Romantic Era Fashion Chit Chat - August 1821 Ladies' Monthly Museum

Romantic Era Fashion Chit Chat - August 1821 Ladies' Monthly Museum

General Monthly Statement of Fashion

At this season of the year, fashion in general begins to show but little variety in the metropolis, and we usually glean our information from those of her fair votaries, who become stationary at the different watering-places. The pageant of the Coronation, however, has detained so many of the superior classes in town, that the hand of Taste is still busily employed in new inventions for the toilet.

For out-door costume, we have been particularly struck with a cream-colored spencer of rich satin, with a novel kind of collar, made either to stand up or fall down, a la pelerine. A doric rose ornaments the outside part of each wrist, and terminates the belt behind.

Spencers of various colored sarsnet yet prevail, and scarf shawls over high dresses; these are narrow, like that represented in our engraving.

Etherial-blue sarsnet bonnets, very slightly turned up all round the front, are very much favor for walking; but the most approved kind of bonnet is of colored silk, with whalebone run in, in the Beguine style, and with a very full trimming at the edge, of fringed sarsnet. This ornament is very becoming, as is the floize-silk moss trimming for the edge of straw bonnets, and which is much more in request than either blond, or gauze cheveaux de fris, &c. The Anne Boleyn bonnet, of fine muslin, seems very general; it never outght to be so, for it must be a very pretty face, indeed, that can look well in a bonnet, such as we believe the charming Anne never put on; for we query whether she ever wore a bonnet at all.

Sarsnet dresses made like plain frocks, and cambrics, or corded long cloth, a new Oriental article, are much worn in half dress. The white dresses are made high, and are finished in wavings of cotton cordon down the bust. Broad muslin flounces are the newest kind of trimming round the borders of muslin or cambric dresses.

The madrass cornette is a favorite head-dress for home costume. The crown is of colored silk, generally figured, which forms a turban, and the ears, or ends, which are brought under the chin, are of fine tulle, edged with blond. For evening-dress, wreaths of flowers, and the Coronation-plume coronet, are most in favor. The hair dresses in long ringlets in the Vandyke fashion.

The favorite colors are Isabella, (cream-color), sea-green and etherial-blue.

The Parisian Toilet

Every one has a right to admire the various changes of fashion, though it is not every one who has fortune sufficient to adopt all her vagaries. The Parisian lady, however, who is fortunate enough to be wealthy as well as young and lovely, not only encourages every new invention for the toilet, but busies her own mind in giving hints to her marchande de modes to bring out, every succeeding week, something more novel, and often more outre, than that of the preceding week.

It is to one of these inventive faculties that the Parisians are indebted for the striped straw and striped crape that have lately appeared made up in bonnets; out of ten bonnets, there are least nine of the above kind. They are ornamented with a little rose-colored flower of five round leaves, with a brilliant point in the centre, of bright granite color: this flower is called by botanists, Jacob's-ladder. Little balls are made of this flower, six stalks to each ball, about the size of a snow-ball, and they are thus placed on the bonnet, with a portion of green foliage. Straw hats, however, yet prevail for the promenade, with a green veil in drapery, while yellow roses and wild poppies are the favorite ornaments on such hats.

Riding-habits are of light-colored kerseymere, such as Caroline-color, Nile-water, or pearl-grey. A little round hat is worn with them, in the form of a man's hat; it is of split straw, with a veil. A shirt-collar keeps the kerseymere from rubbing against the chin and lower part of the face. The shirt is fastened together in front with a diamond pin; the collars are either embroidered or edged with lace, and a small half-handkerchief, or barege-cachemire, is often tied over to keep the collar close: the bow of the handkerchief is brought close to the throat, and the ends tucked in the habit. The handkerchiefs are generally of a conspicuous color. The gloves are of chamois-leather of a camel's-hair brown, or other light colors.

For the morning-walk, cambric spencers and pelisses are much worn, with a fichu of the same with long ends, trimmed with muslin, and fastened in front with abrooch worked in hair. An elastic belt of hair also encircles the waist; these elastic belts are, however, sometimes only imitations of hair.

A new dress for a young bride is very beautiful; a white satin dress is enbroidered round the border with orange-flower blossoms and tuberoses, in bouquets; these bouquets are tied with white satin rosettes, and form a bias on the skirt, beginning at the hem.

On account of the court-mourning, the ladies in the dress-boxes at the theatres are in black-crape dresses, with very short sleeves, trimmed with tulle. White gloves, and a white crape hat. When the gown is made with long sleeves, a Leghorn hat is generally worn, ornamented with black ostrich curled feathers, and striped, or spotted, white gauze ribands. The necklace, the ear-rings, and bracelets, are either in pastilles du serail, or hair, ornamented with polished steel.

For full-dress on a robe of rose-color or white satin, are three double rows of honeycomb trimming set on at equal distances: this trimming is of crape or tulle.

The waists are now become stationary, of a moderate length, not ridiculously long. Scarf sashes are tied on one side. When the sash is tied behind, it terminates by a triple rosette. Sashes are chiefly of gauze ribands.

The favorite colors are - straw color, pink, dark-brown, and grass-green.

The hair is very beautifully arranged, in a style completely French. It flies rather too much off the forehead to be becoming to every face; a few careless ringlets fall on the cheeks, from beneath large half bows or folds of hair; the hinder tresses are twisted and brought up the middle of the head behind, forming a helmet a la Minerve, ebtween which and the front hair is an elegant tiara of diamonds, or of polished steel.

The fans are beautifully painted on vellum in Chinese figures; their sticks are an imitation of ebony ornamented with gold.