1831 Archery Fashions

This is a continuation of my blog at Two Nerdy History Girls.  Following is the description for the second Archery Dress, from an 1831 La Belle Assemblée.  These are the sorts of fashions Olivia, of Last Night's Scandal, would have worn—and I have no doubt she was an expert archer.

SECOND ARCHERY DRESS.

A DRESS composed of white chaly,* with a canezou of blue gros de Naples. The front of the bust is ornamented in the hussar style, with white silk braiding and fancy silk buttons; plain tight back. Long sleeve sitting close to the arm, with a half sleeve, à   l’Espagnol, slashed with white figured gros de Naples. A row of rich white silk fringe is brought from the point of each shoulder in front round the back. Collerette of white tulle, of a novel form, fastened in front by a gold and pearl brooch. The belt fastens with a silver buckle curiously wrought; the accessories correspond in colour with the canezou.** White gros de Naples hat, ornamented with white ostrich feathers, and a gold button and loop. Half boots of blue kid.

*Chaly (Challi or Challis)—A very light and soft, plain woven dress goods in the 19th century in England, made of silk warp and worsted filling or of all wool, finished without any gloss. The figures were either woven or usually printed over a white or pale colored ground. (From Louis Harmuth, Dictionary of Textiles, 1915)

**Canezou: short chemise with or without sleeves, distinguishing feature was that it was tucked into a belt, where it stopped. (From Internet Centre for Canadian Fashion & Design)

Rex Carolvs means what?

Continuing the illustrated, annotated version of

Last Night's Scandal

...

As followers of the

Two Nerdy History Girls

blog are acutely aware, I spend a lot of time on historical trivia that many readers probably don't find all that thrilling. You can imagine my excitement, then, when a reader is sufficiently intrigued to ask me to explain an obscure detail in one of my books. 

Today's query relates to this exchange:

 ~~~

“What have you got there?”

     “Dunno.  Brass button?”

     “Let me see.”

     After scraping off dirt, Roy said, “A medal, maybe.”  He peered at the object.

     “Old medal?” said Jock.  “Some of them fetch a good price.”

     “Could be.”  Roy scraped some more and peered some more.  Then he spelled out painfully, “R-E-X.  Then a mark, not a letter.  Then C-A-R-O-L-V-S.”

     Jock, whose reading skills extended to recognizing a tavern sign, said, “What is it?”

     Roy looked at him.  “Money,” he said.

My alert-to-details reader wanted to know what REX CAROLVS signified.

The reference is to King Charles I, who appears as Rex Carolvs (Rex Carolus) on the coins of his reign.  One of the plot elements of the book deals with a legend dating to his reign, the turmoil of the Civil War, and its unfortunate conclusion for him and those who supported him.

These illustrations are by Classical Numismatic Group.  You can see more examples

here

and

here

, at the Welsh website, Gathering the Jewels.  Another fine example is at the

British Museum

.  You can even buy a

reproduction at the Royal Mint

.

The clothes Olivia bought in Paris...

FRENCH FASHIONS

OPERA DRESS. A DRESS composed of rose-coloured

chaly

, a low

corsage

finished by a lappel of a perfectly novel shape, which falls very far over the sleeve, and is embroidered in a light running pattern in white lloize silk. The sleeves are between the

Amadis

and

gigot

shape. The fronts and border of the dress are embroidered

en tunique

in white floize silk. The embroidery, narrow at the waist, becomes progressively broader, and is very rich round the border. The

chemisette

, which falls, en

pelerine

, over the bust of the dress, is trimmed with a double fall of blond lace, set on with very little fulness; it is fastened in front by a richly-chased dead gold brooch. A rose-coloured crape hat; the crown is low, and round; the brim, short at the ears, and rather deep, is ornamented on the inside with

palmettes

of gauze ribbon to correspond: on the outside is a blond lace drapery which falls a little over the left side of the brim, turns hack

en bavolet

, and passes under the right side, where it meets the

palmettes

. This drapery is ornamented with a loose

rouleau

of gauze ribbon, terminated at each end, by a full bow. A

bouquet

of rose-coloured ostrich feathers, is placed near the top of the crown on the right side. The hair is parted on the forehead.  Ear-rings, bracelets, and

ceinture

buckle dead gold.

  WALKING DRESS. A HIGH dress composed of

gros de Naples

; the colour, a new and extremely rich shade of brown. The corsage, made to sit close to the shape, is ornamented in a very novel style with a row of points lightly embroidered, which forms it in a heart shape before and behind. The sleeves are

à l'Amadis

. The pelerine is made with a standing three-pointed collar, which descends in front in the lappel style. A very broad trimming is set on full round the border of the pelerine: it is surmounted by a row of

pattes

with a gold button in the centre of each. Satin hat of the same colour, lined with white satin, but bordered with the material of the hat round the edge of the brim, the inside of which is trimmed with

coques

of lilac and white striped gauze ribbon. Bands and bows of ribbon arranged in a novel style decorate the crown. Neckknot to correspond with the dress, fastened by a gold clasp.

Bottines

of chocolate coloured

gros des Indes

. A sable boa tippet, or cachemere shawl, should be thrown carelessly round the shoulders.