Dresses of June 1796 from The Gallery of Fashion

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This is the third issue of the third volume (Vol III, no. 3). The volumes run from April to March. In this issue, there are two plates and two pages of description. Plate one features figures 99 and 100 and is labelled "Morning Dresses." Plate 1 is shown below in color. Plate two features figures 101, 102, and 103 and is labelled "Opera Dresses." Plate 2 is shown below in color.
Two ladies walking in the country still sport two plumes each on their headdresses. The lady on the left has a print dress overskirt above a white petticoat with a simpler pattern on it. A short-sleeved black bodice has black lace trim on it Her gloves are pale blue and match the bonnet of yellow, pale blue, and white. She also dangles a black scarf with fringe. Her companion on the right is in a yellow dress split open to show a white petticoat. She carries a white scarf with black fringe. Her hat is in the helmet style of pink with yellow trimmings. She has a handkerchief knotted like a cravat around her neck. She has a corsage of pinks at her breast, much less spectacular than the rose bush before them.

Original Text Description reads as follows:
MORNING DRESSES.
FIG. XCIX.

The front and side hair combed straight round the face, and the hind hair in ringlets. Straw bonnet, with a flat crown of lilac-coloured satin, crossed with straw bands; trimmed with a small bow on the top, and two large bows of lilac riband, in the front and behind; two lilac-coloured ostrich feathers in the front. Petticoat of embroidered muslin, with a narrow border. Robe of fancy- worked muslin; short sleeves, trimmed with lace, and tied with a narrow lilac riband. Black silk chemise-cloak, trimmed with lace. Grey gloves. Lilac-coloured Brunswick slippers, tied with white cord.

FIG. C.

The front and side hair in small curls; loose chignon. Straw bonnet with a melon- shaped crown of rose-coloured taffeta, crossed with straw bands, straw tassel on the top, and straw band and tassels round the crown; two party-coloured brush feathers on the right side. Plain muslin petticoat. Yellow stained muslin morning gown; short sleeves. Cravat of fine muslin, with embroidered ends trimmed with lace. Scarf of white lawn, the ends trimmed with black lace. Cornelian and gold ear-rings. Rose-coloured gloves and shoes.

Original Text reads as follows:
OPERA DRESSES.
FIG. CI.

Dress á l' Espagnole. The front hair combed straight on the forehead; the side hair in ringlets, and the hind hair in three loops, the ends returned in ringlets. Fancy-hat of white and lilac-coloured taffeta. White muslin gown; short sleeves, puffs, and Vandyke scollops of lilac silk. Small handkerchief trimmed with broad blonde. Pearl necklace. Diamond ear-rings.

FIG. CII.

The front hair combed straight on the forehead; the side hair in ringlets: the hind hair turned up plain, and the ends returned in ringlets. Turban of silver net, looped at the right side with a silver band. One light-blue, two white brush feathers, and a large diamond pin, with a diamond aigrette, on the left side. Robe of yellow stained muslin; short sleeves. White satin girdle with small roses, and shoulder clasps. Small handkerchief trimmed with blonde.

FIG. CIII.

The toupee dressed large, and in small curls; plain chignon, falling very low on the back; two wreaths of green foil round the toupee; and a bouquet of white roses on the left side. Robe of silver tissue, embroidered in the shell pattern; short sleeves trimmed with lace; full épaulettes of Italian gauze. Tucker of broad lace. Wreath of green foil round the neck, fastened in the front and upon the shoulders with diamond rosettes. Sash of white satin riband, tied on the right side into a bow. Festoon pearl necklace, with a medallion. Large pearl ear- rings.

Opera Dresses. These three ladies are in a box at a theater. The lady on the right holds a glass to let her see the stage and other theater-goers better. They wear three very different headdresses: one is in plumes of assorted colors, one a hat, and the other wears garland wreaths with white rose trim. The two ladies in front seem to have taken care their headdresses and dresses match, while the standing woman's plumes are very different in color from her bold yellow dress. In Frances Burney's novels,Evelina (1778) and Camilla (1796), the heroine attends the theater in such a box. Scenes in theater boxes also occur in Maria Edgeworth's Harrington and Jane West's A Tale of the Times (1799).


To See More Dresses from The Gallery of Fashion


April 1794 May 1794 June 1794 July 1794
August 1794 September 1794 October 1794 November 1794
December 1794 January 1795 February 1795 March 1795
April 1795 May 1795 June 1795 October 1795
December 1795 February 1796 March 1796 June 1796
July 1796 August 1796 September 1796 October 1796
November 1796 December 1796 Dresses, 1797 Dresses, 1798
Dresses, 1799 Dresses, 1800


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