Regency women's clothing

Jo here, talking about clothing again. The reason is that I'm in the process of e-pubbing the early Company of Rogues books, and it's really hard to find good period images in stock photography. People are doing photo shoots for covers, but the clothes are rarely right -- if they're on at all! The images used by mainstream publishers are rarely any more authentic.

The women usually look more authentic than the men because a high waisted gown is easier to find than accurate men's clothing. However, my search and some on line discussions has made me aware of how limited our vision of the Regency look is. Almost always it's a slender high-waisted dress with short puff sleeves and little trimming or lushness in the fabric. We wouldn't think one style correct for today, and it wasn't back then.

So here's a collection of genuine Regency images. (You can click on any to enlarge.)

You'll see that in general they are very full, not slim fitting like a '60s empire waist dress.

 Note that short sleeves aren't essential.

 Note the layers and trimming. For any sort of special occasion the look is complex.

 This is a simple dress from early in the 19th century,but again it's full and with detail around the shoulders.

 This grouping shows the variety, but also the love or ornamentation and accessories.

 

 

 

 

 

 

1814, and slim fitting, but classical simplicity? I don't think so! Sometimes I have to remind myself that fashion images don't always reflect what real people wear.

 

 

 This is German, which might make a difference, and from about 1818, when fashion was completely abandoning classical simplicity! But I like this one for Beth from An Unwilling Bride, because she looks a bit sadly overburdened with grandeur. I gave it to the publishers as a general idea, and they did use it in a way.

 So I'm just saying that it would be great if the gowns used for photo shoots of any kind had a lot more fabric in them, and a lot more trimming.

Which look is most Regency to you?

Which do you prefer?

If you could buy it off the shelf, which would you choose to wear to a Regency event?

I'll give a copy of An Unwilling Bride -- the new version -- to a randomly picked commenter.

Cheers!

Jo

Comments

[A. Marina Fournier]

Jo, I have always loved Ingres' portrait of Mme. de Senonnes, seen at http://www.abcgallery.com/I/ingres/ingres25.html.

I'd want less fussy jewelry about the neck than she wore, though. I believe one of the characters in the Garvie/Rintoul version of Pride & Prejudice wore it, perhaps it was Anne de Bourgh.

[Julie]

I really like what the dresser has done with the blue scarf in the second picture, it looks very individual and is a pretty colour. I’d definitely wear that. All the styles look best with hair up to frame the face and neck, I think. I’m wondering about Regency fashions at the moment because my son is getting married in August and is having Regency dancing at his wedding. I have an old silk ballgown that’s ruched over the bosom to create a Regency line, a plain royal blue, very simple – it just pulls on over the head - and am wondering whether to take it along to the reception to change into. It would be much more fun to dance in a proper long gown than in a traditional “mother of the groom” outfit – so long as it doesn’t look too weird and it’s OK with the bride of course!

[Donna Watson]

Jo, I agree with you, regarding the irritation when the photoshoots get it wrong. Personally, I always prefer a painted, or drawn picture on the cover of historical fiction, that way you have much more chance of both sexes being in the correct attire.
My all time favourite Regency bridal dress has to be Princess Caroline's. The beautiful silver threading is exquisite, and this is what I always picture when I think of Regency brides.

[nancy]

yes, very full and gathering the skirt part to join it to the bodice is difficult for me.
I want long sleeves and high neckline. I can manage the long sleeves easier than I can find a pattern that includes a chemisette. Why is it that dresses for evening-- the coolest part of the day-- usually have short sleeves and low necklines.
Another problem is findng a shawl that is wide enough and long enough, Many of that time could double as sheets for a bunk bed.
The patterns available do not reflect the 2 decades of changes in fashions.

[Susana Ellis]

I think I have scrolled through the same stock photography sites you have, Jo! Finally decided to choose the "look" of the character and use the head shot (cutting off the clothing) if it's not appropriate.

But even then it's hard to get the right hair and eye color and expression. My friend told me to pick the stock photography first and then write the character to fit it. Might have to.

BTW, I use the photos for promo, since my cover (at least this one) doesn't accurately portray my characters at all.

[Deanna]

I love the 2nd picture. It seems as if it is a style that anyone could wear. Dee

[Juanita Glass]

I truly love knowing what was really being worn in the timeframe of the book I am reading. The covers of Romance novels kept me from reading them for years - until Simon Prebble narrated a Jo Beverley book. Then, I became a fan in spite of the covers. Period styles are always more fascinating to me as I designed and made costumes for community theatre for years. Research is difficult in some periods, not so much in others, but thankfully, I did not need patterns!!!! Thanks, Jo, for the wonderful insight.

[Jo Beverley]

Jo here. Yes, Marina, that's a lovely portrait. Your link didn't work for me, but I know the picture.

