The Prince Regent
The Prince Regent "Like most of society, Aunt Stirling had a better opinion of night soil than of the Prince Regent." Alverstone by Beatrice Knight The Prince Regent was viewed with nearly unanimous contempt by his [...]
Miss Pierpoint
The self-declared "inventor of the Corset à la Greque," Miss Pierpoint was the busiest marketer of all the Regency modistes, with over 230 of her dresses appearing in fashion plates across multiple publications from mid-1819 until she went out [...]
Regency Illuminations
If you turned a corner at Vauxhall Gardens two centuries ago, you were likely to stumble across the Regency version of a hologram: a huge backlit transparency depicting a natural wonder like Fingal's cave (above), [...]
Madame Lanchester
By the time Regency modiste, Madame Lanchester was jailed for bankruptcy in Marshalsea Prison on February 8, 1812, she had spent more than a decade as one of London's best known milliner/dressmakers. Unfortunately, her flair and big ideas were [...]
Almack’s History
As Ton Central for Regency high society, Almack's was all about exclusivity. That meant keeping out “mushrooms” (rich social climbers) and other undesirables. Almack's - a History To keep things classy, a cabal of gatekeepers from [...]
Regency Matchmakers
Regency Matchmakers: In 1810 at the Court of Chancery a marriage broker took legal action to recover fees from a client who refused to pay when he failed to snare his ideal bride. [...]
Regency Bathroom Breaks
You've overdone the punch at Lady Insufferable's rout. You need a bathroom break, but it's 1811. Is a bourdaloue really the only option? Engraving 1801. British Museum In the first decades [...]
Regency Waistlines Part One
Empire waists and white muslin dresses are synonymous with the Regency era. The look defined early 19th century English fashion for over 20 years. This post is the first of three about changing waistlines during the era. Part Two [...]
