Styles and Trends
Styles changed dramatically across the course of the eighteenth century. How did fashion develop from the court gowns with the outrageously wide skirts of the early decades to the simple, regency waistlines so familiar from Jane Austen adaptations? Read about what influenced the popular trends of the eighteenth century here.
Make Do and Mend: Gown Refurbishment
The high sums of money invested in fabrics in the eighteenth century meant that ladies became economical and skilled in inventive re-decoration.
Dressing for the Occasion
Different times called for different fashions. Full Dress, the expression of elegance, gave way at times to Undress, which allowed greater freedom of movement.
Home Furnishings: Shopping for the home
Papers, paint, damask fabrics, decorative borders, tassels, fringing, bed hangings, curtains and rugs: opportunities for elevating one’s house beyond mere architecture, and enhancing it with beauty, comfort and fashionability were endless.