December 1863, Englishwoman’s Domestic Magazine, Dinner Dress and Walking Dress

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This sweet little plate is from the December 1863 issue of Englishwoman’s Domestic Magazine and features the sort of daintiness –ornate furnishings, ruffles, etc. – that only seems possible in the Victorian era. Especially the teeny, tiny waistline. I heard Barbie took a look at this plate and commented that the waistlines didn’t look possible even to her.

This plate did come with the original fashion description provided by Englishwoman’s Domestic Magazine:

DINNER or EVENING COSTUME. – The hair is dressed in four rolls on each side, and is finished off behind by a Marie Antoinette chignon, frizzed very much. Two long feathers are fastened behind, and are arranged over the centre parting. The dress is of white grenadine, with a velvet tunic over it. The bodice is pointed in front, and the sleeves are short and puffed. The skirt is trimmed to the waist with a series of narrow flounces, either hemmed or pinked. The velvet tunic fits tightly to the figure behind, is slightly opened in front, and is fastened at the top by handsome cords and tassels. The tunic is pleated in at the waist (like the Princess dress, body and skirt in one) to allow of there being sufficient fulness to fall gracefully over the white skirt. The tunic is bordered by a handsome white lace. To make this toilet still more distingue the white dress might be arranged in white silk, with flounces of double tulle.

WALKING DRESS. – Velvet bonnet, trimmed with feathers. Dress of Havannah brown silk (gros-grain), trimmed with braid and fringe. The dress is cut in the Princess shape, bodice and skirt in one, with plain widths behind and before. The fulness of the skirt is pleated in at the hips, and the side widths are trimmed with braid and fringe to imitate the ends of a paletot. A small basque is arranged behind, trimmed with fringe. The sleeve has a seam at the elbow, and is trimmed with a fringe epaulette.

COSTUME FOR A LITTLE GIRL FROM 4 TO 8 YEARS OF AGE. – Hat of white felt, trimmed with plaid velvet. Frock of silk rep, trimmed with velvet to match that on the hat. The bodice is made three-quarters high, pleated behind and before into a plaid band. Over this bodice a corselet or Swiss band, with a basque, is worn. The skirt is trimmed with graduated bands of velvet, and is finished off at the bottom by a broad band of plaid. This little dress might be made of merino, mousse-line-de-laine, or linsey, and the plaid may be either velvet, silk, or woollen.

Madame Adolphe Gouband, 248, Strand, London, W.C., supplies paper models , tacked together and trimmed, of the various articles illustrated in this plate at the following prices: Dinner dress with tunic, complete, 6 s.; brown silk Princess dress, bodice and skirt in one, 5s. 6d.; little girl’s dress complete, 3 s. 6d.

Alas, no elegant “dentelle de yak” in this plate. I do wonder why they made the walking dress brown.  It looks a bit drab next to the evening dress and the little girl’s dress, don’t you think?

There happened to be some very entertaining text on the other side of the fashion plate description page, which you can find here on my personal blog.

Purchased on ebay as a loose fashion plate in December 2010.

September 1863, Englishwoman’s Domestic Magazine, Walking Dresses

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I bought this plate for a few reasons. I love the violet and the vivid green, and I absolutely love the detail. I’ll never know just how people manage to draw lace. (Seriously, how does one do that?) But mostly, it amuses me that the woman with the parasol looks like such a bitch. Generally, the figures in fashion plates are all tranquil, dainty femininity, and this one looks like she has places to go and people to kill.

This plate did come with the original fashion description provided by Englishwoman’s Domestic Magazine:

It will be convenient to our subscribers to know that Messrs. Grant and Gask, 58 Oxford-street, London, W., have made arrangements for supplying in material fac-similes of the toilets illustrated in this month’s coloured plate. The prices are given of each garment, so that by this means we are able to conform to the wishes expressed by so many of those who patronize our Magazine. Besides the advantage derived from this information, there will be the saving of a great deal of trouble in much correspondence for our subscribers. We may add that Messrs. Grant and Gask will be happy to supply patterns of the dresses, &c., on application.

TOILETTE HABILLEE. – Bonnet of white crape, trimmed with a plume of white feathers, and a drooping feather at the side. A pointed piece of tulle, edged with a narrow ruche of pleated tulle, covers the Marie Stuart point in front; and the cap is made of the same pleated tulle, narrow at the sides, and very full at the top. Dress of Solferino silk, brocaded in black. The mantle is made of the very fashionable lace called “dentelle de yak,” of which we have already spoken in previous numbers. It is trimmed with white tassels, and rows of white gimp round the neck. The parasol, which is covered with tiny marabout feathers, matches the dress in colour. Price of mantle, 6 guineas; brocaded silk dress, 44 guineas.

AUTUMN WALKING TOILET. – The dress is of green mohair, trimmed with bands of green silk, and tassels. The bodice has two points in front, and a pleated tail behind. The trimming is arranged to imitate a jacket, this trimming being continued behind on the tail. The sleeves are open, but very narrow, and reach nearly to the wrist. A flounce of pleated mohair is put on the bottom of the skirt. The bonnet is of white crape, covered with black tulle, and trimmed with coloured ribbon. A large bunch of straw, crossed in the centre by a coloured knot, forms the bandeau. Price of mohair dress, trimmed, complete, 45 shillings; silk ditto, 5 guineas.

Madame Adolphe Gouband, 248, Strand, London, W.C., supplies paper models of the various articles illustrated in this coloured plate at the following prices: - Mohair dress, complete, 5 s., 6 d.; trimmed gored skirt, 3 s.; bodice and sleeve, 3 s.; sleeve, 1 s. 6 d. A flat pattern is given with each made-up model.

I guess gone are the days that “dentelle de yak,” “a flounce of pleated mohair,” a “bunch of straw,” and a “gored skirt” sound at all elegant.

Purchased on ebay as a loose fashion plate in December 2010.