Costume: Fanciful, Historical and TheatricalAria, Mrs. (Eliza Davis)
History
Costume: Fanciful, Historical and Theatrical
Aria, Mrs. (Eliza Davis)
Costume -- History
In glancing through the records, I find in the reign of George II. but
little change from this state of affairs. The bodice was laced over a
white linen chemisette, and finished with a deep collar and tight sleeves
with frills of muslin at the elbow, the apron with its two pockets being
ornamented with a deep band of embroidered muslin. The hair, however,
received more attention, being tied round with a ribbon under a muslin
cap, while a straw hat was worn over it when the fair maids took their
walks abroad.
The modish mandate was reversed in the following reign, when the
under-skirt was of serge with the over-skirt of chintz gathered on to the
bodice, which was full at the back and opened in the front, the bodice
being further adorned by lacings over a velvet vest, cut low, with a
muslin fichu to put the finishing touch and white muslin frills appearing
to adorn the tight sleeves. The apron of muslin had a large pocket on
the right side, and the straw hat was invariably trimmed with a bow of
ribbon, also placed on the right side.
When George IV. was king the full skirt was gathered on to the short
bodice all round beneath a band of ribbon, which finished at the back to
conceal the fact. The muslin fichu was generally adopted, padded rolls
were on the shoulders, the white linen apron was long, and the head bowed
itself to the fascinations of the bonnet of drawn white cambric.
A full woollen skirt, gathered round the waist, was the popular costume
in the time of William IV., when the tight bodice buttoned down the
front, a triple cape attached to a band of ribbon and fastened in the
front was thrown over the shoulders, and ribbon proved itself as
serviceable as becoming over the crown of the straw hat, where it was
placed to secure it firmly to its wearer.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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