Well Dressed Ladies Extant Garments Gallery

Evening Gown, France, 1805-1810

“It was a good dress, a light, flimsy version of the naval blue, with white about it – no black, no concessions to Mrs Williams, for it was understood that at a ball any woman was allowed to make the best of herself; but where taste, figure and carriage are equal, a woman who can spend fifty guineas on her dress will look better than one who can only spend ten pounds.” – A description of Diana Villers’ dress, Post Captain

Post Captain has much more action on land and involves more civilians (especially ladies) than Master and Commander, so here’s a look at civilian clothing during the Napoleonic Era. This gallery is full of images of extant ladies’ garments from approximately 1775-1820.

Courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum Costume Institute and many others, hopefully someday to be identified.

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