Jo

[BonnieD]

I like the examples in the 4th picture down. They just look so pretty and feminine. Some of these would make great covers!

[Jo Beverley]

Julie, I think it would be lovely if you had a regency gown for the dancing. I hope it works out.

Jo

[Jo Beverley]

Glad you enjoyed it, Juanita!

Jo

[Patricia Rice]

I think the "classical" style gowns everyone thinks as Regency were more French and very early in the 1800s (earlier in France). Women love fripperies and our Regency ladies were no different.
I've given up on finding accurate costumes for images, male or female. Kim Killion does her own photo shoots, but finding real costumes in the midwest--ones that actually fit modern people--isn't easy and too expensive for most artists. So I just let her crop and tell her when she needs to photoshop and hope for the best.

[Lesley Hartwell]

I would choose the 3rd picture, I prefer simple personally, nothing to frilly or fancy, but they are all lovely . I never look at the covers of romance novels until I'm into the story, I like to develop my own image 😊

[Emilie S.]

I love the third gown from the right in the one with the multiple gowns on mannequins, with the blue wavy stripes and flowers. I think that's lovely and would love to get a look at the embroidery in person!!!

[Bonnie P]

As long as the cover has SOMEthing to do with the plotlines inside the book, I don't mind too much. What does get me is the paintings done from photographs of backs of models where the current dress used for the photo obviously has a zipper and the painter didn't know how to paint the ties, etc used before zippers and buttons were used extensively. I've always loved that cover for An Unwilling Bride. The shawl was mentioned in the book and the action on the cover is pivotal to the plot.

[Annette]

The second picture - partly because the gown is beautiful and graceful. Partly because the woman is absolutely stunning. Just think how we would all look if we wore gowns such as these, rather than the styles of today.

[Cindy Friedman]

I like the second dress. I doodle costumes when I read that I then use them to dress the characters in the book.

[Teresa]

In the group picture, the woman in the upper right, with her shawl over her left arm, is the dress that I would love to own. Simple and elegant, and age (60) appropriate. I collect images of clothing through the centuries on Pinterest because the styles and style changes really interest me. Thanks for a great post!

[HJ]

I would have the second picture for a book cover. if I still had the figure for it, I'd love to wear the 1814 slim-fitting embellished costume to a Regency event! It's certainly striking.

Given the sheer number of Regency romances and the increasing number which are being republished as ebooks by their authors, it's surprising that some enterprising stock photographer hasn't got hold of a few authentic costumes (for men and women) and done a photo-shoot. Quite apart from the authors, us readers are so knowledgable about Regency fashions and critical of covers which are inaccurate!

I suspect it's the shortage which results in many authors using illustrations from La Belle Assemblée and the like for their self-published ebooks.

[glee]

I'd love to know what the older,chaperone-y ladies were wearing. Were there clothes similar or were there little-old-lady versions?

[Anne Styles]

I think a better and more authentic look could be obtained if the model wore the correct underclothes under the dress. It rounds out the silhouette properly. They wore corset, shift and petticoat and stockings which would have bulked. They also wore large shawls and caps if they were married, bonnets if outdoors. Also there was often a fill in worn in the neck of a dress usually made of silk or fine Organdy, very few stock photos show that.

[Isobel Carr]

Jo, I don't know if they'll work for you, but I just helped out with a stock photo shoot for Illustrated Romance. We used my gowns (which are period c. 1800-1812) and I did my best to at least get the hair vaguely right (I was under pressure to turn the models out quickly). You can find the pics here (my dresses [blue sprigged muslin and blue and purple silk] start at 26-50 and go through 451-475, mix of eras):

http://bit.ly/10VFW1t

[Jo Beverley]

Anne, I agree about underclothes, especially the corset. Makes a huge difference to the look.

Jo

[Mary Jo Putney]

One of the biggest challenges for creating covers for indie published backlist is finding appropriate images. Even if the costumes are right (which is rare), finding two good looking models who are comfortable in front of a camera is a real change. For male models, so often the hair is way too short for a historical look. Very frustrating! THis is why I often end up trimming the heads. Not an ideal solution, but better than looking like the wrong century!

[Elizabeth]

The description you give in your novels about the fashion and what your characters are wearing, is really what kept me coming back to your books. I read all the Rogues and Mallorens even the Medieval stories. I look forward to your details of dress more than anything! And I'm excited for your next book to debut. Thanks for keeping it REAL :)

[Dory Codington]

I just love the fringed purse in the grouping in the fourth picture. I would definitely carry it!

[Adrienne Adams]

I love the white dress with the black embroidery in the grouping photo. The dress is delicate looking and completely feminine; also I love trains, no matter how impractical they may be.

