Upon My Word! Facts, Fashion and Figures of the Regency
Volume One Issue Three MARCH 2006
CONTENTS: Facts: Being Fashionable and-- Watching the Clock(?!) Fashion: Undress, Half-dress, Full-dress, Head-dress: Making Sense of it All! Fr.ee. : The Astonishing Power of Gratitude! ebook What's In A Word: Reticule or 'Ridicule' (It's in the bag.) Mystery Link: You Won't Believe it! March Special (By, Mike and Me, Inc.) 2nd Free.bie From Dr. Michelle May, M.D. "101 Things to do Besides Eat!" (A little help to get us ready for spring and summer wardrobes!) EXTRA: Bookmarks and GrassRoots!
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Facts: Being Fashionable and--Watching the Clock?! (How were they related?) In Regency England, being fashionable meant not only wearing the right clothes and knowing the right people, but also being on time. More specifically, it meant being in the right place at the right time, and never being there at a wrong hour.
For instance, the fashionable "hour" to be in Hyde Park, (the bit o' green in the city where the upper crust gathered) was actually a few hours, anywhere from around 5 to 7 PM or so.
Everyone from the Regent on down who wished to partake of that most ethereal thing called 'being fashionable,' would of course flock to the Park at the right time, to see-- and be seen. One could go on foot, by horseback, or by equipage. (Showing off your vehicle--and perhaps your horses--was all the more reason to go.)
Just as important as being in the right place at the right time was avoiding certain places at the wrong time. For example, if a genteel lady wished to visit the shops on Bond Street, she had ought to do it as early in the day as possible. If she delayed too long and was found there after two in the afternoon, she ran the risk of being mistaken for a "lightskirt"--the Regency term for a lady of the night. After two, you see, the street (and others like it) became the sole province of gentlemen. Thus, a lady would leave her house early on a day that she wished to shop--or defer her purchases.
There are many more examples of timing concerns during the Regency social calendar--to see how they worked, try a Regency romance! (Or Jane Austen novel).
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Fashion: Undress, Half-Dress, Full-Dress, Headdress: Making Sense of it All!
The various terms for gowns during the Regency were concerned with intended use, and the time of day. Again the "clock" is important to etiquette.
The dress you wore after rising was your "morning dress," also called "undress." Obviously "undress" does not mean "unclothed." Instead, it signified that a woman was not ready for a serious social gathering, particularly an evening one.
In a broad sense, there are only two types of costume for the Regency belle: Undress and Full Dress. There are a dozen categories of gowns, at least, but they all fall into one of those two headings (Undress or Full). Undress refers to any gown worn for the morning, walking out, shopping, carriage riding, or making calls. Full Dress, on the other hand, refers to the Ball, very fancy Dinner, Opera or Court Dress. The chief difference was a lower bodice for the evening, but in practice full dress implied a whole ensemble, beginning with a short-sleeved empire-waisted, low-necked gown, and including evening gloves, a headdress of some sort, a few jewels, a fan, perhaps a reticule, and satin slippers. Other accessories could also be worn: feathers, boas, shawls, scarves and fans, to name the most common.
Undress included gowns worn for various activities, such as the following: Morning dress Walking-out dress Carriage dress Promenade dress Afternoon dress Riding dress (or Habit) Half-dress See the difference? In theory, you were in Undress in the morning, Half-dress in the afternoon, and Full Dress if you went anywhere in the evening. (Such as, a soiree, opera, ballet, theatre, concert, or ball). Court Dress was also considered Full Dress, though to dress for court had requirements that no other occasion called for.
According to the Georgian Index, a wonderful resource for Regency fans, Dinner Dress and Opera Dress fall into the category of "Half Dress." And only "Evening, Ball and Court Dresses" passed as Full Dress. Is your head swimming, yet? If not, consider that the Riding Habit might not fit into any of the above, but simply constitute a category in its own right! Ah, so many dresses, so little time! No wonder the all-important Regency "season" is a roller-coaster ride of entertainments, diversions and delights. A lady must needs have enough events to make use of such an extensive wardrobe! And pity the poor chit who couldn't follow protocol, couldn't dress for the occasion. Such was the challenge for families with more pretension than means, who wished to launch a Regency buck or belle into the swirl of the fashionable elite.
The Regency? You've got to love it.
(I didn't forget about headdresses. See next month's issue for a feature regarding that most important ingredient to being "all the mode!" You won't believe the many ways the fashionable covered their heads!)
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Do you know anyone who would enjoy this Newsletter?
Please pass it on to them right now! Just click "forward" and send it to 'em! It's that easy. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ F.r.e.e.: The Astonishing Power of Gratitude! ebook This is a powerful little ebook, full of startling and potentially life-changing information! It makes you think about the way you think. Read that sentence again, if you must. If you're unhappy with your life, don't skip this! To get your f.r.e.e. download of the ebook: go here: (And enjoy!)
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Just for Fun: A Reader from the UK who gave me a 5 star review recently, also was good enough to send me a picture of her bookshelf, full of Heyer novels--and mine! I was so thrilled to see my book not too far from Georgette Heyer, AND on the UK bookshelf of an avid reader, that I got her permission to include the link to her photo. (Writers are excited by strange things, no?) Take a peek: http://www.Linoreroseburkard.com/bkshelf.html
(With thanks to Helen Hancox. We've become great pals via email and photo swaps! One of the best perks to being a writer is meeting lovely people from all around the world!) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ And Now Last but not least: What's In A Word? Reticule (or, Ridicule) I've seen both spellings used for what constituted a gathered fabric "purse" on a string, used by women during the Regency, by simply hanging from the wrist. One website I visited claimed that only "ridicule" was correct, but if reticule was good enough for Georgette Heyer--a known paragon of research into the period for her own novels--then it's good enough for me! Some history: In the 18th Century, women's gowns were layered over multitudinous petticoats, and had ample room for pockets. By the time of the Regency, the gown form had changed so drastically (becoming the Empire style, long, straight and smooth) that pockets could no longer be included. Their presence would ruin the smooth flow of the material, so necessary to the classical idea of beauty for the female figure. Hence the necessity of the "reticule." A lady would use it for her handkerchief, loose change, and perhaps a lorgnette, small fan or even smellings salts. It was, in effect, an "outside pocket."
The better off one was financially, the more likely to have a reticule to match each gown, or at least, quite a number of them. As the century wore on they tended towards greater adornment, even feathers and all sorts of spangles, and of course slowly grew in size, as well. Eventually the reticule disappeared in favor of a sturdier accoutrement: the handbag. (And aren't we ladies glad!) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ PS: Want a reticule for yourself? Or how about a beautiful Regency gown or bonnet? Go here: www.austentations.com (And tell Laura I sent you! I have a beautiful bonnet and reticule of her creation, myself, so I can wholeheartedly recommend her.)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ See you next month! Blessings, Linore
