Ackermann's Fashion Week ~ Monday - March 1809

Today I’m starting Fashion Week, I’ll be showcasing Fashion Plates from Ackermann’s Repository. Today’s post is from March 1809 edition.

FASHION FOR LADIES AND GENTLEMEN

PLATE 10. – LADIES WALKING DRESS

A Polish cap, and pelisse of silver grey cloth, trimmed with gold or silver, buttoned down the front with small round buttons, a high collar with a lace ruff; boots of the same colour as the pelisse, and both embroidered with gold or silver. York tan gloves.

This dress was transmitted to a lady of high rank from Warsaw, and would alone evince the taste and elegance of ladies of that country, were they not already sufficiently known.

PLATE 11. – OPERA DRESS

Henry the Eight hat of purple velvet trimmed with pearls, a dress of the same colour, with a white satin front with large white round pearls; a white satin Spanish mantle trimmed with swandown; white shoes and gloves, pearl ear-rings and necklace, white and silver fans.

GENERAL OBSERVATIONS

The prevailing colours this month, are rose, green, and purple of various materials, silk, satins, and plain velvets, ornamented with gold and silver, pearls, or embroidery. Satin caps and hats, with short white feathers are generally worn. Small morning or walking hats, trimmed with silk frivolity, are an entire new and very elegant article. Mantles and pelisses of various forms are still much worn for morning dresses. White is again become the favourite colour, and great variety is displayed in the materials and form. Flowers are now beginning to appear again in morning and evening caps. The most fashionable style of wearing the hair the hair is in ringlets á la Ninon; the shoes are embroidered in gold or silver for dress, and for undress in silk, chenille, or ribbon.

We have the pleasure to inform our fair readers, that the fashions for the present month have been again furnished by Madame Lanchester, whose taste and elegance stand so high in the estimation of the fashionable world.

FASHIONS FOR GENTLEMEN

Evening Dress.

The reigning colours for this month are claret and corbean, with plain, flat, silk buttons; the coat rather long in the waist, and short in the skirts, double-breasted, with lapels, high collar, thin padding, and to fall back full three inches; the pockets under the cross flaps cuffs five inches and a half long, with three buttons at top.

            Waistcoats are made of white Marseilles and fancy silks, single-breasted, with narrow flaps, rather long. Breeches of drab silk hose, not made very high; the knee-band low, with four or five buttons at the knee. They are made rather tight.

Morning Dress

            The coats worn for morning dress are generally of dark colours and sage mixed, single-breasted, with short regimental skirts, no flaps, pockets in the plaits of the skirts, high collars, stitched narrow, and to fall back about three inches. Buttons either gilt, or silver basket, or moulds covered with cloth.

            Waistcoats double-breasted, made of silk striped Valentia.

            Is consequence of the excessive advance in the price of superfine cloths and kerseymeres, the leaders of the haut ton have resolved to revive the fashion of wearing leather breeches and boots, which some years since so particularly distinguished English gentlemen from mechanics and servents.

            The preceding observation were communicated to us by Messrs. Austey and Saxe, South Molton-street.