1830s Clothing

"Let us venture into the sleeping chamber of an 1830s lady of leisure, just at the hour when she wakes from her slumbers. A cloud of delicate perfume rises from a basket of flowers, set on a gilded tripod, and the torch of a tiny Cupid, glowing with enamel, and set with precious stones, sheds its tender light over the sleeping beauty's chamber."

"The soft ray reflected here from the mirror, shimmers there on draperies of azure silk and reveals a scene of dainty disorder, strewn with the paraphernalia of a life of pleasure, with the treasures of a successful coquette, and even with others of a more sentimental order—cashmere shawls, cast carelessly aside, ribbons and gauzes in a score of shades, awaiting the fair lady's selection, books, feathers, flowers, precious gems, extracts from favourite authors and unfinished manuscripts, an embroidery frame, with the needle left in the work, an album full of half-completed sketches and portraits. It is the sanctuary, in fact, of a prosperous woman's home. The furniture is of the style considered, in those days, sumptuous—Gothic decoration, bright and pleasing pictures. A clock adorned with emblematic figures strikes the hour of eleven, and rouses the lovely sleeper, whose fair features and graceful form stamp her a queen of fashion, in all the glory of her youth and beauty."

"Slowly the belle awakes, and her eyes, still heavy with slumber, rove round the darkened room. She stretches her limbs in languid enjoyment of the warmth of her soft couch, passes her hand across her forehead, still heated with the fatigues of the preceding evening, and a tiny, lazy sigh escapes her ruby lips. At last she rings her bell, and summons her maids to assist her in her morning toilet."

"She dons a wrapper of white jaconet, with a narrow embroidery running round the hem, a cambric chemisette, with turned-down collar trimmed with Valenciennes, and cuffs to match. To this she adds a small silk apron, of an ash-grey shade, trimmed with a wreath of embroidered work in brilliant colours. A lace scarf, thrown over her head, is knotted under the chin, and she wears straw-coloured kid mittens, with black embroideries. On her feet are tiny tent-stitch slippers, edged with a narrow plaited ribbon, like those worn by Mme. de Pompadour. Thus attired, she enters the dining room, where her breakfast is served—a light, tempting meal, fit for a fairy queen, with a tiny glass of Rancio to wash it down."

"Breakfast over, our fashionable lady, as soon as the Spring sunshine comes, will put on a gown of the material known as challis, with a pattern of bouquets sprinkled all over it, or else striped with tiny garlands of flowers. The body is draped, or arranged like a shawl, under a canezou with long embroidered muslin sleeves. She will wear a plain gauze scarf and a belt and wristlets of ribbon. Her head will be adorned with a simple but coquettish bonnet of rice straw, with a plume of feathers, and her feet shod with light-coloured silk boots. In this garb she will descend to her door, and enter her splendid carriage, which will bear her about the town, and to the houses of several other fashionable ladies, whose reception days are duly inscribed on her little ivory tablets."

1830s women’s fashion feature the infamous gigot sleeve, one of the widest in the history of women’s fashion. Day dresses feature high necklines with full length gigot sleeves. Print dresses have matching pelerines covered by a lace collar. Floral print dresses for day-wear are popular in the 1830s as the wide span of the sleeves and skirt emphasize the colorful patterns. Matching the breadth of the sleeves is the span of the ornately decorated hat that frames the face of the fashionable lady of the period. A semi-circular bonnet frames the face of these ladies. For the outdoors, she wears a silk pelisse with the large gigot sleeve. Resting on the neckline of the pelisse is a ruffled lace pelerine. The silk evening dress has short elbow length puffed sleeves and a pleated yoke. The dress is ornamented with wide matching silk bows. An elaborate pelisse is worn for evening over a silk and lace gown. The lady's elaborate curls are topped with a fancy pleated fabric hat with plumes.