Evening Dress, April 1, 1820

A fashionable assembly of members of The Beau Monde will take place July 13, 2016 at Marquis de Marriott’s Hotel in San Diego, Alta California.

Fashionable Morning and Evening Dress As Worn in October 1807

A grand soiree will cap a day of lectures about the latest medical advances, news about the espionage activities of His Royal Highness’s troops, how to manage a Grand Tour during time of war, and a special section on proper use of noble titles for the vulgar. During the luncheon break, the Honorable Jade Lee will present a keynote address designed to inspire the assembled in the pursuit of their authorial aspirations.

The evening festivities will include the latest of fashionable dances, and one may assure that the ladies’ costumes will also be à la mode.

Might we look for this latest French creation as described in a recent edition of La Belle Assemblée?:

A double under dress, of French net, with loose long sleeves, and round bosom, cut low, spotted, and most splendidly embroidered in gold at the bottom. White satin petticoat embroidered to correspond. A Grecian diadem, of gold, and brilliants. A square Brussels veil of the most transparent texture, lightly embroidered in gold, fixed at the back of the diadem, and negligently over the left arm. Hair close cropt behind, falling in irregular corkscrew ringlets in front and on the sides. The necklace, one row of fine brilliants, set transparent, and fastened in the centre with a long square brooch of sapphire and gold; earrings to correspond. White satin shoes, trimmed, and embroidered at the toes, in gold.  [LBA February 1807]

Alas, my own gown will be a much simpler affair:

A silk under dress of Mazarine blue is topped by a lace overdress in Mazarine blue and silver lace with capped, silk-trimmed sleeves.

My dressmaker is hard at work on further embellishments and a coordinating head piece and dancing slippers.

Attendance at this most exclusive event will be by ticket only. For information and tickets, you may contact the patronesses at their official Beau Monde address before July 6, 2016.

You are encouraged to peruse the pages of La Belle Assemblee and to review a most marvelous collection of fashion plates.

If you have comments or suggestions for my dressmaker, I shall be very happy to pass them on to her.

Image credits: fashion plates, Wikimedia; blue gown, the author