Early 19th Century Fashions from the Corriere delle dame, Milan

I recently came across several pages from Italian magazine entitled the Corriere delle dame. Established in1804, the weekly magazine was published out of Milan. The founder and editor was Carolina Arienti Lattanzi, and included articles on literature, theatre and fashion throughout Europe, particularly France, Italy, and less frequently, England. What caught my eye was the charming fashion plate from 1812 illustrating the French Empire style – ‘Moda di Franci’. [1]

Note the simplicity of the white dress, with extensive self-fabric detail in the form of pleating and various gathers at the bodice back, which is trimmed in red. Note the just above the elbow off white gloves. A frilly lace bonnet, standing lace collar, small red dots along the hem, and red and white stripped slippers complete the look.

The year before this ensemble was published, readership was 700; by 1875, it had ceased publication. Historians have noted that this pioneering publication played a role in increased female voice and emancipation for elite Italian women in the 19^th century.[2]

1.      A number of images are available through the digital collections of the New York Public Library:

https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47e1-413a-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99

2.         For additional information, see Il Corriere delle Dame, tra moda, politica e femminismo http://www.luukmagazine.com/il-corriere-delle-dame-tra-moda-politica-e-femminismo/

and http://angolodiestel.blogspot.com/2011_04_01_archive.html

Captain Archibald and Lady Sarah Macpheadris invite you to join them at their grand home...

Captain Archibald and Lady Sarah Wentworth Macpheadris invite you to join them for an afternoon entertainment celebrating the ongoing 300^th anniversary of the construction of their grand house, on June 10, 2017 from 12:00 to 3:00, in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

To commemorate this event, we have set the principal rooms at a gastronomic moment in history—evening dining from 1720s-1910s —business repasts of the early and late 18^th century—even a nineteenth century children’s hour!

To enhance your experience, garments laden with stories—such as ladies shoes and dresses, and even Jonathan Warner’s plum-red coat and vest—will be laid out in the rooms in anticipation of its wearer’s return.

At 2 PM, members of the Royal Scottish Country Dancers will perform simple dances for your edification and ask you to join them.

There will be light refreshments and croquet. Rumor has it that several guests have created new fashions for this event.

Please join us for this special year with the house appointed to entertain you as it has for countless past guests. This has become our annual fete.

For further information about the Warner House please visit their website www.warnerhouse.org

Fashioning the New England Family, Massachusetts Historical Society

MassFashion: Fashioning the New England Family

Massachusetts Historical Society

October 2018 – March 2019

I am delighted to announce that I am serving as the Guest Curator for ‘Fashioning the New England Family’ which will be on view at the Massachusetts Historical Society, Boston, MA. from October 2018-March 2019. (https://www.masshist.org) Working with the MHS Curator, Anne Bentley, we are planning a exhibition which will place numerous garments and accessories on public view for the first time in MHS history. In addition to the exhibition there will be an accompanying catalog.

As America’s first historical society, the Massachusetts Historical Society has collected family archives since 1791. Textiles form an important part of these family stories but, due to their different storage requirements, have largely been divorced from their familial ties. Fashioning the New England Family will reknit the family stories with their textiles.  Exploring textiles and clothing, we read them as primary source material enabling us to trace patterns of consumption and trade, examine clothing as political and social statement, and to compare and contrast men’s political-economic sphere to women’s. A particular collecting strength is found in the items preserved from the 17th and 18^th centuries, largely represented in the MHS collection by Boston’s elite families. Very few of these items have been publicly exhibited. While the importance of luxury goods continues in the 19^th century, we see an increase in the availability of specialized garments and accessories through all strata of society and from a wider range of sources. During this period (and continuing beyond the Colonial Revival) the importance of “ancient” textiles frequently acquire icon status and serves to connect the next generation about the importance of family history. 

Four primary themes comprise Fashioning the New England Family:

I.               Petticoats and Politics  (Presidents Gallery)

II.             The Embellished Gentleman (Hamilton Room)

III.           Clothing “The Quality” 18^th c. and 19^th c. (Oliver Room)

IV.           Homespun & Handsewn (Alcove off of Oliver Room)

For additional information on clothing and accessories found in the exhibit, see:
http://www.silkdamask.org/2016/08/an-exceptional-embroidered-silk.html

http://www.silkdamask.org/2016/09/a-pocketbook-for-benjamin-stuart-1763.html

http://www.silkdamask.org/2016/07/abigail-adams-and-her-dimity-pocket.html

I am also pleased to author the catalog which will accompany the exhibition.

Stay tuned for more details and exhibition teasers.