80 Godey's Full-Color Fashion Plates

1838-1880

JoAnne Olian

• Publisher: Dover Publications
• Year: 2012
• ISBN:
  9780486141855
• Topic: Design
• Subtopic: Fashion Design

Superb illustrations from a rare source provide authentic views of evolving Victorian fashions — from high necklines, elongated bodices, and fitted bonnets to extravagant bustles. The meticulously reproduced plates include depictions of dresses, gowns, and coats as well as accessories. A must for costume designers, cultural historians, and fashion enthusiasts. Introduction. Captions.

Notes on Plates

PLATE 1. MAY 1841. “The coloured plate in this number is not offered as a fashion plate, but the dress is simply beautiful and very appropriate to the season. The lady appears to have been favoured with a very early copy of the May number.”

PLATE 2. FEBRUARY 1838 AND JULY 1838. Fig. a. Pale fawn dress and matching “peasant fashion” cape edged with silk fringe. Tight sleeves with fancy silk trimming; cord and tassel to match the belt. Matching silk bonnet. Fig. b. Morning dress of Jaconet muslin. Tight sleeves with a single puff above the elbow; lace ruffle at wrist. The skirt has a deep flounce. Plain body crossed in front, showing a cambric kerchief, with a lace frill. Fig. c. Yellow poult-de-soie hat. Gros de Naples dress; low corsage, tight sleeves, three flounces at hem. Arab mantelet or shawl of cashmere, satin, or twisted silk. The garland is embroidered in floss silks or worsted. Fig. d. Gros de Naples capote. Cashmere dress, with a single deep flounce; mantelet of filet, trimmed with blonde.

PLATE 3. NOVEMBER 1838 AND AUGUST 1838. Fig. a. Poult-de-soie dress. Tight corsage, plain sleeves. The flounce at the hem is headed by a bouillon. Square satin shawl, trimmed with white blonde. Hat of poult-de-soie, trimming of tulle, square net. Hair in ringlets. A fall of lace over the corsage, fastened by a large brooch. Fig. b. Dinner or evening dress of mousselline de laine embroidered in bouquets in tambour work and twisted silks. Tight corsage without a point. Long, full sleeves, tiny plaits on the shoulder, satin ribbon bow with a second small bow on wrist. The skirt has two flounces. Dress cap of blonde, with green or pink ribbons; long blonde lappets in lieu of strings; hair in smooth bands. Black satin shoes; white kid gloves. Fig. c. Evening dress of tulle over white satin. Corsage à pointe, with three seams in front, each ornamented with a wreath of flowers. Short, tight sleeves, in small flat folds or plaits, with a wide frill of tulle. The skirt has a deep flounce, headed by a puffed trimming of white and colored gauze; similar trimming around the sleeve, bosom, and the guimpe, worn inside the corsage. Hair, in nattes à la Clotilde, very low at each side of the face; the braid at back retains lappets of blonde. A wreath of roses and drooping flowers on the head. Half-long white kid gloves, trimmed with a tulle ruche. White satin shoes. Fig. d. Evening dress of crepe over satin. Corsage à pointe. A wreath of flowers in place of the gauze trimming on the other dress. In all other respects the toilette is similar to Fig. c.

PLATE 4. APRIL 1840. Fig. a. Dress of white cambric; changeable silk apron trimmed with black lace. Tight corsage with a matching tucker trimmed with pink bows. The back hair is worn so low behind that it touches the back of the neck, being pulled at the very roots of the hair, forming the figure eight. Fig. b. Changeable silk dress. Tight corsage crossed in front. Bishop sleeves with four bands at the top, each trimmed with a button; the skirt is trimmed with five narrow flounces. Straw hat. Fig. c. White figured muslin dress, V-shaped corsage. The skirt trimmed down the front and hem with three tucks. Silk hat.

PLATE 5. SEPTEMBER 1840. Fig. a. Evening dress with corsage à pointe, two net and blonde flounces at hem, single flounces at elbows and wide neckline. Figs. b—d. Day dresses with trimmed bonnets.

PLATE 6. DECEMBER 1840. Fig. a. Dress suitable for evening visits. Fig. b. Bride’s dress. Figs. c and d. Ball dresses. “There is little change in the fashions during the winter months.”

PLATE 7. FEBRUARY 1841. Fig. a. Fawn-colored silk dress with front opening, worn with large square wool shawl. Fig. b. White silk evening gown; black taffeta mantelet. Fig. c. Green silk skirt with white organdy chemisette. Fig. d. Changeable silk dress; shawl of red, brown, green, and white stripes.

PLATE 8. JUNE 1841. Fig. a. Fine white cashmere dress, two rows of colored silk floss embroidery and tucks around bottom of skirt. Hat of white poult-de-soie. Fig. b. Blue dress with three lace-edged tucks. Low-necked corsage. The sleeves have four puffs. “This dress is very beautiful, and is the prevailing fashion.” Caising bonnet. Fig. c. Colored skirt; white waist, sleeve gaged at the top, the neckline edged with a puff. Straw bonnet. Fig. d. Solid-colored silk, deep flounce, full sleeves; trimming at the top of the sleeve is the same as the flounce. Collar of quilled lace. Caising bonnet.

