Early Victorian Fashion Plate - July 1852 Le Moniteur de la Mode

Early Victorian Fashion Plate - July 1852 Le Moniteur de la Mode

Description of the Engravings - No. 330

Walking Toilet - Tulle bonnet with taffeta ruches and straw trimming.

The crown, crossed lengthwise by a tress of straw, is made of white taffeta plaited flat. An ornament of straw with fringe of the same is laid all round the crown, and forms a point at top near the brim; then there is an interval of tulle of about an inch and a half, along the middle of which runs a taffeta ruche covering about half the width; then again another interval of the same width, another ruche, and lastly the edge of the brim of fringed straw. The ornament of the brim is continued along behind to form the curtain. The straw trimming, fringe included is an inch and a half wide.

Taffeta body with skirts, and trimming of a narrow ribbon called farfadets. These ribbons have small stripes along them, are worked at the edges, and by means of thread they are drawn into small plaited trimmings. Their width never exceeds half an inch.

The two seams of the back start from the middle of the arm hole and approach each other gradually down to the waist where they terminate at two buttons, below which a little lozenge-shape lappet is continued. This part is in relief and lies on the other lappet, it is bordered with a small trimming.

The lappets are tolerably long, are slit open, and bound with a narrow ruched ribbon. The sleeve is slit open and laced behind from the elbow.

The skirt is taffeta and very full. It has three flounces: the bottom one is 12 inches deep; the middle one 10 inches, and the top one 8 inches.

On each of these flounces meanders a farfadet ribbon, drawn, and having a small bow of the same in each hollow.

Morning Toilet - The Hortensia coiffure, confined in small bands of velvet set with jet.

A high-bodied redingote of taffeta trimmed with small guipure of black braid. This guipure has just the appearance of lace; but it is surmounted by a narrow border imitating passementerie.

The redingote is closed all the way down by small steel buttons very close together. One each side from top to bottom without any interruption there is a guipure of passementerie which borders the buttons.

Starting from behind, under the arm, a guipure forms an epaulette, follows the outline of the body, drawing gradually together so as to leave an interval of only two inches and a half, and then goes down the skirt, diverging thirty-two inches in the middle at bottom.

Cross-pieces placed slanting and composed of small guipure trim the whole front; the two upper ones starting from the shoulder-seam, the others from the trimming at the sides.

The lappets, which are of a piece with the body and continued round behind, begin in front at the trimming; they are slashed very long, and edged with guipure.

The front of the skirt is plain without any plaits. All the fulness is thrown behind, beginning at the side trimming.

The sleeve is open behind, ornamented with buttons, and then edged with guipure.

A cardinal collar of Venice guipure falls on the neck. The under sleeves are composed of two rows of white guipure following the outline of the sleeve.