Fashion In The Time Of Jane Austen

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Authors: Sarah Jane Downing
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themselves was through a life of modesty, sobriety, charity and silence.

    Carlton House as it was in about 1808.

    Princess Charlotte of Wales in 1816 looking elegant in striped gown with luxurious luxurious Paisley shawl.
    Men had chosen to make the Great Renunciation, giving up fine fabrics, decoration and even colour to create the convention of the business suit, but in exchange they gained a new world of business and industry crowned with a top hat. For women the renunciation was enforced by a strict moral opprobrium that stripped away the idealism that had been so carefully represented through dress, replacing it with a facile submissive prettiness. The waist was gradually restored to its natural position and laced tighter than ever, whilst further encumbrance was added as sleeves grew wider, hems gained width and heavy decoration, and bonnets became blinkers to the world.

    ‘Evening Dress for Mourning’ ( Ackermann’s Repository , December 1817). The nation was plunged into mourning when Princess Charlotte died in childbirth on 6 November 1817. Mourning was observed for royalty as well as even the most distant family members, but the expense of buying special mourning clothes would sometimes mar the sentiment.

    Deep blue dress with ruff and shawl, 1819. The days of girlish freedom were over as women would soon have to cope with the enforced concealment of poke bonnets and an ever-narrowing waistline demanded by corsets even more cruel than their eighteenth-century predecessors.

Published in Great Britain in 2011 by Shire Publications Ltd, Midland House, West Way, Botley, Oxford OX2 0PH, United Kingdom.
    44-02 23rd Street, Suite 219, Long Island City,
NY 11101, USA.
    E-mail: [email protected]      www.shirebooks.co.uk
    © 2010 Sarah Jane Downing. First published 2010; reprinted 2010 and 2011.
    All rights reserved. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study, research, criticism or review, as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, electrical, chemical, mechanical, optical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the copyright owner. Enquiries should be addressed to the Publishers.
    Every attempt has been made by the Publishers to secure the appropriate permissions for materials reproduced in this book. If there has been any oversight we will be happy to rectify the situation and a written submission should be made to the Publishers.
    A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
    Shire Library no. 583
    Print ISBN -13: 978 0 74780 767 4
    PDF e-book ISBN : 978 0 74780 942 5
    ePub e-book ISBN : 978 0 74781 161 9
    Sarah Jane Downing has asserted her right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988, to be identified as the author of this book.
    Designed by Tony Truscott
    Printed in China through World print Ltd.
    11 12 13 14 15  12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3
    COVER IMAGE
    Two Strings to her Bow , by John Pettie (1887).
    TITLE PAGE IMAGE
    Afternoon dress, 1812.
    CONTENTS PAGE IMAGE
    Jerry in Training for a Swell ( Life in London by Pierce Egan, 1822). Cut and fit were everything even if a corset like the one discarded on the floor was necessary. ‘ Clothes maketh the man ’ and already London tailors were renowned for their incredible skill in creating a gentleman.
    ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
    Illustrations are acknowledged as follows: Alison J. Carter, Senior Keeper of Art & Design, Hampshire County Council Museums and Archives Service, page 48 (upper); Cora Ginsburg LLC, page 45; Victor Hassall, Bonhams, page 57 (lower); Michelle Hyde, page 14 (upper right) and 39 (lower); The Jane Austen Memorial Trust, pages 53, and 58 (lower); Eleanor Keene of Bonhams, page 24 and 40 (lower); and Simon Wheeler (Wheeler Estate), page 62 (upper).
    The Fashion Museum at Bath has been wonderful in

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