[Marilyn Rondeau]

If I were to pick a dress it would be in the 4th picture from the top which is the grouping of 6 gowns. From there I absolutely love the 3rd one in from the right. The train is just enough for me to make it alluring......

Marilyn

[LouisaCornell]

I actually like the third picture. The dress is simple and the design hides a multitude of sins. LOL

The dress on the far right in the fourth photo, the group shot is lovely. The shade of pink and the contrasting shawl over her arm is truly elegant. I would wear that.

[Jorie]

Good {early} morning, Ms. Beverley!!

I discovered this blog fairly recently, but I've been unable to start to jump in on the lovely conversations here! Time seems to float straight out the window, of late! Oy! When I came round tonight, I *knew!* I had to leave a comment, because your speaking about something close to my heart -- the Regency! I oft have wondered how historically accurate the character images are on cover arts, yet, I never knew how to ascertain it one way or the other! Thank you for your esteemed viewpoint!! I happen to fancy option #2, due to the graceful elegance that it depicts, and its very much something I could fancy myself wearing to a ball! Option #3 reminds of the world of Elizabeth Bennett, as it's with a softer edging that nearly looks like gauze on the shoulder bits!? I think it would be singularly wicked to attend a Regency ball or gala, in clothes that give a nodding to an era in history that swoons me into this branch of literature moreso than most other time periods! With the exception of the Victorian, by which I know naught which era I travel to the most! Laughs.

Thank you for the curious notations that this post encourages! And, for the opportunity to read one of your novels, by which, I have not yet had the chance! That is one reason I am thrilled to have stumbled across this blog! New authors and books to read!

Blessings of the muse to all the Wenches! You have a new regular reader in me!

[CateS]

I'm all for the 2nd one shown - she looks like she's reasonably warm... I have not done any research, but have always wondered if women of that era had shortened lifespans due to a combination of lack of warm clothing and cold houses during winter months..

[Jo Beverley]

Elizabeth, I'm glad you enjoy the clothes details in my books. I try not to go overboard, but clothes are important in so many ways. If we're going into a challenging situation, we want to look right, whatever that is. The details of clothing can affect a lot of what goes on. Does a gown trail on the muddy ground? Does it restrict the ability to run, or to reach up to a high shelf? How easily does it come off, either for a lady without assistance, or in a sensual scene?

Jo

[Jo Beverley]

Cate, I don't think many were silly enough to risk pneumonia by skimpy dressing! A standard regency gown would be quite warm, especially with long sleeves. Remember there's a petticoat beneath, and could be an extra one in winter.

Winter gowns were usually of a heavier fabric, and they had long and short spencer jackets, and also cloaks, which could be fur lined. They were very fond of muffs, and when we lived in the colder parts of Canada I thought they were a very good idea!

Also, they were really into shawls, and some were enormous.

Also, in all historical periods even the grandest had small rooms for winter use which were easy to keep warm. Those grand houses could be drafty warrens!

Jo

[Jorie]

Ms. Beverley,...

Your touching on what I love of the clothing,... the cloaks especially, because who wouldn't want to wear one!? And, I oft wondered how they dealt with the muddy bottoms of their skirts! It's so ironic as today women try to wear the slim-high heel, but back then, practicality won out, as didn't most wear boots!? Did they knit shawls as much as they do now and as much as they did in the centuries since!? I was curious about that!?

[Ella Quinn]

I came out of the writing cave to read this post and was not disappointed.

I like the simpler ones with wide skirts. We must remember that Regency ladies were not Twiggy. As to book covers, considering how many Regency book covers are to be done, how hard can it be to lay in a couple of jackets etc. and gowns in the Regency style. They could be used over and over again.

Back to the cave.

[Jan Wallace Reber]

Dress No. 3 does it for me! I love the long lines, that many every woman look like she has lots of leg, and the fullness of the skirting that, while fairly simple, could hide a lot of sins! And yet, it isn't plain, having a lot of interesting stuff going on around the neckline and sheer middish sleeves. Lovely pics. Thanks, Jan

[Jadie47]

I would wear the style pictured in the third image above. I love the clothing of the period, but since I'm older and not as slender as so many of the portraits of the era, I would not look well in any of the dresses with high waists.

[Gail Mallin]

Thanks for the post, Jo. I enjoyed looking at the illustrations. Number three was my favourite. That simple classical style says Regency to me and in my imagination I can see myself swanning around in a delicate white muslin slip. In reality, I don't think that high-waisted style is flattering on those who are not young and slender so I'll pass. A nice piece of jewellery or a reticule will have to be my substitute instead. It's a pity though that book covers aren't more accurate,clothes and accessories tell us a great deal about a character and they bring the history alive too.

[Angie in SoCal]

My heavens some of those gowns are low! I would pick the gown in the second picture. She is lovely and so is the gown.