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'Evening Dresses', March 1829

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- subject matching 'Fashion Plates: Bodices - Bodices à la Sévigné'

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'Evening Dresses', March 1829

published by George Byrom Whittaker, published in La Belle Assemblée or Bell's Court and Fashionable Magazine
hand-coloured etching and aquatint, published 1 March 1829
7 3/4 in. x 4 3/4 in. (197 mm x 120 mm) paper size
Reference Collection
NPG D47654

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Described in the magazine:
Evening Party Full Dress. Over white satin, a superb dress of blond, figured in diamond checquers, the stripes forming them representing the most delicate foliage. One broad flounce of blond, of a very rich pattern, ornaments the border, and is finished by a narrow full head. The body made quite plain, and confined by a cordelière, formed of balls of silk woven in the most ingenious and elegant manner; the ends, which fall as low as the head of the flounce, are terminated by two handsome tassels. A Sévigné drapery crosses the bust, in the centre of which is a diamond brooch set in fillagree-gold: two smaller brooches of the same kind fasten down the dress at each shoulder. The sleeves are short and very full, and over each is a frill of blond, en mancheron. The hair is arranged in full curls, extended wide on each side, and crowned by bows of hair; separating the puffs forming the bow, is a diadem-comb, placed obliquely, of fillagree-gold and very large pearls. A bandeau of small gold beads crosses the upper part of the forehead, in the centre of which is a cameo. Vermilion feathers wave gracefully over the bow of hair on the summit of the head, and two of the same plumage adorn the left side of the curls next the face. The ear-pendants are of diamonds.
Evening Dress. A dress of rose-coloured satin, trimmed at the border of the skirt with three separate rows of marten-skin. The corsage, a la Sévigné, and the drapery across the bust confined in the centre by a splendid cameo set round a l’Antique, with wrought gold, and pear-pearl drops depending. The sleeves à la Marie, of white crêpe aerophane; as high, from the wrist as to the middle of the thicker part of the arm, where a row of marten-skin confines them; and the remainder of the sleeve, to the shoulder, is of rose-coloured satin; over these is a row of marten, en mancheron. The white sleeves are confined at the wrists by very broad gold bracelets, beautifully finished in chasing, and fastened by a superb cameo. The turban worn with this dress is of lama-gauze, diversified by black diamond chequers on bright rose-colour, of a deeper tint than the dress, inclining to vermilion. The hair is arranged on each side of the face in clustered curls. The ear-rings are of Ceylon rubies. With this dress is worn round the waist a pointed zone, embroidered in different colours, in front of which is placed a vermilion velvet aumonière, ornamented with gold, and a gold tassel.

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Events of 1829back to top

Current affairs

Metropolitan police force of over three thousand paid, uniformed, professional policemen founded by Home Secretary Sir Robert Peel.
Roman Catholic Relief Act grants emancipation; Catholics admitted to vote, sit in parliament and hold almost all public offices.

Art and science

Success of George Stephenson's Rocket steam engine at Rainhill Trials.
First London bus service licensed; the new 'box-on-wheels' contributes greatly to the expansion of the suburbs.
Apsley House completed for the Duke of Wellington by Benjamin Wyatt.
First Oxford and Cambridge boat race.

International

Andrew Jackson is elected President of the United States.

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