Notes on evening dress fabrics (1-12-2016, Hope Greenberg) The question: what fabrics were evening/opera/dinner/ball gowns of the Federal/Empire/Regency era made of? How are they described? Unless otherwise noted, these are from Ackermann's Repository of the Arts. The numbers are for the month (ex: 11 = November). Some links to images included. Full volumes of the Repository can be found at the Internet Archive (search on Ackermann Repository and the year). Note: the descriptive words and the fabrics they describe MAY (well, actually they do!) change even over the short time represented here. In addition, they certainly need not represent their modern equivalents.

1812

• 02: Ball Dress: round Grecian robe of white crape, gossamer net, or leno with bodice of antique marigold velvet
• 03: Evening Full: white imperial crape, or gossamer net, over white satin
• 04: Ball Dress: Circassian robe of pink crape or gossamer net over white satin slip, peasant bodice of pink satin or velvet
• 07: Evening Dress: embroidered crape round robe, white or blossom satin underdress
• 08: Evening Dress: white crape robe over white satin slip
• 09: Evening Dress: white crape robe, long full sleeves, over white satin slip
• 11: Evening Dress: white crape or mull muslin petticoat worn over white satin, crimson velvet or satin bodice (trimmed with ball fringe of gold)
• 12: Evening Dress: pale olive round robe of pale olive fine Grecian cloth, puckered sleeves of white satin

1813

• 01: Opera Dress: superfine cloth robe of Russian flame or tan, bodice of pink satin
• 02: Evening or Opera Dress: round robe of mull or crape over (white) satin or sarsnet
• 03: Opera Dress: Round low dress of fine India muslin, the bosom composed entirely of needle-work and lace
• 05: Evening Dress: Polonaise (open down center) robe of white crape or gossamer net over celestial blue satin slip
• 06: Evening or Ball Dress: Grecian round robe of lilac or apple-blossom crape over white satin, satin bodice to match robe
• 07: Evening Dress (missing plate) A round robe of pale jonquil or canary-coloured crape, worn over a white satin slip
• 08: Vittoria or Wellington Costume for Evening Dress: Venetian crape over white satin with pomona green bodice
• 09: Evening Costume: white Venetian crape over white gossamer satin slip, amber or other color demi bodice and oversleeves
• 10: Evening Dress: pea green crape frock over white satin slip, white lace sleeves
• 11: Evening Dress: (missing plate) A round robe of blossom-couloured crape, with demi train, worn over a white satin slip, gathered frock back, and stomacher front; the sleeve unusually short, and back and bosom uncommonly (not to say unbecomingly) exposed.
• 12: Evening or Opera Costume: round robe of morone or crimson-coloured Merino, kerseymere, or queen's cloth, bodice of same colour satin or velvet

1814

• 02: Evening or Dancing Dress: white crape over white satin, bodice of blue satin
• 03: Evening Dress: white crape or fine muslin over white satin, bodice of olive or spring green satin
• 05: Opera Dress: white crape or worked muslin over white satin
• 06: Evening or Full Dress: evening primrose colored striped gauze tunic over white satin
• 07: Evening Dress: silver lama embroidered blond lace over pink or salmon-colored satin, silver body
• 08: Evening Dress: lace frock over white satin slip
• 09: Evening Half-Dress: plain frock of striped sarsnet Italian net of peach-blossom colour; full flounce of blond lace, long full sleeve of white satin inlet with lace

1815

• 01: Full Dress: celestial blue crape frock over white satinslip ornamented with tulle or lace
• 01: Evening Dress: pink satin gown lace trimmed
• 02: Evening Dress: pale pink or primrose crape over white satin
• 04: Evening Dress: white satin petticoat ornamented with white sating trimming, blond lace
• 05: Evening Dress: pink satin frock trimmed with rolls of white satin
• 06: Ball Dress; frock of french figured (embroidered/printed) over a slip of white satin with blond lace and lilacs
• 07: Evening Dress: white satin slip under tulle with stripes of pomona green satin
• 08: Evening Dress: white satin petticoat, richly ornamented at the feet with a broad border of tull and sating; a frock body, tied behind, composed of tull and satin with a quilling of tull...
• 09: Dinner Dress: white satin slip worn under primrose French gauze (looks green/blue stripe)
• 12: Evening Dress: crimson satin slip, underneath a frock of three-quarters length made of the silver-striped French gauze. trimmed with crimson and white satin

1816

• 01: white crape frock over satin
• white crape, or lace frock, over white satin slip
• striped French gauze over white satin slip
• white satin white lace
• white lace over white satin
• Bridal Dress; striped French gauze over white satin
• white lace over white satin
• white British net over white sarsnet slip trimmed with lace
• glossy white gauze over maiden-blush slip (gauze and satin rolleau, ring of flowers, white satin draperies (the gauze appears to extend over the bodice and sleeves! readers are 'referred to picture to determine novel and elegant form')
• lilac and white striped gauze over white satin

