Romantic Era Fashion Chit Chat - July 1828 Ladies' Monthly Museum

Romantic Era Fashion Chit Chat - July 1828 Ladies' Monthly Museum

General Monthly Statement of Fashion

Though the metropolis is now thronged with the carriages belonging to the higher orders of our nobility, and May Fair and St. James's offer to the eye of the gratified spectators a fair assemblage of beauty and fashion, yet London will not be long before it is deserted; and it does actually, even now, begin to thin: after the young masters and misses have partaken a little of the public amusements, now held forth, their judicious parents will take them into the country, to imbibe a purer air, and enjoy the rural scene in all its beauty of verdure, and long days.

Already has the grandmother set off in her roomy carriage for the old Manor-house, and, perhaps, been intrusted with the pet child, who is too young to encounter the late hours of a crowded theatre; and a few excursions lately taken to a short distance from town have induced the independent young man and wife to depart for the whole summer to a favourite rural retreat, where either his own or his wife's parents are happy to receive their offspring.

Yet now, in London, Fashion may be said to shine forth in all her attractions; we will catch her then "as she flies," and hasten to impart to our subscribers the most admired changes which have taken place in her gay department since last month.

The Royal Academy of Painting, and other morning exhibitions, have drawn together all the different members of beauty and fashion in the metropolis: one very favourite style of costume seems to prevail much at these places of modish resort; which is a petticoat of gros-de-Naples, of some charming summer colour, with a delicately-fine book-muslin Canezou spencer, trimmed with lace. The petticoat devoted to form the dress for these generally crowded lounges is seldom flounced, but is finished at the border in a manner as simple as it is judicious; which is by only one broad bias fold. Coloured silk dresses, for general wear, have white transparent sleeves; and when these dresses are worn as out-door costume, they have either a muslin pelerine, with long ends, richly embroidered, and the ends drawn through the sash, or a round pelerine, made to appear double by two trimmings of fine broad lace, set on full. Chinese crape shawls, embroidered in silk of various colours, are favourite out-door envelopes; especially at the commencement of June, when an unusual chillness prevailed, and required something warmer than the thin muslin or lace pelerine: the ground of these beautiful shawls was generally of Bird-of-Paradise yellow. Coming from evening parties, or from the theatres, a yet warmer shawl was requisite; and those of real Cashemire were adopted, in preference to the mantle; which was now, if sufficiently costly, consigned to the cedar press, till the next autumn. Small throat-scarfs are very universal, with muslin Canezou spencers, tied like a cravat, with the ends descending as low as the sash; they are of the most beautiful texture, and admirably mingled colours.

The new Tuscan grass bonnets, and the coarse straw and Dunstable, so much the present rage, all yield to the superiority of those of gros-de-Naples; and these are most in favour when white and watered. A hat, also, of white satin, with immense bows of blue and white gauze ribands, and a plume of feathers, of the marabout kind, tipt with the colour in the riband. The size of this hat, which, though very tasteful, is none of the smallest, is much added to by a very broad white blond at the edge. The white hats of watered gros-de-Naples have very long puffs and strings of rich riband; though, as the warm season advances, gauze ribands seem likely to be preferred; the most in favour of these are of white gauze, with rich stripes of lilac satin. When flowers are placed on these last-mentioned hats they are too numerous and confused, by being so much en masse; they consist chiefly of exotics, of many kinds and of various colours. Two differently-coloured ribands, sewn together, are yet worn on bonnets; but not quite so much as they were last month. Almost every lady now has her hat or bonnet fastened under the chin by a mentonniere of quilled blond or tulle, while the broad long strings, totally useless, float au gre des vents.

Muslin and tulle Canezou spencers are much worn in half-dress, with a coloured petticoat of gros-de-Naples. The colerette-capes of these Canezou are very narrow, but they are, sometimes, double. Dresses for walking are, certainly, among the higher orders, much more simple and appropriate than formerly. The real lady well knows, that it is the tournure and address that must ever characterize her, and not her finery. Dresses for the evening party, and for the balls, which are now beginning to decline, are often of coloured gauze, with satin stripes, or of white embroidered tulle over white satin. White muslin, beautifully embroidered in satin-stitch, is also a favourite material for dinner party dresses, or short excursions out of town: the favourite trimming on these dresses is one very deep flounce round the border, above which is a border of splendid embroidery, reaching as high as the knee. The corsage is en gerbe: dresses of coloured gros-de-Naples have long white sleeves, either of figured tulle, or lace.

