Fashion in the Time of Jane Austen
4/5
()
About this ebook
Sarah Jane Downing
Sarah Jane Downing is a freelance writer with a special interest in the eighteenth century. She has written widely about the arts, contributing to national and local magazines and newspapers.
Read more from Sarah Jane Downing
Fashion in the Time of William Shakespeare: 1564–1616 Rating: 1 out of 5 stars1/5Beauty and Cosmetics 1550 to 1950 Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5
Related to Fashion in the Time of Jane Austen
Titles in the series (100)
British Gallantry Awards 1855-2000 Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Buttons Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Chocolate: The British Chocolate Industry Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBuckles Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Meccano Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe 1960s Home Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Poole Pottery Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBritain's Working Coast in Victorian and Edwardian Times Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBuilding Toys: Bayko and other systems Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5British Campaign Medals 1815-1914 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsChurch Misericords and Bench Ends Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Scalextric Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBritish Campaign Medals 1914-2005 Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5VW Camper and Microbus Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5London’s Statues and Monuments Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Victorians and Edwardians at Work Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The English Seaside in Victorian and Edwardian Times Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBritish Motorcycles of the 1960s and ’70s Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The Flying Scotsman: The Train, The Locomotive, The Legend Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsPeat and Peat Cutting Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Perambulators Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsLondon Plaques Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Clarice Cliff Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBritish Postcards of the First World War Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Victorians and Edwardians at Play Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The 1950s Kitchen Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Beauty and Cosmetics 1550 to 1950 Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5British Railway Tickets Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsPortmeirion Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Airfix Kits Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Related ebooks
English Women's Clothing in the Nineteenth Century: A Comprehensive Guide with 1,117 Illustrations Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Edwardian Fashions: A Snapshot in Time from Harper's Bazar 1906 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsMasterpieces of Women's Costume of the 18th and 19th Centuries Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Edwardian Fashion Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The History of Underclothes Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Fashions and Costumes from Godey's Lady's Book: Including 8 Plates in Full Color Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Victorian Lady's Guide to Fashion and Beauty Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Fashion in the 1940s Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Victorian Fashions and Costumes from Harper's Bazar, 1867-1898 Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Victorian and Edwardian Fashion: A Photographic Survey Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Tudor Costume and Fashion Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5British Costume from Earliest Times to 1820 Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Historic English Costumes and How to Make Them Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5English Children's Costume 1775-1920 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings80 Godey's Full-Color Fashion Plates: 1838-1880 Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Fashion Women 1800 History Notes Book 12 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsFashion Women Late 1700s History Notes Book 1 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsVictorian and Edwardian Fashions from "La Mode Illustrée" Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Fashions and Fashion Plates 1800-1900 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe "Keystone" Jacket and Dress Cutter: An 1895 Guide to Women's Tailoring Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5American Victorian Costume in Early Photographs Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Fashion Prints in the Age of Louis XIV: Interpreting the Art of Elegance Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsMedieval Costume in England and France: The 13th, 14th and 15th Centuries Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Vintage Fashion Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5A Short History of Costume & Armour: Two Volumes Bound as One Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Authentic French Fashions of the Twenties: 413 Costume Designs from "L'Art Et La Mode" Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Queen of Fashion: What Marie Antoinette Wore to the Revolution Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5French Fashion Illustrations of the Twenties: 634 Cuts from La Vie Parisienne Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5History Drawers On: The Evolution of Women's Knickers Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Fashion For You
I Can Draw Fashion: Step-by-Step Techniques, Styling Tips and Effects Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Ultimate Book of Outfit Formulas: A Stylish Solution to What Should I Wear? Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Book of Stones: Who They Are and What They Teach Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5How to Apply Makeup Like the Pros Do Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Big Sewing Book: Basics & Techniques Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The New Braiding Handbook: 60 Modern Twists on the Classic Hairstyles Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Knitting Stitches VISUAL Encyclopedia Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Sewing For Dummies Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5How to Be a Bad Bitch Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Crystal Basics: The Energetic, Healing, and Spiritual Power of 200 Gemstones Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Basic Black: 26 Edgy Essentials for the Modern Wardrobe Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5My Crocheted Closet: 22 Styles for Every Day of the Week Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Pattern Design: Fundamentals - Construction and Pattern Making for Fashion Design Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Crystal, Gem & Metal Magic Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Friendship Bracelets 101: Fun to Make, Wear, and Share! Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5DIY Braids: From Crowns to Fishtails, Easy, Step-by-Step Hair-Braiding Instructions Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Big-Ass Book of Crafts 2 Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The Capsule Wardrobe: 1,000 Outfits from 30 Pieces Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Polish Your Poise with Madame Chic: Lessons in Everyday Elegance Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Intimacy Factor: The Ground Rules for Overcoming the Obstacles to Truth, Respect, and Lasting Love Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5How To Crochet - A Guide For Newbies Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Singer: The Complete Photo Guide to Sewing Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Macramé for Beginners and Beyond: 24 Easy Macramé Projects for Home and Garden Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Victorian Lady's Guide to Fashion and Beauty Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Emily Post's Etiquette in Society, in Business, in Politics, and at Home Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Tim Gunn's Fashion Bible: The Fascinating History of Everything in Your Closet Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Hand Sewing for Beginners. Learn How to Sew by Hand and Perform Basic Mending and Alterations Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Related categories
Reviews for Fashion in the Time of Jane Austen
2 ratings0 reviews
Book preview
Fashion in the Time of Jane Austen - Sarah Jane Downing
THE AGE OF ELEGANCE
Promenade de Longchamp During Year 10 of the French Consulate [1802] (Auguste Racinet for The Costume History, c. 1876–88). Polite society was ever more diverse and exciting and this was reflected in an increasing range of styles.
