Fashions for January 1806

January 1806 Full & Walking Dress

Loretta reports:

It’s a New Year, in which I’ll offer a new cycle of monthly fashion prints, starting with the first decade of the 1800s.

This one is from the Lady’s Monthly Museum, one of several popular ladies’ magazines of the 19th century. Many of these included, along with fiction, poetry, and non-fiction of various kinds, illustrations and descriptions of the hot new fashion of the month.

When it comes to the earlier decades of the 1800s, I like to do readers a favor and send them to Candice Hern’s website.


There you will find definitions, often with illustrations, of the various fashion terms, as well discover what "full dress" means. Her article about "half dress" may help explain why the print calls the dress on the right a Morning Dress, while the description calls it a Walking Dress.

While you’re at the site, you might want to peruse her collection of Regency artifacts.

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Walking Dress.

A Green Velvet Hat, turned up in Front, and edged with White Swandown, ornamented with a Green Velvet Flower. A Pelisse of Green Velvet, with Bishop’s Sleeves, trimmed with Black Lace. Habit Shirt of clear Muslin; Swandown Tippet. Buff Boots.

Full Dress.

Head fashionably dressed, ornamented with a Silver Wreath, and Heron’s Feathers. Walking Dress of clear Muslin; a deep Lace let in round the Bottom. A Robe of Crimson Satin, edged round with White Swandown, full Sleeves, looped up with a Diamond Button. White Muff, Gloves, and Shoes.

Images (edited by me) are courtesy Hathi Trust. Dress description here. Fashion print here.

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.