Regency Fashion February 1814

I am squeaking this one in before we hit the end of the month. You may have noticed the pattern. I am trying to give you dresses exactly 200 years old. I have another couple for this month so I am going to put them in later this week, so you have them all. Back to regular scheduling for March.

While the title on the plate says "Dinner Dress"  The description calls it a Carriage Pelisse. I assume the two are not incompatible, and it is a carriage dress one could wear to dinner. It is certainly gorgeous enough to go anywhere and the detail says that each of those little tassels is a tie. Heaven help the poor maid having to do that one up and clearly one wouldn't be removing it when one arrived for dinner.  I love the elegant lines of this gown despite the fussiness of the trim.

Here is the description for your delectation  and delight from La Bell Assemblee January 1814 issue, February Fashions.

Orange Boven Carriage Pelisse

    A pelisse of the most delicate fawn colour Irish poplin, the skirt an easy fullness, the body tight to the shape, very short in the waist, and broad in the back. 

The front, as our readers will see by the Plate, is very elegantly ornamented with white satin points put on at each side of the front; a beautiful white silk trimming edges each point, and white silk tassels of the lightest and most beautiful texture tie the pelisse all down the front.

The sleeve is ornamented in a similar manner on a smaller scale, but without the tassels: the bottom of the pelisse and the cuffs are also ornamented with white satin points, edged with silk trimming to correspond, and on each hip is a very novel and tasteful ornament, about the size of a large Spanish button; it is composed of floss silk, in the form of a shell. 

A ruff of white satin cut in points, encircles the throat; it is supported, we believe, by ribband wire, or something of that sort, as it stands up round the throat, it is edged with a very fine narrow white lace. Head-dress a small Spanish cap of white satin, or fawn coloured velvet, tastefully ornamented with points edged with pearl, and a superb white ostrich feather, which falls to the left side. Fawn colour slippers and gloves. We have no hesitation in saying that this dress is the most elegant and novel that has appeared in the carriage costume for a considerable time.

Elegant and novel. I would have to agree.  Until next time, Happy Rambles