Reading these novels piqued my interest into the daily lives of the rich and desired in England during this time period and how that affected the way women dressed. Women’s dress changed a lot even between 1790 and 1800. Within this decade dresses had “delicate interlacing floral pattern with fine black-line stems; flowers pink and pale mauve, leaves and flowers pale blue and yellow (Bradfield 75).” No longer would rich fabrics be seen for everyday dresses. Pressed cottons and muslins were used instead of silks for everyday dresses (Bradfield 75). “Dark-ground pressed patterns were fashionable for dress and furnishings from 1790 to 1800 (Bradfield 79).”

“By 1800, women’s garments had assumed the basic features they would keep until about 1818: a slender willowy silhouette; the waistline above anatomical position

1818 showed the next change in the shape and style of women’s dresses. Tight bodices, swelling sleeves, and widening skirts became en vogue (Payne 478). “Colorful and varied fabrics such as satin, glazed taffeta (lutestring), Irish poplin (silk & wool), and machine-made lace replaced white muslins (Payne 478).” Some of the most common colors used in dresses during the 1820s are dark green, purple, bright rose, cherry, and ruby (Payne 481). In England dress was affected by the deaths of the Duke of Kent and King George III (Payne 481). Due to these deaths black fabrics such as bombazine (silk and worsted twill) dominated dress for most of the century for English royalty and nobility (Payne 481).

Around 1811 the style of women’s dress changed from a slim, sheer look to a bulkier, more ornamented style (Payne 468). Light cotton fabrics were replaced by firm heavy fabrics and patterned materials (Payne 468). “Embroidered borders, ruffles, padded rolls of fabric, and flowers decorated skirts at the hemline. Ruffs became major accessories (Payne 468).” Some fabrics used were chintz, cambric, merino, printed batiste, crepe, nets, gauzes, and India muslins (Payne 469). Merino is a wool fabric that comes from Merino sheep and was used to provide warmth in the winter; while printed muslins and ginghams were used for warm weather dresses (Payne 469).

Daytime dresses and eveningwear were different in style, design, and color. Daytime dresses had high necklines, long sleeves, and a high waistline (Payne 470). Daytime dressed were also being made in colors at this point, with the favorites being rose, pale pink, amber, marigold, sea green, primrose pink, lilac, sky blue, sage green, and fawn (Payne 469). Evening dresses, on the other hand, revealed bosoms, shoulders, and backs, and were still primarily white (Payne 470).

Footwear during the 1820s changed very little; slippers and side-laced shoes remained popular (Payne 486). Daytime boots and shoes were made out of purple leather and black kid, and white satin shoes with diamond buckles were worn for evening wear (Payne 486). Daytime shoes were also sturdy with leather capped toes and thin heels (Payne 486). Early in the decade one form of footwear called the heel-less slipper was square-toed but towards the end of the century the toe became more pointed (Payne 486).

While dressing in this manner might appeal to some from what they’ve read in the same romance novels I bought, the authors of those books fail to mention the danger often associated with this era of style. “Stylish clothing was heavy and constricting, even potentially harmful to health (Payne 486).” I have learned about women fainting or their ribs being broken because the corsets

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