There is no hint of the tragedy of Waterloo hovering about Ackermann’s fashion plates for June of 1815. Not only did news travel much more slowly in the early 19th century than it does today, but journals took a lot longer to typeset and print. This month’s fashion plates both feature white, one a ballgown of “French figured gauze, worn over a slip of white satin” (plate 28), the other a carriage dress of white satin. The lady of the ballgown is a bit shorter, and more plump, than one is used to seeing in fashion plates of the era, which I (being rather short myself) quite enjoyed! The figure on the gauze of her gown looks to be of a floral nature, complimenting the “wreaths of lilac” separating the skirt from a blond lace trim border.
Vol XIII, no lxxviii, plate 28
I’m quite impressed by the rich ornamentation at the hem of the carriage dress’s pelisse (plate 29): “clusters of leaves made in white twilled sarsnet, headed (? or beaded?) with tull.” Look at the sharp points of those appliqués! Very difficult handwork there! And though the description doesn’t mention it, the print shows the dress under the pelisse with another quite detailed ornamentation round its bottom, a pointed zig-zag trim, perhaps ornamented with beads. Not to mention that “superb shell trimming of white satin ribbon and tull” around the lady’s neck. It looks so fuzzy; I wish I could reach out and skim a finger across it!
Vol. XIII, no lxxviii, plate 29
This month’s needlework patterns: one row of vines, and another of bouquets. I’m thinking I may need to include a character in a future book who eagerly awaits the arrival of Ackermann’s every month, just so she can get started on a new needlework project…
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