Romantic Era Fashion Chit Chat - October 1837 Ladies' Pocket Magazine

Romantic Era Fashion Chit Chat - October 1837 Ladies' Pocket Magazine

Remarks on the Prevailing London Fashions

This is a month in which fashion may be said, in a great degree, to rest from her labours; it is too late to devise new modes for summer, and too early to bring forward those of winter. Autumnal dresses, indeed, in general, offer a melange of both, for, if the bonnet is decided by that of summer, the robe, or the shawl, might, without impropriety, be worn in winter; but, without generalising further, let us see what is actually adopted at this moment.

Peu de soie hats, and those of gros de Naples glace, which have been but little worn during the summer, are coming very much into vogue; bonnets of the same materials are also very numerous. We have nothing new to remark in the forms of either, but a decided innovation has taken place with regard to the trimmings of bonnets, for which feathers have not, up to the present time, been employed; but now they are very generally adopted, and their length, and the manner in which they are placed, marks the distinction between a morning bonnet and a half dress hat: for the first they are of moderate length, and arranged in a bouquet. One feather only is generally employed for the second, it must be long and floating; if plain white, it is generally a full curled feather, but is a flat one, it is usually streaked with some other colour. There is no doubt that rice straw hats will continue in favour during the whole of the autumn; the interior of the brim is frequently trimmed with blue flowers, and the drown adorned with white feathers, placed on one side, and drooping on the brim: they may be either curled ostrich feathers, or else with the barbs knotted with marabouts. Some white feathers are slightly tipped with blue. There is a rivalship between blue and ponceau, for the flowers that ornament the interior of the brims of hats; but blue is certainly the colour adopted by ladies of the most distinguished taste.

Shawls, both of Indian and French cashmere, are, for the moment, what are most in request, but as yet no new patterns have appeared. We have seen also some demi-mantles of rich silk, trimmed with swansdown, which had at once a graceful and seasonable appearance. Their form is that of a mantle, but they do not reach below the knee. Black satin shawls, of that very rich kind called triple satin, trimmed with broad black lace of antique patterns, begin also to be seen, and boas have likewise made their appearance. It is yet too early to say anything positive on this latter article, but we have the strongest reason to believe that the furs which for some seasons past have been at the height of the mode, namely, sable and ermine, will preserve their vogue.

Pelisses, both of levantine and gros de Naples are becoming very egenral in carriage dress. Some of the most novel have a trimming round the corsage and down the front, which is cut in large dents de loup, each of which is attached upon the dress by a pointed button of wrought silk of the same colour.

Although muslin still continues in request, both for half dress and evening neglige, yet it is less so than foulards and mousselines de laine, but although these latter materials are used indiscriminately for morning and evening dress, there is a marked distinction in their patterns. The first have brown grounds strewed with small patterns in quiet colours, or else small detached bouquets rather thickly placed. The latter have white grounds with large flowered patterns in striking colours. We have nothing novel to announce with regard to the forms of robes, but we have reason to believe that a sort of compromise has taken place between tight sleeves and wide ones, at least we have good authority for saying that in the ensuing season they will be of a moderate size.

Dress hats continue to be made of rice straw or crape, the size of the brim is very much diminished in front, so that the sides stand out a good deal; those that are made without a curtai behind have the brim brought round the back of the crown, and generally turned up somewhat in the helmet stile. A knot of ribbon is always placed on the left side at the bottom of the crown, and very near the brim, it has always two long ends which float upon the shoulder. The ornaments for the trimmings of dress hats have not yet varied, but we have great reason to believe that birds-of-paradise will be very much employed towards the end of the month.

Head-dresses of hair have as yet no decided character ringlets, indeed, are rather in a majority for the front hair, but this is perhaps because they are most fenerally becoming; braids, however, both plaited and soft, are very much adopted, and even in many instances the hair is combed entirely off the forehead. We must, however, observe that this latter fashion can be becoming only to a very young and lovely face. Flowers are at present the ornaments most in favour for head-dresses of hair, but as the season advances, gold pins, which were so fashionable last year, are expected to be again generally employed. The colours in request are those of last month, but with the addition of lavender and Pomona green.