C. Willett Cunnington - English Women’s Clothing in the Nineteenth Century: A Comprehensive Guide with 1,117 Illustrations

ENGLISH WOMENS CLOTHING IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY

1874
Dinner dress of blue gros-grain and pink faille, trimmed with Valenciennes lace

ENGLISH WOMENS CLOTHING IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY

A Comprehensive Guide with 1,117 Illustrations

by

C. WILLETT

CUNNINGTON

DOVER PUBLICATIONS, INC.

New York

This Dover edition, first published in 1990, is an unabridged republication of the work originally published by Faber and Faber Ltd London, in 1937 with the title English Womens Clothing in the Nineteenth Century (no subtitle). Ten illustrations, in color in the original edition, are reproduced here in black and white. For reasons of pagination two of the former color plates appear on pages other than in the original edition.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Cunnington, C. Willett (Cecil Willett), 18781961.

English womens clothing in the nineteenth century : a comprehensive guide with 1,117 illustrations / C. Willett Cunnington.

p. cm.

This Dover edition is an unabridged republication of the work originally published by Faber and Faber, Ltd., London, in 1937T.p. verso.

Includes bibliographical references.

ISBN-13: 978-0-486-26323-6

ISBN-10: 0-486-26323-1

1. CostumeGreat BritainHistory19th century. I. Title.

GT737.C81990

391.2094209034dc20

90-31248

CIP

Manufactured in the United States by Courier Corporation

26323107

www.doverpublications.com

I N a work of this nature the illustrations are necessarily an important feature. These are derived from various sources. Contemporary fashion-plates are informative, but should be accepted as being slightly diagrammatical and also as somewhat ahead of the current modes. During most of the century they were of French origin, so that they are not, by themselves, reliable guides to English fashions. I have tried to correct the balance by adding a certain number of contemporary portraits and photographs. These tend to be somewhat behind the fashions of the day and are often vague in their details. The colour-plates are from specimens in my collection which have been photographed in colour by Mr. P. Sansalvadore, to whom I am greatly indebted for the infinite trouble taken to obtain the results shown in them.

I should like to express my best thanks to Miss Mary Gardiner for her accurate drawings from specimens in my collection, to illustrate technical details which are not usually shown in fashion-plates.

The illustrations of headgear have been drawn by my wife, basing her designs on contemporary plates. She is also responsible for the notes on that branch of the subject.

I am much obliged to the proprietors of The Queen, The Lady and Messrs. Weldon for permission to use certain illustrations from their respective publications.

There are many others to whom my grateful thanks are due for help in preparing this book, in particular my secretary, Miss D. E. Coleman, by whose patient labours numerous imperfections have been removed and omissions repaired. By the courtesy of Messrs. Liberty & Co., Messrs. Burberry Ltd., and others, much useful information has been put at my disposal. The curators of museums throughout the country have been most kind in allowing me to examine the specimens in their charge, and many private individuals have likewise let me study their heirlooms.

But I am conscious that there is one whose claims to my gratitude are beyond all others. Characteristically she has preserved a ladylike anonymity; indeed to be publicly named would have shocked her nice standard of conduct; I will not therefore commit that outrage. But I must hint that it was she, my unnamed benefactress, who, in a material fashion, supplied not only the subject of this book, but also the objects about which it deals. It was her personality they once adorned. They reflect not merely her impression of passing events, but in a subtle way they indicate her criticism. They are dumb witnesses againstGod help him!the man of her times, for they were moulded according to the standards he ordained. It is his ideals, therefore, which these cast clouts of hers reveal. How cunningly they display the nature of the man in concealing that of the woman! How precisely she always measured the length of his foot! It was by such weapons that the Unknown Warrior of the nineteenth century won countless victories. In admiration of her peculiar genius, then, it is surely proper to dedicate this book to the immortal memory of the Victorian Lady.

These plates are reproduced in black and white in the present edition.

1818
Evening dress of embroidered silk gauze; sarcenet slip

The photographs in colour are by Piero Sansalvadore from specimens in authors collection

ABBREVIATIONS FOR THE COLLOTYPE ILLUSTRATIONS

R.L.M. Royal Ladies Magazine

ABBREVIATIONS FOR THE BLACK AND WHITE ILLUSTRATIONS

C. Drawings by Miss Mary Gardiner from the Authors Collection

H. Drawings by Mrs. Cunnington from contemporary magazines (various)

W. World of Fashion

P. & L. From Pictorial Times and Ladies Newspaper

L. Ladies Newspaper

L.M.I. La Mode Illustr

L.T. Ladies Treasury

S. Frontispiece of a contemporary song

Y.L.G.B. Young Ladies of Great Britain