Tuesday, May 21, 2019

On Fire!


Oh my goodness, what a cloak! It looks more like a prop from Game of Thrones than a Walking Dress from the April 1811 fashions in La Belle Assemblée...but a Regency miss and not a mother of dragons got to wear this beauty.



Let’s have a closer look: the text reads Round dress of cambric muslin, with a ruff collar, trimmed round the bottom with narrow purple ribband; cassimere crimson mantle, confined close to the back, lined with purple silk, embroidered round the neck, cape, and sides with purple fancy border; a deep cape falling from the shoulders, sloping to a narrow point, with tassels. A crimson velvet bonnet, turban front, and trimmed with purple to correspond. York tan gloves. Yellow kid boots.

Wow. It’s quite a garment, isn’t it? It reminds me a little of the Jubilee cloak we saw from 1810 with the purple-lined red, but this takes things a step further: the deep V detail on the back, the tassels, the purple embroidery—very striking! The fabric is cassimere, or kerseymere, a very fine, soft fabric woven of merino wool.

The accompanying hat is also striking: part turban, part Phrygian cap, and of crimson velvet to match the cloak. It rather reminds me of a very gorgeous seashell!

I do confess to being a tad disappointed that the boots are not also scarlet, but one can’t have everything. ☺

What do you think? Would you like a cloak like this?

1 comment:

QNPoohBear said...

I do like that cape. It looks like something Princess Anna of Arendelle would wear in Frozen. The fairy tale does seem to take place in the early 19th century. I love the head wrap thing.