A Regency Touch

Ball Dress, 1815, from Ackermann’s RepositoryI am really obsessed with vintage fashion plates at the moment. No surprise about the vintage fashion bit, but it’s really the look of the antique colour-tinted illustrations from Regency fashion periodicals that I fancy.

The pages are yellow and foxed, which lends an appealing nostalgia, but it is the overall delicacy of each drawing that is so charming. Perhaps the pages are merely faded, but the linework seems to be rendered in a subtle grey rather than harsh black – or maybe that was just the quality of the ink?

Ball Dress, 1809, from Ackermann’s RepositoryColour is applied with a light touch, in the pastel shades so in favour during the Regency years: rose, pistachio, butter yellow, celestial blue, but white predominates, for this was the most appropriate hue for débutantes.

There is such exquisite detail in each of these drawings too, in the lace trimmings, the feather plumes nodding atop bonnets and the becoming pink flushing in these young ladies’ cheeks.

I’m being inspired to try my hand at a modern version, perhaps a series on those few vintage clothes I gave away long ago and subsequently infinitely regretted. An aptly nostalgic style for long-lost garments.

If you’d like to see more – lots more – the website of EK Duncan features several wonderful galleries.

Evening Dress, 1815, from Ackermann’s RepositoryEvening Dress, 1815, from Ackermann’s RepositoryEvening Dress, 1815, from Ackermann’s RepositoryWalking Dress (just look at those darling lace-up slippers!), 1815, from Ackermann’s RepositoryWalking Dress, 1815, from Ackermann’s RepositoryParisien dress, late 18th century Adorable jackets, a Roxburgh (left) and spencer (right), 1807, worn on top of walking dresses. Click through to read about the amazing Quinn, a modern-day Regency-loving chick who goes to great lengths to reproduce vintage garments.