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.

The same gal who shared the photos of the 1813 gown also put on a fashion show that highlighted the styles of every decade for the last two centuries (talk about a daunting undertaking!). She made the outfits seen in these pictures, basing them upon fashion plates and original gowns from the decades

Writes Lynde, "This belongs to my art teacher, who is an expert in the West on historical clothing from 1800-1850. She is amazing! She has a three-volume dissertation for her Ph.D. and a clothing collection of 30,000 items. She bought this dress in Scotland for $300, and she dates it to about 1813. Can I just tell you, when I saw this dress I very nearly fainted."

Here are portraits of many well-known Regency figures -- plus some not-so-well-known. I love studying portraiture from this time period!

Karen Augusta of Antique Fashion.com.com has graciously allowed me to share some of the photographs she has taken of extant Regency garments she has sold in her online shop. Studying original clothing is essential for recreating the correct look of the period, which changed from year to year. Thank you to Karen for sharing her knowledge and her beautiful pictures! Be sure to visit her site for more breathtaking gowns from the 18th-20th centuries!

This is a lovely Regency self-portrait (1790s) by Elizabeth Vigee' le Brun. Note the very full skirt, long hair and tied down straw hat. She is also wearing a chemisette, which peeps out at her neckline beneath the shawl.

Attached are some pictures of the prom dress I made from your Regency pattern four years ago. I made a dress and a sleeveless overdress out of different satins.