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Williamsburg Rose

Regency Bedchamber

Late 18th-early 19th Century fashions - 1780-1815

With the social and political upheavals in France, it was inevitable that fashion should also fall victim to the changing times. The fashions shown here reflect this era, and are also more familiarly associated with the English "Regency" period, and Jane Austen's literary characters.

 

WHITE ROUND GOWN c.1790's-1810

In the last decade of the century, dresses take on a distinctive new form, high-waisted, long and slender. Full petticoats and stiff stays are done away with; light colors, and especially white, dominate the fashion palette.

Construction of women's clothing changes drastically with these new styles; with the high waistline, new methods of fastening are brought into play. In this white satin round gown, an underbodice pins together, the apron-front is tied into position, and finally, the bodice front would be pinned-or in this case, buttoned- into position.

With these pale dresses, colorful accessories were popular, such as a lace-crowned straw hat, and coloful silk shawl. shade and sophisticated gold accents use on the trim make this elegant gown suited for a very style-concious - woman.

STRIPED REDINGCOAT & WAISTCOAT
c.1796-1800

This late period gentleman's redingcote is done in a double-breasted cut - a particularly stylish fashion of the latter part of the century.
This example is made of a gold and cream narrow-striped satin, with high, cut-away squared fronts. The large "stand-fall" collar opens into large, wide, pointed lapels. The sleeves exhibit oversized, covered buttons.
Matching buttons also decorate the chest, and back vents of the coat pleats. The double-breasted waistcoat is made in a wide olive green and tan striped satin.

The high-waisted front of the coat shows off the longer waistcoat front, with its' gold buttons and welted pockets, and the large lapels are folded back to slightly overlap those of the frock coat.

 

INFORMAL PIERROT STYLE ROBE

c.1780-1790's

With the changing political and social revolutions at the end of the eighteenth century, the world of Fashion could not go unaffected.
Gone were the yards of flowered, delicate silks, gone the shimmering taffetas, gone the ornate brocades and lace trimmings. It was a period of transition for the textile industry - large floral patterns which had dominated design for most of the century gave way to small patterns, delicate spots and woven stripes

Reflecting these newer styles, this lady's outfit has discarded all hoops and uses numerous petticoats to support a skirt of unadorned white cotton. Over this is worn an "open robe" done in striped brown, russet and cream silk. A long sleeved, shaped and pleated "Pierrot jacket" bodice features a front diamond-shaped vest or "zone", a front hook and eye closing, and has a graduated-length basque, or peplum, edged with a cream-colored silk fringe.
A black straw wide-brimmed hat is decorated with a crown and large poufs of coffee-colored silk. Ostrich feathers rise from a back knot of rust ribbon and an antique black silk embroidered band.
Gown based on a pattern (diagram XXVI) in Norah Waugh's The Cut of Women's Clothes 1600-1930.

Additional outfits displayed in the Bedroom include:

FLORAL STRIPE DRESS and SPENCER c.1810-1820
The high-waisted dresses of the era, though similar in silhouette, differed charmingly in details. One variation was the 'crossover' or V-shaped neckline; sometimes these were functional, closing in front; sometimes, as with this example, it is a style feature, since the dress fastens in the back. A necessary accessory with the short-sleeved styles, the Spencer jacket was very popular, this one done in a bronze silk to co-ordinate with the gown

SILK AND CLOTH OF GOLD GOWN c.1810-1820
After a few years, dress began to lose its simplicity, becoming more complex in style and construction.This 2-piece ensemble would be reserved for the most elegant affairs, with its' cloth of gold overdress and antique gold trim. The sulpher yellow silk sarsanet undergown has short, puffed sleeves and is unadorned except for the gold trim of the front bodice. This trim shows beneath the top of the metallic overdress, which fastens in front, and has 'puff/plain' elbow length sleeves terminating in a small cuff.

MAUVE SILK GOWN c.1800-1810

Although fashion dictated light muslins and patterned cottons for daywear, silks and other fine fabrics had not disappeared from the fashion horizon, and were still popular for evening and formal occasions. This example shows the high-waisted silhouette of the period; the skirt draping anticipates the fuller look of styles to come, but the short sleeves and low, square neckline indicate the first decade. The subtle mauve shade and sophisticated gold accents use on the trim make this elegant gown suited for a mature -and fashionable- woman.

FEDERAL - ERA SILK COAT c.1796-180

This gentleman's frock coat is a double-breasted style - a particularly favored fashion of the latter part of the century. It is made of a fine, tobacco-brown silk, with high, cut-away squared fronts. The very high "stand-fall" collar opens into large, wide, pointed lapels, and both are lined in a heavy weight beige raw silk. The sleeves terminate in silk-lined half-cuffs, stepped and fastened back with contrasting silk-covered buttons. Matching buttons also decorate the chest, and back vents of the coat pleats. The double-breasted waistcoat is made in a wide striped velvet - plain colored stripes were very often used in both men's and women's clothing - and it was common, from the 1780's onwards, to have the stripes cut on the horizontal. The high-waisted front of the coat shows off the longer waistcoat front, with its' gold buttons and welted pockets, and the large lapels are folded back to slightly overlap those of the frock coat.