Berets and turbans are still worn at evening dress parties, and are of the most becoming and graceful shape, particularly the latter, which are in the eastern style, and formed of very rich, though light, materials; such as gold and silver gauze, and slight sarcenet, or gossamer satin, sprinkled with stars of silver. The berets are generally ornamented with a plume of differently coloured feathers, tastefully grouped together, and shaded. The opera and dress hats are chiefly of coloured crape, are placed on one side, and very backward, and are ornamented with a plume of white feathers. Small caps of tulle, of the cornette kind, are worn in the morning, but are chiefly confined to the breakfast-table. The elegant little fichu, very simply ornamented with ribands, but no flowers, is still in favour for half-dress and home costume; they are of blond, or thread lace, according to the style of parure: with a good head of hair, well arranged, they are a fit coiffeure for the concert, or the social evening party.

The most approved colours are violet, Egyptian-sand, ethereal-blue, ivy-green, jonquil, and pink.

Modes de Paris
A very brilliant assembly was lately collected together at the salon of the Societe des Bonnes-Lettres; several ladies wore dresses, of which the corsages were a la Sevigne; quite tight to the shape, and laced behind. On each side, and in front, this tightness was preserved by pieces of whalebone. These dresses were of silk, with fancy flowers; though a few ere of white English muslin. Printed muslins are in high favour for dresses; the ground is white, and the patterns very large, in separate bouquets of different flowers, coloured from nature. The corsages of these dresses are pointed in front, and the sleeves are a la Marie. Two flounces, each headed, ornament the border; above the upper one are three bias folds. When a dress-maker happens to be seen preparing the skirt of a gown, one would think it was for a woman of seven feet high; we may, however, be mistaken; it is for a female, perhaps, of only four feet eight. The length of the skirt will soon be lost, when a broad flat hem is made to ascend as high as the hams; then there will be a double tuck just above the knees. Morning dresses are made of striped ginghams of different colours, and are finished at the border by such a hem as above mentioned. Ginghams are much in favour for home costume; they are often bordered by one broad flounce, trimmed and headed by passementerie, (or braiding.) Muslin gowns for half-dress have seldom any other trimming next the feet than one very broad hem. Dresses of coloured batiste, trimmed with black braiding, are much admired.

A new kind of shawl, named a banio, is much worn in out-door costume: it is well adapted to the summer season; the texture is as fine as the finest muslin, and the border is excessively beautiful. Throat-scarfs are still in high favour, especially in the morning walks: they are bound all round, and when the scarf is all of one colour the ends are worked in flowers of different tints. Scarfs figured over in butterflies are seen at the morning museums; and pelisses of pink muslin are favourite envelopes with the fair pedestrians of Paris; they are trimmed with bias folds, cut in points, each point surrounded by an open scallop in white cotton; between these points are worked white garden-daisies, in the same material. A girdle is worn round the waist, formed of braided cotton, half white, half rose-colour; this ties before, and is terminated by two acorn tassels.

The favourite ornament on a hat of white chip, especially for morning exhibitions, or the public walks, is one long, white, willow feather. The leghorn hats are trimmed with white ribands of an immense breadth; and is often put on in puffs all round the crown: however, on some leghorn hats are seen wreaths of field-flowers placed obliquely across the crown. Bonnets, either of white or coloured gros-de-Naples, have very low crowns, made like a caul; their trimming consists of bows of gauze riband, with satin stripes. The crowns of all hats are lower than they were last year; but they are not too low, and one side is always higher than the other; so that they have always the appearance of being placed on one side. The new form that is now given to straw hats does not allow of their crowns keeping a fashionable shape, unless detached from the brim. It is on this account that may be seen the merciless scissors of the Parisian milliners, cutting up straw which has fetched a most exorbitant price. Enormous bunches of syringoes, corn-poppies, and blue-bells, are often seen on straw hats, with a double ruche of tulle at the edge of the brim.

Small blond caps, with the hair in clusters of curls, parted from the forehead, are much worn in home costume. The turbans and dress hats have experienced no change worth recording since last month.

The colours most admired are blue, pink, olive-green, myrtle-green, lilac, Hortensia, and lavender-grey.