English fashion plate showing a lady wearing a cape over her gown.

An English fashion plate from 1810. I love the gent’s crisply tailored suit. This is when trousers really came into vogue for men, displacing breeches for all but formalwear for the young bucks of fashion.

These images are from English Costume of the Nineteenth Century, drawn by Iris Brooke and published in 1929. I love the clear illustrations and the focus on details. Click the thumbnails for larger images.

This is a sumptuously beautiful portrait of Lady Lydia Acland and her two sons (yes, sons!). The original hangs in the Music Room of the Acland’s ancestral home, Killerton House, Broadclyst. Note Lady Acland’s Shawl, which is tucked into the gold band at the empire waist. I love the rich color of her gown as [...]

This French fashion plate shows the decided classical Grecian influence upon Regency fashion. Note the trimming on the overskirt in the center and the hairstyles on the ladies.

Two sisters dancing. Note the clinging nature of the gowns. Very French!

This is a portrait of of Queen Luise. I have never been able to find conclusive information about when it was done, but I’d hazard a guess at mid-to-late-1790s because of the fullness of her skirt and her hairstyle.

Queen Luise and her sister, Frederika. Note the very Grecian influence of the gowns–probably early 1790s due to the “fluffy” hairstyles.

Lady with Fan by Ingres. I love the detail of this tiny portrait.

This Regency print shows a group of ladies playing outdoors. No idea what the game is!