Fashion Plate, January 1818

Illustration

Fashion Plate, January 1818

January 1818

Walking & Evening Dress for January 1818.

The fashion plate was created for the January, 1818 edition of The Lady’s Monthly Museum. It depicts two women dressed intricately from head to toe. They are wearing mourning outfits to honor “Princess Charlotte (1796-1817), who had died two months earlier” (Hern 2020). The walking cloak is full mourning while the evening dress represents half mourning. The discussion on January 1818 fashions begins, “The fashionable world gives but little scope for the indulgence of fancy a present,….Black and white is frequently intermixed with considerable effect;…. (p. 49).

The description of these two outfits is considerably detailed.

“The Mirror of Fashion”    
Promenade and Carriage Costumes.

Round dress, of fine black bombazeen, made in the throat with a collar, which turns back in points considerably deeper in front, and finished with a small tassel of crape; the trimming of crimped crape, formed into small roses. The petticoat is made full, and rimmed with large satin roses, placed two together on the bias, and attached by a band of crimped crape; long sleeves made rather tight, with a pointed cuff, and trimmed to correspond with the collar. Ruff, of white crimped crap, very full, and quilled in three distinct hems. For walking, or carriage costume, over this dress is worn a new an elegant wrapping cloak, made of grey mole-skin, or fine Bath coating; it descends to the feet, and is wide enough to protect the wearer from the inclemency of the weather; it is cut on the shoulders to fit the shape, with a large military cape and hood, which folds, being made like the ladies’ chapeaux bras, lined and bound with black sarsnet. Shade bonnet of fine black cane, embroidered with chenille and velvet flowers round the front; the crown, of black satin, very full, and high in the back, is made of cane and chenille like the front; the crown is surrounded with a wreath of crape and satin flowers, and tied under the chin with a broad satin ribbon. Beaver gloves and shoes.

Evening, or Ball Dress.

Black crape dress over a white sarsnet slip; the petticoat made full and long, trimmed very elegantly with large double rouleaus of black crape, lightly entwined with satin coqucings, inserted with a trimming of white roses and lack satin leaves; this trimming is truly elegant, the transparency of the crape contrasted with the white roses gives it a light and tasteful effect; the body is made short at the waist; the bust rounded, and rather low; the under part of the body is black crape to fit the shape, and a trimming made in small tucks of white crape to sit hollow surrounds the body, surmounted with a narrow black satin riband chequered on crape; the sleeve is made of chequered satin riband and white crape, tucked to sit very full, and finished with a rich bead fringe, sash of black satin riband tied at the back; the scarf of white crape embroidered with chenille. Turban, of black crape, twisted over a very broad, and richly embroidered jet bandeau, carelessly tied on the left side, the end trimmed with a rich jet fringe, terminating with a jet tassel; on the right side, a crape and bead flower of a nouvelle and elegant form. Jet necklace; white gloves and shoes.

For these dresses we are indebted to the taste of Miss Macdonald, of 84, Wells-street, Oxford-street.

Donor: URI Purchase

URI 1955.99.49

Claudia Harrington

Miss Macdonald, of 84, Wells-street, Oxford-street.
London: Printed and Published by Dean and Munday, 35, Threadneedle Street, 1818

Pub. Jany. 1, 1818, by Dean & Mundy, Threadneedle Street.