THE WORLD was on the brink of revolution when Jane Austen was born on 16 December 1775. The battle for American Independence heralded an era marked by decades of war and conflict as the old order was swept away in an explosion of radical ideas and technological innovations. As the modern era loomed on the horizon, propelled by capitalism and industrialisation, fashion became the barometer of change. Looking for the first time beyond the decorative, it embodied the philosophical, the political and the practical issues of the day. For the first time England not only revolutionised style, but with industrialisation it revolutionised the process to produce it.
It was an era of contradiction immortalised by Jane Austen, who adeptly used the newfound diversity of fashion to enliven her characters: Wickham’s military splendour, Mr Darcy’s understated elegance, and Miss Tilney’s romantic fixation with white muslin. They are characterised by their dress but rarely do they speak of it; unless they are one of Austen’s sillier characters, they maintain the good taste and decorum of the times, which held that it was poor manners to impose conversation about such footling matters upon company. It was within her private correspondence with her beloved sister Cassandra that she discussed such fripperies as her plans for new bonnet trimmings and the successful reception received by her black velvet cap.
Jane was essentially of the gentry, very aware of the correct way to behave but not necessarily with an income large enough to make it happen easily. Taste and poise should come naturally to a lady, and it was an indictment of a lack of breeding to be worried about looking correct. The drawing room tensions of fashion and faux pas that she so beautifully illustrated were the furthermost ripples of the revolutions that were changing the world.
The impenetrable class order that had held strong since time immemorial was gradually being breached by a budding generation of increasingly wealthy industrialists, entrepreneurs and merchants who were making their own place in society through their ideas and innovations. Their impact was huge, not only in the foundation of the textiles industry and international trade, but in their eagerness to display their newly gentrified status with all the trappings of a country estate.
Headdresses (caricature in crayon, c. 1777) in contrast to Les Merveilleuses (c. 1797). There was a radical contrast between the old and new fashions, most notably in the silhouette as the exaggerated confluence of the hoop and the wig were abandoned in favour of a natural slender silhouette.
Fashions had tended to originate at the French Court, transferring to England through royal circles, but throughout the revolutionary years and the Napoleonic wars the typical route for fashions and fabrics coming from France was severed. This coincided with increasing trade with India, which imported fine muslins, cashmere shawls and the raw cotton to be processed by the rapidly growing numbers of mills appearing across the north of England. In France muslins were fashionably democratic for their affordability but in England they were doubly so, as many people became wealthy from cotton and were amongst the first to attain social mobility.
The Advertisement For a Wife (The Third Tour of Dr. Syntax, Rowlandson, c. 1821). There was huge competition for any eligible bachelor so it was essential to be as beautiful and fashionable as possible.
Yorkshire cotton factory child workers, c. 1814. Democratic cottons represented a new egalitarian age for some, but many others lost their independence when they were forced to exchange their cottage industries for the oppressive factory system.
Jane was fourteen in the year the Bastille was stormed marking the beginning of the period of turbulence that would launch democracy as a new force in the world. She had a direct link with the tragedies of the Revolution through her cousin Eliza de Feuillide, who had been married to the Comte de Feuillide before marrying Jane’s brother in 1797. Eliza was in England in February 1794 when she heard that her husband had met la guillotine, news that would make the horror of the Revolution shockingly real to all the Austen family.
The Angler’s Repast (George Morland, c. 1789). Rousseau’s ideas about nature became very influential, and as the closest acceptable thing to nature, the English country gentleman unexpectedly found himself a style