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| Seaside costume September 1862 |
Author Donna Hatch, whom I finally met in London, recently shared a post on crinolines, which I in turn shared on Facebook. You may want to look at this piece while you peruse this month’s fashions. You’ll note that this dress, from the Met Museum’s collection, which appears in the article, bears a resemblance to the image from Plate 2 of the magazine.
Description of Plates
SECOND PLATE.—First Toilette. Dress of white coutil embroidered in black. The embroidery in this style of dress always affects the Greek style of ornament, is always based on a line and placed close to the hem. The Zouave jacket is much rounded, and embroidered in accordance with the skirt. Sleeves half-large, rounded, and open to the elbow. The chemisette and under-sleeves in strict accordance, even so far, that the wristbands and collar band are equally flat, plain, and close. Red cravat. A full sash of black lace, knotted behind, takes off from the perhaps too nautical appearance of this dress. The hat is in capital accordance with the entire dress; it is of leghorn straw, flat brim, band and edging of black velvet, ends of black lace, and black feathers. The chemisette must be very full to give due effect to the jacket.
Second Toilette. Inasmuch as England sets France the fashion in men's apparel, we need barely refer to this toilette, but we may say it is peculiar from this fact, that not only is all the suit made of one material, but the hat also is en suite. The cravat is in bad taste, but the harmony of the suit and gloves is admirable.
FOURTH PLATE.—First Toilette. Dress of white muslin, trimmed with black lace insertion. The skirt is trimmed with a flounce, and there is novelty in the application of a band of insertion lace, put above the hem of the flounce, which is headed with a fine puffing, over which is placed two narrow insertions, forming three narrow plaits. Bodice low; the berthe being in accord with the petticoat; small puffed sleeve, and each in perfect keeping with the dress; the ends very wide— a still prevalent mode.
Second Toilette. Dress of drab gauze, trimmed with blue taffetas. The undulating flounces are unusual, and made more so by the edge-plaiting, while almost perfect novelty is obtained by the vertical ribbons continued under the lower flounce. The bodice open. The bodice is in exquisite agreement with the skirt. —Les Modes Parisiennes September 1862
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| September 1862 fashions |
Clicking on the image will enlarge it. Clicking on the caption will take you to the source, where you can learn more and enlarge images as needed.
One of us -- 
5 comments:
Saying that "thousands of women" died as a result of their crinolines catching on fire is a preposterous statement. There are at most only a handful of documented incidents. That false statistic is more propaganda from nineteenth century costume reformers and modern fashion-haters, and belongs in the same category as tales about punctured lungs caused by tight lacing of corsets. Like all fake news, repeating it only gives it credence.
IT DID NOT HAPPEN.
You're quite right, Anonymous. Unfortunately, time didn't permit my commenting on some of the inaccuracies in the article. Mea culpa. Mainly I wanted to show the development of the crinoline. This is like the nonsense we read about corsets. In the early 19th century, it was claimed that those "thin" muslin dresses were always catching fire...that they were damped...that women wore no underwear...
Off topic, but I was directed to this blog (Mary Corbett) and thought it might be of interest if you didn't know about it.
http://costumehistorian.blogspot.ca/2017/09/embroidered-jackets-or-waistcoats.html
Love the Nerdy posts!
These immediately reminded me of both Scarlett O'Hara and Louisa May Alcott's Little Women, both of which start during this period of time. Very enjoyable blog.
But the underwear thing is true... Women didnt wear underwear in the sense that we understand until the 1940s... In the 1800s they wore union suits, but before then they didnt wear underwear. They wore a chemise and some form of stays, but not underwear.
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