Textiles Guide to Regency and Victorian outerware with Price Guide. by Zita Thornton

uring the period from the late The for after Deighteenth century through the 1830 made mantles and much nineteenth century tailored , more practical but the pelisse remained, evolved from riding habits, took over following fashion with the addition of an from hooded as outerwear. integral or evolving into the pelisse- However, they had many different which was a hybrid garment names. Furthermore, the garment in giving the appearance of a length question might be worn either by a with open mantle like sleeves to male or a female. There’s even more accommodate the fuller style. confusion when the garment was made Paletot Three , capelets, Greek or Turkish for the to be worn inside the home rather than Popular from around the mid 1820s the European market, 1880s-90s: finely embroidered out walking. Is it then a or a paletot evolved to accommodate fuller cape edged in gold fringes, a white felted ? In these cases some auctions will . A paletot was a shorter, hip or ¾ wool cape with couched gold embroidery and a choose to list the item as a . Others length, heavy and roomy coat, fitted at black capelet similar. (3) Sold £240. June 2009. will dispense entirely with specific the waist. Echoing the contemporary terminology merely calling the garment fashion silhouette, its fullness could be a dress-coat or jacket. What is certain found all round during the popularity of is that outerwear was influenced by the the crinoline or just at the back during the changing dress fashions, resourcefully late nineteenth century when the evolving to accommodate ever larger was fashionable. Patterns for the highly sleeves and skirts. It is not just fashionable paletot were offered in the followers of fashion who may feel fashion magazines such as Harper’s bewildered by the different terms for Bazaar and La Mode Illustree. The less outerwear for they may be included in fashion conscious continued to wear descriptions of figurines and paintings various forms of . In the mid too. This then is a guide to the nineteenth century a garment, similar to changing styles of outer wear, along the pelisse-mantle evolved. This paletot- with the correct terminology. mantle commonly had a , rather than Pelisse just a collar. Originally a male military garment, the Pardessus pelisse was a short jacket normally worn Pardessus translates from the French as by a Hussar over the left shoulder to ‘passed over’ so it was a garment used to protect against sword wounds. We see cover - in other words a coat. It from Meissen and Derby figurines and was very similar to the paletot but was miniatures of the period that in the trimmed with velvet or fur. eighteenth century the pelisse was worn Mantelet by fashionable men and women. For Different types of capes and cloaks women a military influence on became much more useful as outerwear outerwear, such as frogging, rouleaux, fur in the nineteenth century as they easily trims and tassels can be see right up until covered large sleeves and skirts. A mantle the end of the nineteenth century. It was was a long, ¾ or full length, hooded up until about 1810 that this influence is cloak with arm slits. A mantelet was a found on hip or knee length pelisses. shorter cape which frequently had wide After that pelisses became longer and dolman sleeves or the illusion of sleeves. high waisted with full length front Victorian mantelets evolved from earlier A rare John Redfern burgundy ottoman openings, beneath which could be seen capes such as the pelerine, becoming Hussar-style jacket, c1890, labelled ‘John Redfern their fashionable gauzy Empire line highly fashionable in the 1850s and & Sons Tailleurs de Dames 242 Rue de Rivoli Paris’, and with Royal appointment stamps for . Often fashioned in silk, they were changing their style frequently throughout both Queen Victoria and the Empress of Russia both coat and dress and today they may the century. In the early part of the era with high stand collar and chemisette of curled be mistaken for dressing gowns. Certainly they had a straight hemline but later the white lamb, with Elizabethan style hanging sleeve they were worn inside the home as well front became longer, ending in points. panels, tall collar edged in gold soutache and bobbles, lined in blue silk. Together with a day- as out, particularly after c1825 when they The waist was fitted and a peplum fanned jacket of pink and green printed and woven wool, were less suitable as outdoor coats as the out over crinoline , resembling a piped in black velvet, similarly labelled, inset with fashion for fuller sleeves made them short jacket with large sleeves. When faux silk panels. (2) Sold £600. June 2009. harder to fit beneath this type of garment. became fashionable, the mantelet

ANTIQUES INFO - May/June 10 Textiles ended at waist level at the back, sometimes with choice since the end of the eighteenth century. points at the side or front, allowing the bustle to Buttoned at the , an additional cape over be displayed. the shoulders could provide further protective In the later Victorian period dolman sleeves, layers. This was everyday outerwear chosen for its wide at the wrist or sling sleeves which supported practicality rather than any lavish decorative the arms protruding from slits, were a feature of details. Its silhouette followed the fashion of the mantelets. For a decade from the 1880s mantelets beneath. Redingotes were also worn by men which had the silhouette of a cape, rather than but these were usually double breasted with a fitted at the waist like a jacket, were fashionable. wide collar. At the turn of the century cloaks once Some had long lappets, ending in tasselled tails, again found favour, especially decorated with Art which formed a decorative feature against the Nouveau patterns. However, as day wear, the Group of Victorian dresses, dress below. Once again outerwear became indoor fashion was short lived but capes and cloaks mainly 1880s, incl: an ivory wear when lighter mantelets were worn for continued to be worn as evening wear. The silk faille and black voided visiting and would not be removed during the slimmer silhouette of the 1920s and 1930s (see velvet , three visit. Mantelets could be made from lavish feature on jazz age fashions Antiques Info velvet dolman capes, other silk and velvet capes and materials such as velvet, plush and sateen fabrics January/February 2010) changed the form of dresses. (qty) Sold £650. and trimmed with contrasting velvet or moiré outerwear just as the fuller and bustles October 2009. , fringing or lace. had a century earlier. Redingote One of the earliest tailored coats, the redingote remained a weatherproof, practical alternative to mantelets. Originally made for use on horseback, this full length, woollen coat had been a popular

A group of late 19th/early 20th century clothing: moss green wool walking , c1890, grey wool coat with lace and embroidered detail to lapel, c1895, cream wool coat with tape ribbbon trim. (4) Sold £170. October 2009.

A dove grey wool capelet c1890, with high neck, adorned with vertical Above & Below. A group of capes, Above & Below. Group of late bands of soutache braid. Unsold. capelets, boleros, mainly 1890-1900, Victorian/ Edwardian day wear, including elaborately beaded black including a blue wool jacket c1910 Pictures Courtesy of velvet cape with stand collar, black by William Bulcock of Clitheroe and Kerry Taylor Auctions. beaded lace bolero, pink felted wool a blue skirt, a navy wool cape with cape with black beading to the All hammer prices. button detailing, three capes, four shoulders, grey damask cape with jet day dresses/ and a black silk fringes to the shoulders and others. jacket. (qty) Sold £140. June 2009. (5) Sold £240. June 2009. A group of clothing, c1885- 90: A satin damask opera coat with, Regent St retailer’s label (indistinct) and Mrs Trummer embroi- dered inside collar, trimmed with pink ostrich feathers. A pink silk trimmed with cream chemical lace and chiffon. A golden yellow silk trimmed with cream chiffon flounces. A pale pink bodice with sharply pointed waist. A pink and grey damask gown woven with roundels, trimmed with chiffon and a A Liberty & Co pale blue and ivory spare panel of fabric. silk evening cape, c1895, labelled Together with a folder Liberty & Co Ltd London and Paris, containing research related with ivory satin ruffled collar. Sold to the Trummer collection. £350. June 2009. (qty) Sold £850. June 2009. ANTIQUES INFO - May/June 10