Oh, goody! More clothes!
What started out as simple, clean lines and soft, white fabrics at the turn of the century began to grow more bold. Napoleon was beaten by the middle of 1815, and more European goods and ideas began to appear in England. Perhaps most importantly for our young lady was the use of copper hooks and eyes to close clothing around 1814. No more was she completely dependent on someone else to tape, lace, or pin her into her clothes!
Between 1811 and 1820, our young miss would have had a wealth of fashions to play with. Instead of short capped or long simple sleeves for her gowns, she could request her seamstress to put on a more elaborate confection such as a Bishop sleeve (full from the shoulder down to the tight wrist) or a Marie sleeve (full from the shoulder down, but tied tight with ribbon in places). Even the names of clothing grew more fanciful. You might go out wearing a Circassian wrapper (a close-fitting cloak a bit like a long nightgown), a Kutusoff mantle (three-quarters-length close-fitting cloak worn pinned at the neck, perhaps trimmed in velvet), or a Witchoura mantle (a long cloak with a little cape over the shoulders, sometimes of fur). You might cover your upswept curls with a Semptress bonnet (a bonnet with ribbons so long you could cross them under your chin and bring them back up to the top of the bonnet in a bow) or an Armenian toque (a small turban trimmed with feathers and spangles).
The pale colors of earlier years gave way to carmine, Forester’s green, Mexican blue, and Nicholas blue. In fact, blue of any shade was quite the thing. Sheer fabrics gave way to those with more texture, such as Angola and Cashmere. And everywhere there was more decoration: more lace, more ruching, more cording, more ribbons, and row upon row of ruffles at necks, sleeves, and hems.
I must admit to enjoying the more bountiful coloration, but the excess of furbelows quite gives me the vapors. Er, that is, the bright colors are cool, but it’s all a bit froo-froo for me. What do you think?