Fashion Forecast 1834, Part 2

What was the well-dressed young woman wearing in the second half of 1834?

For day wear, either at home (the Morning Dress at left) or out for a drive (the Carriage Dress at right), it’s enormous pouffy gigot sleeves and an exaggerated closed pelerine-mantelet of lace with lapels and a long lappet falling to below the knees (which could serve as a apron, I suppose, but I doubt that was the point!) Small, demure, face-framing bonnets also seem to be the "in" headgear. (Court Magazine, July):

 This Court Magazine print from August features the front and back view of a Walking Dress, featuring another overgrown lace pelerine adorned with large bows and gigot sleeves caught in a mid arm to create a secondary puff above the wrist. The back view dress is made of chintz, which is a popular fabric this year for gowns:

Also from August’s Court Magazine, a very elegant Dinner Dress in gold and white, with an open skirt and white-on-white embroidered underskirt and a plain bodice, a deep lace van dyke collar, lace trim on the large puff sleeves, and a turban in the same fabric with lace lappets and feathers, all topped with what looks like a pink plaid shawl:

More Morning Dresses for September, fairly plain in style as befits an “at home” dress but with some interesting details in the pleated bodice, wide belt, the apron skirt, and the oddly drop-shouldered capelet trimmed with large bows. (Court Magazine):

For October’s Court Magazine, we have a charmingly antique-looking Dinner Dress that might not look amiss in the seventeenth century, with its deep standing van dyke collar, jeweled ornaments on the bodice and the overskirt of the pelisse-robe. Dagged lace trim on the puffed sleeves, and white net mitts. And isn’t the background on this one lovely?

A Dinner Dress and Morning Dress are featured for November. The sleeves seem to have inflated hugely and are called “imbecile” sleeves, believe it or not! The Dinner Dress is just barely off the shoulder, with horizontal gathering on the bodice and a very frilly cap. The Morning Dress features the same gathering but this time on the skirt; curious double sleeves, and what appears o be a chemisette bodice under the lace-flounced pelerine. (Court Magazine):

And for December, a look at outerwear in the Carriage Dress at right, with an embroidered mantle with large bell sleeves (the better to accommodate the gigot sleeves beneath!), a double pelerine of what looks like velvet, and heavy tasseled cord ties. Bonnet with frilled cap beneath and feathers. (Court Magazine):

What do you think of 1834’s fashions?