1817

• Full dress: spotted British net over white satin, crazy lace and trim
• white crape over white satin, full, long sleeves
• blue crape over white satin
• white satin
• frock of white tulle over white satin
• white lace over blush satin
• pale blush gauze over white satin
• rose embroidered jaconet
• white gauze over white satin
• white British net over white satin slip
• white spotted gauze over white satin slip
• black crape over black sarsnet

1818

• black crape over black sarsnet, white bodice
• frock British net over white satin slip
• Bridal dress: British net over white satin slip, cut low. (wide) satin pipings (like McCord peach dress)
• white gauze with lemon-colured satin body finished in French style with tabs
• white British net over bright peach-color satin slip
• white net gown over blush-colored slip
• British net over blue satin slip
• transparent gauze over white satin slip
• white lace over white satin
• black crape over black sarsnet

1819

• white crape over white sarsnet
• white satin (white net trimmed)
• dark puce satin striped gauze over white satin slip
• white gauze over white satin (trimmed with net)
• white transparent gauze over white satin trimmed with blond lace and large white satin stars (slip appears pink in image)
• white gauze with pink spots over white satin slip
• white lace over white satin
• white gauze over pale rose-colored satin slip, body and sleeves of satin, 5 flounces of lace? gauze? satin?
• white net over white satin, bordered by white satin and chenille
• (this issue has images of Urling's lace (net?) (see also December morning dress - let in lace and Urling's lace)

1820

• white figured Urling's lace over white satin
• black crape over black sarsnet (Duke of Kent obit.)
• black crape over black sarsnet (George III obit.)
• white crape spotted with shite satin, black velvet corsage (long bodice)
• Urling's lace figured in a leaf pattern over w white slip
• white figured lace over white satin slip
• Court dress: white point lace over blue satin petticoat
• Urling's net over white satin slip (trimmed with Urling’s lace)
• white lace open robe over pale pink satin slip
• Urling's net over pink gross de naples slip, trimmed with blond, white satin, white satin scalloped ruching flounces
• white gros de naples with rouleaus wreathed in pearl
• Full dress: white Urling's lace over pink figured satin slip (separate train)

1821

• white transparent gauze over white satin slip
• Urling's net over white satin slip
• pale pink some de Londres trimmed with pink zepherine
• Urling's lace over white satin slip
• pink gauze over satin to correspond (pink) (trimmed with roses)
• white satin
• British net over white satin slip, full double ruche of satin
• figured lace over white satin slip
• black crape figured with black satin over sarsnet slip (Queen Caroline)
• Court Dress: white lace petticoat over white one of white satin, trimmed with gold tissue
• blond net over white figured satin slip
• Full Dress; white velvet round gown with some white satin

1822

• white satin round gown (no overlay)
• black velvet
• white satin
• grey silk
• Full Dress: Tulle over white satin
• Court Dress: white transparent material over white satin
• Round dress of striped net over white satin slip
• Round dress of fine tulle, ornaments with rich colonnades of folded white satin
• fine tulle over white satin slip ornamented with scallops of pink net
• Court Dress; pale blue silver lama, over a blue satin slip
• rich silk Mackenzie tartan
• fine tulle over azure satin slip
• plain net over gold-colored slip

1823

• Ball Dress: White crepe lisse dress, worn over a bright pink satin slip, the corsage of white satin
• pomegranate-color crepe lisse
• pink gros de naples
• white figured gros de naples
• Dress of bright Spanish green tulle, trimmed with the same material and worn over a satin slip of the same colour
• White crepe lisse over white satin slip
• British tulle over white satin slip
• dress of pink crape
• ball dress of blue tulle
• crepe lisse satin trim
• pink lama gauze
• lace dress over blue satin slip
• poppy-color India muslin
• British lace dress

Non-Ackermann:

• 1817: Costume Parisian: Robe de Tulle appears to be white crape or net over a pink slip with pink satin rouleau and a deep fall of bland lace
• 1818 (#1703): Costume Parisian: Costume de Bal appears to be white crape or net over white silk slip with pink satin trim on bodice and skirt
• 1818 (#1707): Costume Parisian: Corsage de satin Robe de Crape appears to have a white satin rolloeau wrapped with blue satin to match the body with tabs. The style is identical to the Ackerman April 1818 white gauze with lemon-colored body.
• 1818 (#1717) Costume Parisian: Robe de Satin par-dessus de Tulle Costume de Mariée trimmed with satin and bunches of flowers
• Metropolitan Museum of Art, ca. 1818, 1970.281.3: Gold striped gauze
• V and A, ca. 1818, T.175-1922: Black spotted net
• Feb. 1819 colored plate Bal de Society shows several gauze over gowns (short for dating!). One appears to be white over pink.