Fabric a la Romantic Regency: A Glossary of Fabrics from Original Sources from 1795 – 1836

A record of who wore what fabric, and when they wore it, from royalty to the very poor, including uses, contemporary opinions, technical information, and the occasional definition, this book covers fabric in English fashion from 1795 to 1836, technically the Directoire, Empire, Regency and Romantic eras. It also covers many French fabric terms as recorded by the English. At the beginning of this period, fashion very rapidly changed from the stiff Georgian styles into the soft and flowing Directoire dresses, somewhat imitating ancient Greek clothing. The fabrics they used changed accordingly. What was fashionable with the upper class one year might be considered far too common the next, when the middle class was able to buy it. Machine-made lace became popular during these decades, fashionable at first, but becoming less and less expensive. Many lace makers were put out of work before handmade lace became fashionable – and extremely costly – again. Some materials were considered appropriate only for the working poor. And the cheapest, roughest, worst-woven fabrics were deemed suitable for poor house inhabitants and slaves. Intended for the use of costume historians, Regency dance enthusiasts and re-enactors, literary scholars, historical writers and history buffs, anyone who has questions about fabric from 1795 to 1836 will find answers in these pages.