Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Fashions for November 1810

Half Dress

Loretta reports:

This month’s fashion plates, from Ackermann’s Repository for 1810, show the high-waisted, “classical” style we usually associate with the Regency—although, strictly speaking, the Prince of Wales (later, King George IV) did not become Prince Regent until the following year.  However, social history, art, & architecture scholars generally use the term to cover a broader span, from about 1800 until Victoria came to the throne in 1837.  To save a lot of defining, qualifications, and the ensuing arguments pro and con, I try to stick with “early 19th century.”

Whatever you call the era, this is about as vertical as the vertical style gets.  What structure there is tends to be concentrated on the bodice.  Still, it’s by no means a plain style.  These dresses show some beautiful work on the bodice and neckline, and the scarves or tippets add drama.

Walking & Morning Dress
Dress description

You will note that plump cheeks are in fashion.


Images courtesy Philadelphia Museum of Art, via Internet Archive.
Clicking on the image will enlarge it.  Clicking on the captions will allow you to read at the source, where you can learn more and enlarge images as needed.

1 comment:

  1. Interesting. I just finished writing an article about the 19th century myself. Notice how there is almost nothing else in the images other than the model.

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