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peak during the Romantic Era between 1825 and 1835. The romantic spirit in fashionable dress lasted until the late 1840s. Anglomania After the Napoleonic wars became a memory, French fashion was dominated by a new wave of Anglomania. The British writings of Sir Walter Scott and Lord Byron helped popularise a thirst for a more romantic image. There was a snobbish attraction on the continent for all things English, cultivated and refined. Many of the attitudes toward the 'Art Of Dress' had been codified by Beau Brummell in his relationship with the Prince Regent. The rules and refinements of manners set at that time were built on and developed by the middle classes of Europe who sought to gentrify themselves. Left - Picture of the overweight Prince Regent. The Fashion Silhouette The Romantic Skirt Silhouette Until 1820 dress waists had been round, but in 1828 the bodice waistline took on a Vpointed form. Even so it was the late 1830s before every lady sported the fashion for long pointed bodices. Evidence in museums suggests that real women were still wearing and making dresses with a slightly raised waistlines well into the 1830s despite the low waist illustrations of fashion plates.
Beret Sleeves Beret sleeves were cut from a circle. There was an opening in the centre for the arm and this was gathered and bound into a band. The outer circle was gathered and set into the armhole. Sometimes a sheer oversleeve of silk embroidered shimmering gauze covered the beret puff. Generally the beret sleeve was worn for evening. The arms and dcolletage along with the highly desirable and visible sloped shoulders left some women feeling quite undressed and exposed. So gauze sleeves became very fashionable by the mid 1820s and were worn until the sleeves subsided to new styles.
of the bonnets and by 1828 both bonnets and hats were quite vast affairs. Coal scuttle bonnet styles with deep crowns accommodated the high Apollo knot coiffure and were a great feature of the Romantic Era.
Fichu Pelerine
In the second version if the lace pelerine had long front ends, it was called a fichupelerine. These ends could be crossed at the front waist and tied at the back waist. Another later mid 19th century variation was a fashionable long fronted little shoulder short backed cape mostly made of velvet or wool, trimmed with fur and worn as an outdoor garment.
The Underwear With the return of the waist women had to wear stays. Once again they returned to tight lacing to make the waist look narrow and pinched in to balance the wide skirts and wide shoulder line. Stays were made from cloth layers that had whalebone inserted in channels. Corsets were intended to emphasise the natural curves rather than create a false silhouette. Little gussets at the hips allowed for roundness rather than trying to flatten the line. Small shoulder straps were made detachable and the wearer could wear the stays with more revealing necklines. Over the stays women wore a chemise and a waist petticoat. As the skirt expanded the robust linen or cotton petticoats increased in number. They supported crisp firm silk or woollen materials and in summer or indoors cotton chintzes and muslins. Click here to go to the section on 19th Century foundations called Crinolines. The Pelisse Robe and Pelisse Mantle 1818-1845 By 1831 the pelisse robe fashionable since 1818 was worn almost as a house dress. After 1848 this day coat-dress was called a redingote as fashion writers had called it for many years. As a dress the pelisse robe was supplanted by the pelisse mantle in the 1830s. Sleeves on the pelisse robe were too big to wear under coats so shawls and cloaks were more practical. The pelisse mantle was the ideal answer during the Romantic Era. It was an interlined warm deep cloak and was the most used outer garment in chilly weather remaining fashionable until 1845. Left- Romantic Era white redingote 1826 Hair Women's hair between 1825 an 1845 was elaborate and ingenious. The most modish hair fashion was the 'Apollo Knot', a striking style tending to lean to one side. Another lesser style was the 'Madonna' coiffure with the centre parted and built up with ringlets at crown and sides. Some even thought this style too elaborate, even when it was mostly worn for evening. Apollo Knot Hairstyle so typical of the Romantic period. There are many fashion plates and paintings that show both these styles because they were so typical of the age.
Dating Dresses in the Romantic Era Compared to eras where the dating of dresses can be confusing the Romantic Era has quite definite periods of style variations that make it fairly easy to date garments to within a few years. Occasionally students confuse the period 1892-1896 fashions because of the similar fashion for leg of mutton sleeves. They are similar, but if you look really closely you will see they are not at all alike. As I have suggested elsewhere on the Fashion-Era.com site always look at the hairstyles and headwear of the wearer of the garment. Hairstyles and hair ornamentation give a very definite feel of an era. The frizzed and curled hairstyles of the Naughty Nineties are quite different from the demure centre hair partings, coiled Apollo top knots and ringlet loops of the Romantic Era.