, which I think might interest you.

http://19thcentury.wordpress.com/2009/09/16/some-victorian-fashion-prints/

Regards, Jean-François

LorettaChase said...

Jean-François, thank you! The quality of those prints is amazing, so clean and crisp. What a find!

 
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