Dresses, c. 1790-1800

Left:English dress and petticoat, c. 1790- 95 held by the Kyoto Costume Institute. Description in Revolution in Fashion: European Clothing, 1715- 1815, edited by Amy Handy (New York: Abbeville Press, 1989) reads: "Indian striped muslin with silver embroidery .... Sash belt: Indian; silk woven with silver thread. Shoes: silver tissue embroidered with sequins, low heels" (148).

Center: French round gown, c. 1790-5 held by the Kyoto Costume Institute. Desription from Revolution in Fashion reads: "silk drugget with diamond-shaped motif and gold and silver sequins, chenille and polychrome embroidery ... small pleats in back. Pendant: amphora shape. Shoes: leather and canvas, low heels" (148).

Right: India, dress of Lady Chambers of Calcutta, c. 1795-1800, property of Martin Kamer. Desription from Revolution in Fashion reads:"silk gauze with woven silver stripes and dots. Petticoat: silk pongee with matching dress fabric trim and appliquéd with shells made of silvered embossed paper ... Shawl: same as dress fabric with shells. Mittens: linen white-work."

The beauty of the gown on the far left with its delicate silver flowers and silver trim is probably lessened by discoloration of the silver threads, which look almost black in this photo. You can image how lovely this was when the thread gleamed as the hem does, sparkling in the candlelight of a ball. Light and airy, the dress must have seemed etherial in its day. The dress on the far right has maintained more glitter today, and is also light and delicate in design. However the shell trim is less subtle and the effort that went into the embroidery on the other dress is missing. The dress that seems to have taken the most work to make is the center gown with its incredible embroidery and trim. This is a gown of stunning sophistication, made for a woman who is beyond the pale whites of debutantes. The short train is full of beautiful work; I can't image having the aplomb to trail elaborate hand-sewn embroidery across a floor!

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