Here is a group of Regency gowns featured in Jane Ashelford's Book, The Art of Dress. Note the crossover bodice of the early 1800s day dress, the fantastic details of the sleeve embroidery on the 1810 evening gown and the full skirt back of the 1795 day dress. It's nice to be able to see the actual colors, too. Dispels the myth of pastels and drab colors!

Here is a wonderful evening gown from the Museum of Costume in Bath, England. I love the long train and shimmery look of the material!

This is an original gown from the early Regency, accented with a delicate tulle overlay and featuring slim sleeves. Back when I sewed professionally, a customer sent me this photo so I could reproduce the dress, which was a really fun project. I believe the original garment is in the

These beautiful gowns are from the McCord Museum in Canada.

Aren't these gorgeous? These are from the textile collection at Kent State University

This is a color illustration from Mansfield Park. Fanny's aunt is "helping" her with her sewing.

An illustration of Henry Crawford helping Fanny Price into her shawl from the 1895 edition of Mansfield Park

English fashion plate showing a lady wearing a cape over her gown.

An English fashion plate from 1810. I love the gent's crisply tailored suit. This is when trousers really came into vogue for men, displacing breeches for all but formalwear for the young bucks of fashion.

These images are from English Costume of the Nineteenth Century, drawn by Iris Brooke and published in 1929. I love the clear illustrations and the focus on details. Click the thumbnails for larger images.

This is a sumptuously beautiful portrait of Lady Lydia Acland and her two sons (yes, sons!). The original hangs in the Music Room of the Acland's ancestral home, Killerton House, Broadclyst.

This French fashion plate shows the decided classical Grecian influence upon Regency fashion. Note the trimming on the overskirt in the center and the hairstyles on the ladies

Two sisters dancing. Note the clinging nature of the gowns. Very French!

This is a portrait of of Queen Luise. I have never been able to find conclusive information about when it was done, but I'd hazard a guess at mid-to-late-1790s because of the fullness of her skirt and her hairstyle

Queen Luise and her sister, Frederika. Note the very Grecian influence of the gowns--probably early 1790s due to the "fluffy" hairstyles.

Lady with Fan by Ingres. I love the detail of this tiny portrait.

This Regency print shows a group of ladies playing outdoors. No idea what the game is!

These photos technically belong in the Victorian category, since they were taken in 1897, but the fashions are pure Regency, so I decided to share them in both categories.

Here's a dandy suit! WOW! Note how short the jacket is in front and how long the waistcoat is underneath. The rich maroon color of the jacket is truly striking, and the high standing collar is something, isn't it? Note the tight fit of the breeches below the knee. This was the era when men showed off their calves (some men even wore "calf enhancers" inside their stockings, if you can imagine!).

This is a lovely example of an authentic Regency gown of fine white muslin. This probably dates to the 18-teens, since it has a more "fan"-like bodice and the fancier sleeves with puffed short sleeves over long. Note the extra-long sleeves with wristbands that button over and ruffles that extend past the knuckles.