Early Victorian Era Fashion Plate - April 1852 Le Moniteur de la Mode

Early Victorian Era Fashion Plate - April 1852 Le Moniteur de la Mode Description of the Engravings - No. 322 1st Figure - Full Ball Dress - A new coiffure executed by Ferdinand Croizat, 76, rue Richelieu. Two bands start from the top of the head, right and left of the parting. These bands descend on the flat bandeaux and are rolled in a lock of hair on each side. The coiffure is ornamented with a wreath of reed foliage, velvet and gold; here and there small gold reeds. The foliage is small in the middle and larger towards the sides where, it blends with two white feathers gracefully turned. Dress of taffeta trimmed with velvet. Body low, with two taffeta berthas forming a point in front and passing over the shoulders to form a ca=hale behind. These berthas are not gathered; they are held to the front of the body by three clasps in brilliants. The body is rather pointed at the waist. Sleeves small and short. The skirt is double: the under one has two flounces; the upper is raised on the left side by a bunch of white feathers held by a cord of reed foliage like that in the coiffure. The lower flounce is 12 inches deep, and has a garnet velvet nearly three inches wide about an inch from the bottom. The upper flounce, 10 inches deep, has a velvet half an inch narrower than the other; and the tunic has one only 2 inches wide; all placed about an inch from the edge. The velvets of the berthas and sleeves are only an inch and a quarter wide. 2nd Figure - Coiffure a La Jolie Femme - The hair tied rather low behind and held by a comb set with diamonds. The bandeaux are very wavy; the hair is raised a little from the point of the parting on the forehead. Dress, low-bodied with short sleeves; skirt very rich in large plaits. This dress of moire antique is a disposition, that is to say, that the stuff is woven, worked, and coloured in separate pieces for each particular part. The body is simply sprinkled with small flowers on a watered ground. The skirt is ornamented with bouquets of various coloured roses, small at the waist, and getting larger towards the bottom. These coloured flowers seem to be held by a rich ribbon which ties them, and which is worked in the moire by an effect of shaded white. Then from bouquet to bouquet fall girandoles of pearls likewise obtained by an effect of the working. This dress is very rich; the body is trimmed with a lace tippet, round behind. The lace has a very light pattern on the edge. It forms a point in front, and has a very full lace flounce all round the edge. A straight and wide lace sleeve, rather short, leaves the arm visible through it. A bush of rose foliage with buds embellishes the front of the body. This bush is flat enough at bottom to avoid thickening the waist. A long rich gold chain is thrown over the shoulders and hangs down on the skirt.