Cabinet des Modes, 19e Cahier, 3e Figure

-
August 15, 1786
PLATE III.

WHAT we should add to what we have said on Coaches, in the eleventh Issue, is that it is generally thought that it is Louis XIV who first put glass in his, and in Post Chaises. Before him only leather or wood doors were used, which were not entirely closed, in order to let the daylight in. The blinds that have been adapted to our current Coaches, are a modern invention; thus there is no reason to believe that they had the place of windows.

Regarding the form of the one represented in the IIIrd Plate, it only differs from that drawn in the IInd Plate of the eleventh Issue, in that it is a broad-square, and that is can hold four or six people, instead of the two that are only held in the Vis-à-vis of the eleventh Issue. It is changed also in the color, which is puce. Of the rest, for the shaft, for the wheels, for the straps, for the springs, for the trimming, for the seat, for the footboards, the two resemble each other perfectly.

It is not said that so little difference doesn't merit a new Plate; the Votaries of Fashion know well enough that it is as necessary to mark the smallest variations as the greatest, and that, was it only that the view to satisfy in that way, it would be necessary to place our Subscribers themselves to choose between the two.

Besides, this is a large Coach, and the first was a Vis-à-vis. The shaping is indispensably different between them.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Pride and Prejudice 1995: The Little Things

-
Image
I did threaten to write about the Ehle/Firth Pride and Prejudice , and since I'm in a writing mood without a topic I decided to make good. Regency adaptations tend to go for an overall accurate look, interpreting age and income within the confines of realistic silhouettes and colors, and so they avoid the scrutiny and reputation that a more obviously artistic and unrealistic production garners. But just as this version of P&P  is not entirely faithful in every respect (e.g. the added Darcy-perspective scenes, the actors nearly all being significantly older than their characters - perhaps the most egregious example being Julia Sawalha in her late twenties playing teenage Lydia), Dinah Hill's costuming is not entirely accurate - mainly in ways that make the period more appealing to modern tastes. The exact date when the story is set is never given; generally, the movie's taken to be set in 1813, when the book was published. I'm not going to go into the full story of...
Read more

A Difficult History: Corsetry and Feminism, Part One

-
Image
Recently, I began following a couple of Tumblr blogs focusing on waist training and daily corset wear. Daily wear is not for me, waist training even less so, but I find it an interesting practice. It is also a controversial one. For example, a recent Huffington Post article, " Corset Queen Penny Brown Loves Getting 'Waisted' ," drew comments which were nearly all extremely negative, as do most articles that bring the practice to mainstream attention. Usually, the mental states of the women who waist-train are called into question, and there are numerous references to feminism as incompatible with corsets. The general idea is that the first wave feminists of the late 19th and early 20th century would be horrified by women today wearing them, and that their assumed reaction is an objective statement on the practice. My feeling is that the subject is complex, and cannot be simply declared feminist or unfeminist. There are far more factors than the average internet comm...
Read more

Pattern Time: 1860s Chemise

-
Image
For my 150th post ( \o/ ), a quick little pattern someone might find useful. When I was working my way through a box a few weeks ago, I came across a chemise that didn't quite want to lay flat.  I took a closer look at it to figure out why, and noticed that it had a unique construction with the sleeves cut in one with the body and gussets inserted in the neckline.  I did a really quick sketch of the cutting layout and measured the important bits, so that when I got home I could draw it up in proportion on graph paper. (nb. I messed up. I've been noticing it for a while, but didn't want to point it out from shame, but I accidentally gave the neckline length as it is when gathered - the horizontal cut should be much longer, to within about four inches of the side seam. Please correct for this when making your own version.)
Read more