Plate 1: Empire period fashion. Garden Promenade dresses for November 1809. They reflect the Empire style. The fashion trend in the late years of the 18th and early 19th centuries was influenced by Classical Greece: high waisted gowns with long thin muslin skirts and long stoles. In the foreground the figure sports such details as: a shawl mantelet in purple silk, trimmed with a rich silk amber coloured fringe, fastened on the bosom with a pebble brooch, amber hoop earrings, shoes of white Morocco; gloves of York tan; parasol purple shot and fringed with amber. The figure in the back represents a lady with a Nun's hood thrown carelessly round the head, and falling in graceful negligence over the shoulders. (Original source: La Belle assemblee, vol. 7, no. 51)

«Античная мода» с 1794 года распространяется по всей Европе и, по сути говоря, открывает историю костюма 19 века.

Несмотря на то, что европейских монархов ужасали события во Франции, мода перешагнула политические и географические границы и вместе со своей союзницей-торговлей беспрепятственно прошла по всем европейским странам. В Англии она проявилась несколько более сдержанно, не в таком откровенно оголенном виде, в Германии, наоборот, с некоторой нарочитой грубостью. В России поначалу, несмотря на суровый климат и длинную зиму, довольно точно скопировали эту моду.

Kalen, the wardrobe's yours....

 I’m back this week to talk about women’s clothing. There are lots of layers to those reportedly scantily clad Regency heroines, and today we’re going to look at them all. *grin* To the left we have a fashion plate from 1812 (courtesy of Candice Hern's wonderful collection).

Let’s start from the skin out. The very first thing our heroine puts on is her chemise (which she might still call her shift). It’s going to be white. It’s going to be made of linen, and it’s going to be an extremely simple garment, perhaps with a drawstring at the neckline. It will most likely have short sleeves (though it might be sleeveless) and it will probably reach to about mid-calf (you don’t want it to show below her skirts!). In the picture to the right the shift on the left is c. 1810. This is the base layer as it's easy to wash (unlike the stays!).

Chemisette 

The Chemisette

Regency fashion (1800-1820) was based on classical principles of flowing Grecian robes. Although gowns enjoyed thin fabric and plunging necklines for evening wear, day dresses required something a little more substantial both for the sake of modesty and comfort in drafty old houses. A tucker or chemisette (a side opening half blouse) answered perfectly, filling in during the day, and able to be removed in the evening should the occasion so require it. They had the additional benefit of being able to be worn with any number of gowns further expanding the wardrobe.

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