Costumes

Thursday, March 28, 2013

Fashions from Godey's Lady's Book, June 1853

It's that time again!  We apologize for neglecting these montly postings for December, January, and February, but we haven't forgotten them and now they're back, just in time for springtime sewing projects!

As we mentioned in the first post in this series, we recently stumbled across a bound volume of Godey's Lady's Book from 1853. Once a month, I'll post the collection of fashion-related plates and articles that appeared in each monthly issue. You can find the previous months here.

I apologize in advance for the quality of the images. Although I have a scanner, I've discovered that there's no way I can preserve the integrity of the already fragile binding of the book and lay it flat. That means photos are the only options, and even those are difficult to achieve because of the tightly bound pages. I've done my best to ensure that everything is as clear and visible and undistorted as possible, but if there's something you really can't read or see and would like to have clarified, just let me know and I'll see what more I can do. I've set the images up so that if you click on them, they'll link you to their flickr page, where you'll be able to enlarge them all considerably and thus more easily read each one. Enjoy!

Godey's Lady's Book, June 1853 2

Fig. 1st. - Morning-dress of pink barege, under a slip of white embroidered jaconet cambric, made short, to display the scallops.  Pink girdle, fastened by a small gold clasp.  Garden hat of white chip, with rose-colored ribbons, and a knot of blush roses and foliage each side the face.

Fig. 2nd. - Walking-dress of pale green silk, barred with a raised satin stripe.  The skirt in four flounces, set on with a cord, and edged with wide, shallow scallops, trimmed with close double fringe.  The waist short and slightly full, a style revived the present summer.  Sleeves open, demi-long; deep collar.  Cottage bonnet of white split straw, with wreaths of green leaves.

Godey's Lady's Book, June 1853 3
Embroidered skirt, to be paired with the cambric basque that follows.

Godey's Lady's Book, June 1853 4
Cambric basque or sacque; cape and canezou.

Godey's Lady's Book, June 1853 5
On broiderie anglaise.

Godey's Lady's Book, June 1853 6
Two caps, one a sontag cap of lace and ribbon, and the other
an evening cap of lace with a Marie Stuart front.

Godey's Lady's Book, June 1853 7
Children's fashions for June.

Godey's Lady's Book, June 1853 1
Crochet elastic braces, detailed in the pattern that begins in
the image above and continues onto the two pages below.

Godey's Lady's Book, June 1853 9

Godey's Lady's Book, June 1853 10

If you'd like to use or re-post or share these images, you're certainly welcome to do so. The only thing we ask is that credit is given where due: please provide a link back to this blog with the re-posted picture. Thanks!

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