PLATE 9. SEPTEMBER 1841. Fig. a. Plain silk with tight waist, low neck, and full sleeves with a band at the wrist. Skirt open from the waist, trimmed with fine piping. Hat of rice straw. Straw-colored gloves; embroidered handkerchief. Fig. b. Striped silk dress with a plain waist and low neck, trimmed with a broad lace. Skirt has two flounces. Matching scarf. Silk hat. Fig. c. White muslin robe, colored silk embroidery. Low corsage with a deep yoke of shirred muslin. Full sleeves. Bonnet of white poult-de-soie. Fig. d. Dress of dark silk with a low neck; waist and skirt edged with a ruche in a novel manner. Matching shawl, edged with lace. Crepe bonnet.

PLATE 10. MARCH 1842. Fig. a. Walking dress of poult-de-soie; skirt trimmed with two broad bias tucks headed with a narrow fringe matching the dress; body and sleeves tight; velvet scarf, piped in small vandykes of satin; matching small collar. Satin bonnet. Fig. b. Satin, with a velvet facing, cut in rounded points, edged with satin; the body high, finished by a velvet collar. Tight sleeves, finished at the top with two velvet epaulettes. Chapeau of pale blue velvet, with lace lappets. Fig. c. Gros de Naples dress; high plaited corsage; small bishop sleeves finished with a narrow band, the cap tucked; the waist finished with a belt. Skirt trimmed with tucks, à la discretion. Silk bonnet. Fig. d. Walking dress of poult-de-soie, the skirt trimmed with a wide bias tuck; black moire scarf with piping, trimmed with rich lace. Silk bonnet.

PLATE 11. MAY 1842. Fig. a. Gray satin dress. Tight corsage has three rows of trimming or puffing from shoulder to waist. Full sleeves, taken in at the top of the arm and also above the wrist, with narrow lace ruffles falling over the edge of the glove. Small bonnet of drawn lace. Fig. b. Drawn capote of moss green or blue crepe. Dress of nankeen silk. Tight corsage, sleeves are similar to those of the other dress. Gauze scarf, lace collar. Fig. c. Promenade dress of cambric muslin. Corsage fastens in back. The skirt has three enormous lace-edged tucks. White crepe lisse bonnet. Hair in bands. Fig. d. Dress of striped gros de Naples. Tight corsage, open in front to the waist. Sleeves with turned-up cuffs. Lace frill at neck. Skirt has nine tucks. Yellow crepe hat. The hair is in bands.

PLATE 12. FEBRUARY 1843. Fig. a. “A fashionable cloak of strong woolen cloth, unprepossessing in its appearance, but very durable and warm.” Matching fringe. Fig. b. “The latest French fashion, hardly yet introduced among us.... A graceful garment, it will be very popular.” The material is merino, made to fit the figure, confined at the waist with a cord and tassel; Hungary sleeves; short skirt, trimmed with a cord and lined with colored silk. Fig. c. Blue velvet mantilla cloak, trimmed with swansdown. Velvet hat. Fig. d. Striped silk dress, pointed corsage. Fanciful piping down sides of skirt. Velvet bonnet. Fig. e. Lavender silk coat dress. Moderate size cape, tight sleeves, narrow belt. White velvet bonnet.

PLATE 13. MARCH 1843. “The Fashions in this number do not require any description. They are beautifully simple. The children’s dresses we think must please.”

PLATE 14. JULY 1843. Fig. a. Equestrienne. Figs. b—d. Summer dresses.

PLATE 15. JANUARY 1843. Fig. a. Dress of thibet merino with six braided tucks. Down the front is a large tuck, trimmed with braid. Fig. b. Dress of gros de Brazil, with seven flounces, each edged with a bias fold. Fig. c. Dress of embroidered white tarletane muslin. Fig. d. Open dress of Altapacca poplin, trimmed with silk cord. Fig. e. Dress of Turkish satin, pleats or folds down the front, caught at intervals with satin knots or clasps. Neck and sleeves trimmed with rich lace. Headdress of satin ribbon and flowers.

PLATE 16. NOVEMBER 1843. Figs. a., b., and d. Cloth mantles. Fig. c. Ermine mantle with matching muff.

PLATE 17. JANUARY 1844. “Fancy Dresses of Four Nations, which we present this month. They are coloured in magnificent style, and form an attractive feature in the Pictorial Department of the Lady’s Book.”

PLATE 18. MARCH 1844. Fig. a. Promenade dress of sea green pekin silk; very full skirt trimmed with two broad bias bands of green velvet. Tight corsa...

Table of contents

• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Table of Contents
• Introduction
• Notes on Plates