Fashion Plate, March 1826
Fashionable Evening & Walking Dresses for March, 1826
Subject
Illustration
Title
Fashion Plate, March 1826
Fashionable Evening & Walking Dresses for March, 1826
Fashionable Evening & Walking Dresses for March, 1826
Date
March 1826
Description
Fashion plates are defined as “small, printed images, often hand-colored, of people wearing the latest fashions and depicted in conventional minimally narrative social contexts”, according to the Encyclopedia of Clothing and Fashion, Volume 2, by Valerie Steele. They were popular between the late eighteenth century and early twentieth centuries. Their purpose was identical to that of a modern-day fashion magazine: to display the latest fashions and bring awareness to them to drive sales. On a deeper level, displaying these clothes in this way helped people romanticize the idea of fashion and society's overall aesthetic. As ground-breaking as these fashion plates were, they were not a completely new concept. One might compare the idea of fashion plates to costume books and/or illuminated manuscripts, which were developed long before the eighteenth century. In fact, according to Giorgio Reillo on an Oxford University Press article regarding the creation of European costume books, Francois Deserps published what is thought to be considered the first costume book: a collection of images and illustrations that displayed the dress of different people in various parts of the world. One can see how fashion plates carry similarities, as they displayed people wearing a certain kind of dress for a certain place or time, for example, the fashion plate in this entry specifically displays the clothing as “Fashionable Evening and Walking Dresses for March.”
Fashion plates served many purposes beyond just showcasing and selling different fashion styles. They also served the purpose of social and cultural reflection. It was a significant concept for art, as many plates were hand-drawn or engraved by artists and over time, with technological advancements, began to include photography as well. Perhaps the most important purpose they still serve today is their historical significance and documentation. While the fashions depicted in many of the plates were most likely a more romanticized and aesthetic version of the actual pieces of clothing worn at the time, it still allows one to paint a general picture of the common fashions that dominated this time-period, such as this plate from 1826.
The 1820s was a time of classical and romantic fashions. According to Fashion History Timeline, a lot of these styles emphasized “imagination, emotion, individualism and fascination.” (Franklin, 2020). When observing the image, women’s clothing such as gowns went through minor, yet significant changes compared to earlier years. The waistline was lowered, but only slightly. There was a greater emphasis on puffy sleeves, and the skirts flared out more at the hem to balance the width of the shoulders.
Different elements of a gown became more decorated, especially the hems of dresses as evidenced on the dress to the left, which has flowers all around the bottom of the skirt. While the decoration appeared the most extensive around the hems of these dresses, elaborate trims, layers, and lace on other parts of the gowns such as the sleeves and waistline were apparent as well. The construction of the upper bodice and sleeves also provided a unique silhouette, which made the upper body appear wider, the waist smaller, and the bottom half of the body to appear larger with the slight flare added to the skirts.
Variations of dress depended on the time of day and the occasion. For example, during the day, it was more appropriate to wear a filled-in neckline (usually with a chemisette or fichu), longer sleeves were worn, and more robe-style gowns would be worn. For evening or special-occasion wear, while the evening gown depicted in this specific plate displays long sleeves, it was not uncommon to find short, puffy sleeves worn along with an open neckline. On the right, a white collar with a VanDyke edge, visible above the wide double collars, sets off the blue bow of the bonnet.
Each woman wears a pair of bracelets over gloves, and while we cannot see earrings, the low neckline of the evening attire is set off with a necklace. We can see two fashionable headdresses, with feathers being appropriate for the evening. A walking dress would require a suitable bonnet, here made from straw with a wide brim and high crown, all decorated with ribbon. The white ruffle around the woman's face suggests she is wearing a cap underneath. Ladies would wear their hair in curls around the temples which framed their face. The handbag carried by the lady on the right is called a reticule; ladies could carry their small belongings when out during the day.
References
Byrne, Janet S. "Fashion Plates." The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin 26.3 (1967): 141-50. JSTOR. Web.
Franklin, H. “1820-1829, 19th Century, decade overview” (2020) Fashion History Timeline. https://fashionhistory.fitnyc.edu/1820-1829/
The Lady's Monthly Museum. Accessed December 13, 2023. HathiTrust. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=hvd.hn1prr&seq=203
Reillo, G. “The World in a Book: The Creation of the Global in Sixneeth-century European Costume Books” (2019) Oxford Academic Past & Present. https://academic.oup.com/past/article/242/Supplement_14/281/5637708
Steele, Valerie. “Encyclopedia of Clothing and Fashion: Volume 2: Fads to Nylon” (2005) 65-66. Charles Scribner’s Sons.
