For 1830, I present another red dress, but French this time. The silhouette has changed completely, and gone geometric—two triangles meeting at the pointy ends, if you believe the illustration. Actually, the dresses are softer looking than this. In real life, these dresses were splendid. For an example on a live person, just scroll down on this AustenProse post link Susan sent me—past the men, please—that’s right—the brown satin number with the fur boa.
BALL DRESS.
A DRESS of bright cherry-coloured gaze de St. Valiere, over a gros de Naples slip, to correspond. An under corsage, of white satin, is cut low, and square, and edged round the bust with narrow blond lace. The corsage of the dress is open before and behind to the centre of the waist. It turns back in a fold, which is very narrow at the bottom, but broad at the top of the bust. These folds are edged with blond lace: they are open on the shoulder, and form an elegant finish to the sleeve. Cherry-coloured ceinture, embroidered in gold, and terminated at the waist by a fall of gold fringe. Sleeve, à la Maintenon, terminated, en manchette, with very broad blond lace. The trimming of the skirt consists of a wreath of foliage, embroidered in gold at the upper edge of the hem. Coiffeure, à la Donna Maria. The hair is dressed in very full curls on the temples, and in bands and bows, which are brought very high on the summit of the head. It is ornamented with gold flowers mingled with white roses. The bouquet, à la Jardinère, placed on one side of the bosom, corresponds with that in the hair. The bracelets and ear-rings are of massive gold; the latter in the girandole form.Belle assemblée: or, Court and fashionable magazine; containing interesting and original literature, and records of the beau-monde, 1830.
One of us -- 
6 comments:
Is it shallow to prefer novels set earlier in the century just because you prefer the fashions?
Pouffiness aside, thanks for another deliciously described gown!
The dress from Jane Eyre is indeed sumptuous. I love the color. But I dread having to endure Jane Eyre again. Ever since I read The Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys I have hated JE the book and Rochester. Poor Bertha. Madwoman in the Attic and all that. If you want to look at it this way, Rochester is a sexual predator and a wife abuser. And I also hate the way Jane dumps Sinjin. Shame on her. Is she trying to outdo Rochester?? I'm sure this will be a beautiful production, well acted, costumed and Sooooooo appealing to us anglophiles. But a BAD story -- almost as dreadful as Wuthering Heights -- yuk.
Charity Girl, I'm all for that kind of shallowness: Witness the number of my blog posts about fashion. But one of the advantages of the later fashions is all the opportunities they offer for comic effect. Baroness, I once adored Jane Eyre--all the Bronte works, in fact--but a few years out of college, they lost their charm (maybe when I lost my adolescent angst). Jane Austen, OTOH, just seems to get better and better.
what perfect timing I just a chapter in an historical novel set in 1830 or rather over a period of time including your posting and there is a ball with lots of political intrigue.
OMG, I forgot, it was a French ball scene, the younger Bourbons plotting against their king and the older set
with Madame Royale firmly in favor of monarchy while the younger ones want a constitutional monarchy and expect revolution to get it. Exciting.
Love it, Loretta! Who can deny the power of a red dress?
This sleeve also reminds me of a similar one on a dress included in the recent exhibition at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (except, of course, it's pink instead of red):
http://bit.ly/b3xnLX
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