2009 already? Oh, my word, where did the time go. Please do download Ann's new e-book, The Rake's Intimate Encounter from eharlequin.com. It is very romantic and passionate and a tiny bit naughty.
As promised, we have now have our regular feature, January fashion.
This is one of those four for the price of one plates. The ladies look wonderful.
As you can see we are showing walking, morning and evening gowns. The plate is from 1804 The Lady's Monthly Museum.
First Walking gown:
A light blue Beaver Military Helmeted hat, covered with Light Blue Netting, ornamented with a White Feather. A short walking dress of White Muslin. A military spencer, trimmed with silver cord, and Epaulette. York Tan Gloves.
I love this style, and often have my heroines adopt the military style, particularly for riding habits. It seems dashing somehow. Notice how the sleeves are cut to come over the backs of the hands. It is repeated again in the the morning dress.
Second Walking dress:
A Scarlet Velvet Bonnet, with a White Ostrich Feather. A Pelice of Scarlet Kesimere, trimmed with Black Velvet. Brown Bear Muff. Also note the half boots she is wearing. We do not see any of the gown since the pelisse (sp) appears to be full length and very warm looking.
I love the color and it does seem that red or scarlet was the color of winter. (The spelling of Kerseymere is off and quite honestly I do not know if this is a transcription mistake or an accurate quote. Spelling in the Regency was not standardised at all.) I am not so keen on the idea of the bear muff, I have to say, though it is quite magnificent, I am glad we don't wear them any more.
Morning Dress:
A Dress of Cambric Muslin with long sleeves; Habit shirt. The Hair dressed with a golden Comb, and Silver Bear Tippet.
Sadly more bear fur, which we will do our best to ignore. This is a morning dress, which of course means it was intended for making morning calls in the afternoons and is therefore more formal than the walking gown. Cambric muslin seems to be a combination of two fabrics, my guess is that it is a very fine cambric, a little heavier than muslin as a nod to the time of year. The long sleeves also cover the backs of the hands. It must have been in. I had a dress like that in the ooops ... better not to say when. lol. The habit shirt is interesting. It covers the chest and ruffles at the throat, and this style would have been worn beneath a riding habit. It makes this gown more modest and therefore suitable for day wear, don't you think? I like the pretty ruffles around the neckline, down the front and around the hem.
Our final gown is a Full Dress or Evening Gown.
The Head fashionably dressed, with a Gold Comb, and Scarlet Wreath. A dress of Muslin, sloped in Front, with a long Train trimmed with Rose-coloured Ribbon, with a broad White Lace sewed to the Edge of the Ribbon; and York Tan Gloves.
Well apart from the scarlet wreath being green, which I assume was artistic license, given that these were coloured by hand, it is a very pretty dress. But I do hate those York tan gloves. They really should have been white kid. lol
So there we have it, January 1804 in all of its glory.
Next time we will have a bit of flora and fauna.
Until then, Happy rambles.
As promised, we have now have our regular feature, January fashion.
This is one of those four for the price of one plates. The ladies look wonderful.
As you can see we are showing walking, morning and evening gowns. The plate is from 1804 The Lady's Monthly Museum.
First Walking gown:
A light blue Beaver Military Helmeted hat, covered with Light Blue Netting, ornamented with a White Feather. A short walking dress of White Muslin. A military spencer, trimmed with silver cord, and Epaulette. York Tan Gloves.
I love this style, and often have my heroines adopt the military style, particularly for riding habits. It seems dashing somehow. Notice how the sleeves are cut to come over the backs of the hands. It is repeated again in the the morning dress.
Second Walking dress:
A Scarlet Velvet Bonnet, with a White Ostrich Feather. A Pelice of Scarlet Kesimere, trimmed with Black Velvet. Brown Bear Muff. Also note the half boots she is wearing. We do not see any of the gown since the pelisse (sp) appears to be full length and very warm looking.
I love the color and it does seem that red or scarlet was the color of winter. (The spelling of Kerseymere is off and quite honestly I do not know if this is a transcription mistake or an accurate quote. Spelling in the Regency was not standardised at all.) I am not so keen on the idea of the bear muff, I have to say, though it is quite magnificent, I am glad we don't wear them any more.
Morning Dress:
A Dress of Cambric Muslin with long sleeves; Habit shirt. The Hair dressed with a golden Comb, and Silver Bear Tippet.
Sadly more bear fur, which we will do our best to ignore. This is a morning dress, which of course means it was intended for making morning calls in the afternoons and is therefore more formal than the walking gown. Cambric muslin seems to be a combination of two fabrics, my guess is that it is a very fine cambric, a little heavier than muslin as a nod to the time of year. The long sleeves also cover the backs of the hands. It must have been in. I had a dress like that in the ooops ... better not to say when. lol. The habit shirt is interesting. It covers the chest and ruffles at the throat, and this style would have been worn beneath a riding habit. It makes this gown more modest and therefore suitable for day wear, don't you think? I like the pretty ruffles around the neckline, down the front and around the hem.
Our final gown is a Full Dress or Evening Gown.
The Head fashionably dressed, with a Gold Comb, and Scarlet Wreath. A dress of Muslin, sloped in Front, with a long Train trimmed with Rose-coloured Ribbon, with a broad White Lace sewed to the Edge of the Ribbon; and York Tan Gloves.
Well apart from the scarlet wreath being green, which I assume was artistic license, given that these were coloured by hand, it is a very pretty dress. But I do hate those York tan gloves. They really should have been white kid. lol
So there we have it, January 1804 in all of its glory.
Next time we will have a bit of flora and fauna.
Until then, Happy rambles.