Fashion plates served many purposes beyond just showcasing and selling different fashion styles. They also served the purpose of social and cultural reflection. It was a significant concept for art, as many plates were hand-drawn or engraved by artists and over time, with technological advancements, began to include photography as well. Perhaps the most important purpose they still serve today is their historical significance and documentation. While the fashions depicted in many of the plates were most likely a more romanticized and aesthetic version of the actual pieces of clothing worn at the time, it still allows one to paint a general picture of the common fashions that dominated this time-period, such as this plate from 1826.
The 1820s was a time of classical and romantic fashions. According to Fashion History Timeline, a lot of these styles emphasized “imagination, emotion, individualism and fascination.” (Franklin, 2020). When observing the image, women’s clothing such as gowns went through minor, yet significant changes compared to earlier years. The waistline was lowered, but only slightly. There was a greater emphasis on puffy sleeves, and the skirts flared out more at the hem to balance the width of the shoulders.
Different elements of a gown became more decorated, especially the hems of dresses as evidenced on the dress to the left, which has flowers all around the bottom of the skirt. While the decoration appeared the most extensive around the hems of these dresses, elaborate trims, layers, and lace on other parts of the gowns such as the sleeves and waistline were apparent as well. The construction of the upper bodice and sleeves also provided a unique silhouette, which made the upper body appear wider, the waist smaller, and the bottom half of the body to appear larger with the slight flare added to the skirts.
Variations of dress depended on the time of day and the occasion. For example, during the day, it was more appropriate to wear a filled-in neckline (usually with a chemisette or fichu), longer sleeves were worn, and more robe-style gowns would be worn. For evening or special-occasion wear, while the evening gown depicted in this specific plate displays long sleeves, it was not uncommon to find short, puffy sleeves worn along with an open neckline. On the right, a white collar with a VanDyke edge, visible above the wide double collars, sets off the blue bow of the bonnet.
Each woman wears a pair of bracelets over gloves, and while we cannot see earrings, the low neckline of the evening attire is set off with a necklace. We can see two fashionable headdresses, with feathers being appropriate for the evening. A walking dress would require a suitable bonnet, here made from straw with a wide brim and high crown, all decorated with ribbon. The white ruffle around the woman's face suggests she is wearing a cap underneath. Ladies would wear their hair in curls around the temples which framed their face. The handbag carried by the lady on the right is called a reticule; ladies could carry their small belongings when out during the day.
References
Byrne, Janet S. "Fashion Plates." The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin 26.3 (1967): 141-50. JSTOR. Web.
Franklin, H. “1820-1829, 19th Century, decade overview” (2020) Fashion History Timeline. https://fashionhistory.fitnyc.edu/1820-1829/
The Lady's Monthly Museum. Accessed December 13, 2023. HathiTrust. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=hvd.hn1prr&seq=203
Reillo, G. “The World in a Book: The Creation of the Global in Sixneeth-century European Costume Books” (2019) Oxford Academic Past & Present. https://academic.oup.com/past/article/242/Supplement_14/281/5637708
Steele, Valerie. “Encyclopedia of Clothing and Fashion: Volume 2: Fads to Nylon” (2005) 65-66. Charles Scribner’s Sons.
Contributor
Kiannaley Pereyra
Creator
Dresses "Invented by Miss Pierpoint. Edward Street, Portman Square"
Publisher
The Lady's Monthly Museum; Or, Polite Repository of Amusement and Instruction. March, 1824.
Published March 1, 1826 by Dean & Munday, Threadneedle Street
Published March 1, 1826 by Dean & Munday, Threadneedle Street
Collection
Citation
Dresses "Invented by Miss Pierpoint. Edward Street, Portman Square", “Fashion Plate, March 1826
Fashionable Evening & Walking Dresses for March, 1826,” Historic Textile and Costume Collection, accessed April 28, 2024, https://uritextilecollection.omeka.net/items/show/571.
Fashionable Evening & Walking Dresses for March, 1826,” Historic Textile and Costume Collection, accessed April 28, 2024, https://uritextilecollection.omeka.net/items/show/571.