Romantic Era Fashion Chit Chat - February 1825 Ladies' Monthly Museum

Romantic Era Fashion Chit Chat - February 1825 Ladies' Monthly Museum

General Monthly Statement of Fashion

Most of our leading fashionables having returned to town for the remainder of the winter, we are enabled to lay before our fair readers a copious and accurate description of the newest and most prevailing fashions for the month. The season, hitherto, has been unusually mild; nevertheless, mantles are very general; they are made extremely large, and wrap well round the arm. The improvement of arm-holes is universally adopted. Cloaks of light coloured British cachemere are in high favour for the morning promenade; they are lined with bright wintry colours, and have a cape falling beneath the hood nearly touching the elbow, trimmed with very broad and rich tassel silk fringe of the same colour as the lining. The pelisses of the newest and most approved form, are of dark coloured velvet, beautifully ornamented with a broad border of costly fur. The new cloth pelisses are very elegantly embroidered, or braided all round, in the most tasteful patterns. Silk pelisses, with double capes nearly as low as the elbow, are much in request; they are simply finished round the border with wadded rouleaux, notwithstanding which, they have a very rich and elegant appearance.

Black velvet hats, of a beautiful shape and large size, supersede almost every other; they are, beyond all question, the most elegant and appropriate for the winter season; they are lined with various coloured silks, and are frequently ornamented with a profusion of bright and striking tints - the pomegranate blossom is a very favourite colour. Ribands of this bright yellow colour are generally placed in great abundance over black velvet bonnets: when the bonnet is trimmed with black, and ornamented with a plume of black feathers, the bows are also of velvet, in bias, bound and striped with satin. A blond trimming is often introduced with advantage at the edge of the bonnets.

Gros de Naples, levantine, and British cachemere, are the favourite materials for home costume. The gowns are all made high, with collars, and ornamented round the bust. The sleeves are made rather closer to the arm than formerly. The trimming at the border consists of several rows of bias folds. Satin is much in favour for evening dresses. We have seen a beautiful dress of tulle, worn over a satin slip of a turquoise-stone blue colour. It was tastefully ornamented round the border with two rows of strawberry-leaves, in spearate bunches, a row of white blond was placed at the edge of the hem; and above that a broad full rouleau of blue satin. The corsage was finished round the bust by a full plaiting of blond, instead of a tucker. The sleeves were of tulle, long and wide, discovering a short sleeve beneath of blue stin. A Turkish sash was tied with a small bow on the right side. This elegant dress excited much admiration.

Turbans and coloured gauze caps, with coloured flowers, are very favourite head-dresses for home costume. An Asiatic turban of pink gauze, beautifully folded, and confined across the forehead with a band of pink satin, is a fashionable evening head-dress; the band is fastened in front by a pearl buckle. Young ladies still prefer their own hair, gracefully arranged, to the most dazzling head-dresses. In this we most cordially agree with them; it is at once a proof of their good sense and refined taste. Turquoise-stones are much in favour for ornaments in jewellery.

The most fashionable colours are the pomegranate blossom, blue, Egyptian red, and Massacca brown.