Ackermanns Fashion Plates January 1811

 

The theme of mourning continues from last month’s Repository to this one. Princess Amelia, daughter of King George III and Queen Charlotte, died the previous November. I’ve read that a protocol officer of the court typically decreed the degree and length of official mourning when a member of the royal family died, but I haven’t been able to find any mention of the specific length of public mourning decreed for the 27-year-old princess. Perhaps a month? Ackermann’s prints for January showcase both full and partial mourning outfits:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And this month’s fabric swatches tend more toward the silvery-blue than to straight black (and even the black sample is deemed “particularly adapted for half-mourning dress”). The silvery polka dot (“grey embossed satin”) is quite lovely, don’t you think, even if you’re not in second mourning.