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| Opera Dress, March 1, 1817, in Ackerman's Repository Accessed through LACMA |
Description: Plate 16.--Opera Dress
A blue crape dress over a white satin slip; the dress trimmed round the skirt with a deep blond lace, which is headed with a light and novel trimming, composed of white floss silk and small pearl beads; this trimming is surmounted with a beautiful deep embroidery of lilies surrounded by leaves. The body and sleeves of this dress, as out readers will perceive by our print, are extremely novel. Head-dress, tocque a la Berri; it is a crown of a novel form, tastefully ornamented round the top with lilies to crorespond with the trimmings of the skirt, and a plume of white feathers, which droop over the face. Earrings, necklace, and bracelets, sapphire mixed with pearl. The hair dressed in loose light ringlets on the forehead, and disposed in full curls in the back of the neck. White kid gloves, and white satin slippers.
The above opera dress mas much in common with other formal attire from that year: the dress trim is concentrated near the hem of the skirt, and with similar motifs repeated on the sleeves (here a bit less so, though the white and blue color scheme is repeated there). Other examples of evening dress from 1817 also show very short bodices, heavy trim around the skirt, and often two layer construction (gown of net or crepe or some other sheer fabric over a silk slip, usually a satin). In April, the magazine mentions that gauze is replacing tulle in full dress, there is an example in the June issue (fashion plate).
[The April issue of Ackerman's observes that short bias-cut 'gipsy' cloaks, lined with blue or pink sarcanet, are worn to the opera.]
A few extent dresses that may be useful, though some are slightly later. The first is a sheer dress for wearing over a colored slip (early 1820s). There's an example in Costume in Detail where the sheer dress and slip are joined at key seams, but I was intrigued at this one being an entirely independent garment.
| Sheer dress, c.1820-25. The Met. |
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| Sheer dress c.1815. LACMA |
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| Another, c.1820. LACMA |
There are also a few intrinsic dresses, including this one c.1818, which is closer to my target date; I'm including it here for reference, because I'mm interested in several of the design elements. There are two rows of trim at the bottom, the sheer material is pleasingly full on the sleeves, and I like how it's also been disposed over the bodice. The descriptions for 1817 prescribe a plainer effect there, unfortunately.
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And another later dress (c.1825) which shows the two-layer look very well:
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| Dress c.1825. LACMA |
[The other specifically "opera" dress I've found is from 1813, and it's mostly covered by a wrap.]
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