Regency Masquerade & Fancy Dress Images

Here's an image from a Regency-era novel showing a fancy dress ball (similar to a masquerade but without masks). At left there's a woman dressed as a nun escorted by a gentleman in a knight's costume. In the background there's a woman in a pseudo-Elizabethan outfit. Next to them is a woman in pink and white whose headdress has a set of pom-poms or flowers on it; she probably represents some abstract concept. At center, a man in a Turkish costume shares a set with a man in regular clothes and another in military uniform; clearly not everyone felt impelled to dress in costume. Behind this group is a man dressed as a sailor and a woman in some sort of Renaissance-inspired outfit with a large white ruff.


This 1811 image is from a caricature, so take it with a grain of salt. The immorality of the masquerade is emphasized with the nearly bare-breasted woman cross-dressed in front. The figure in the back with horns and the "Horns to sell" sign represents cuckoldry. The lute-playing musician at the front likewise suggests loose morals. At right, a man wears a burgundy domino over his regular clothing with a tricorn hat and mask. The woman in front with a large book is probably a sorceress.


This is a bit pre-Regency, a caricature from 1790 showing women dressing for a masquerade ball. Again, don't take caricatures too seriously as a guide! The woman standing on the chair is probably in some sort of "Turkish" costume with her colorful headpiece. The woman in front is cross-dressing in her knee breeches. The bare breasts wouldn't have been part of the outfit; that's artistic license to imply how improper masquerades were. Notice how simple the masks are here; just little black half-masks or possibly (on the woman at far right) a black scarf with eye holes.


Here's an actual fashion plate showing an "Egyptian" costume. You can see that they were fairly flexible about accuracy! This illustration is from the July, 1807, issue of the Regency magazine Beau Monde and shows the Egyptian costume (left) next to a morning dress. Here's the description:

Fig. No. 1.--An Egyptian Costume.-- The head-dress is composed of a rich handkerchief of white lace, which crosses the back part of the head; each corner of the handkerchief, a small distance from the shoulder, falls on the front of the neck; the handkerchief is trimmed round with a magnificient border of peals, and each corner is finished with a bunch of the same; the hair is curled on the top of the forehead with small thick curls, separated with a band of diamonds, which crosses the forehead, and continues round the head; two small curls down the side of the face. A rich white figured sarsnet dress made with a short trian, and scollope back; sleeves very short and covered with a broad flap of white lace; the undersleeve is trimmed round with small French pearls; also the lace, which is fastend to the back part of the sarsnet sleeve with a star of pearls; the front is made full each way, and covered with rich lace fastened in the centre with a star to correspond with the sleeves. An Egyptian train of lilac spider net, showered with pearls, and worked in the centre with a large star of the same, cut in the form of a half handkerchief, wider a one end than at the other; one end is cut square, and gathered up full on the left shoulder with a pearl star; a piece of sarsnet, from under the left arm, richly ornamented, crosses the front, and is fastened with the middle corner of the train to the right knee with a bunch of pearls; the other corner, which reaches to the bottom of the dress, is finished with a large pearl tassel; the dress and train are trimmed round with pearls to correspond. White kid gloves and shoes.


This is another plate from Beau Monde, from the November 1809 issue. I don't have any description for this one, and I'm not even certain whether it was meant for masquerade or just a depiction of foreign costume. It's labeled "A Lady of Hindoostan", which in this context means India. It would certainly work for a masquerade, though the trousers would be fairly shocking.


This is another fashion plate. It's post-Regency, from Ackerman's Repository, 1829, but it's a good example of more elaborate "ethnic" dress. It's labeled "Italian Costumes for Fancy Dress or Masquerade" Here's the description:

(Left) Costume of the Isle of Procida, Naples. Dress of twilled sarsnet of a bright emerald colour, made high and plain, with a stomacher of gold lace, the skirt terminated by a broad border of scarlet cloth; the pelisse or surtout en militaire of scarlet cloth, lined with white satin and edged with gold lace, the skirt is open in front and reaches only to the border of the under dress; it is turned back, and the corners fastened together behind a gold clasp. The body and sleeves are made close to the shape and ornamented at the seams with gold lace; bands of scarlet edged with gold hang loose from the waist, which is encircled by a gold belt with a splendid clasp in front; epaulettes to correspond; triangular cuffs of Tyrian blue velvet edged with gold; ruffles of the finest lace.

The hair is confined, except a few curls on the temples, by a scarlet and gold checquered silk fazzoletto, tied in front near the top of the head and concealing the corner of a green silk barège fazzoletto, which is edged with gold lace: the oppoite corner reaches nearly as low as the waist and is ornamented with a gold tassel; the other corners tie in a knot with long ends under the chin; lace apron, white silk stockings, gold colour satin shoes, pointed on the instep, lilac kid gloves.

(Right) Costume of Ostia, Rome. Camisole of fine lawn made very full, and arranged in perpendicular plaits; the sleeves wide and set in wristbands; stiffened bodice of green cashmere, bordered and trimmed with geranium colour riband, open at the side, and laced with green cord, displaying the camisole beneath. The shoulder-straps are very long bands of geranium colour, and from the centre of each descends a similar band reading to a green cashmere; close upper sleeve, which extends half way between the shoulder and the elbow, and is decorated by a bow of geranium colour riband; the cuff is turned back, and has square corners, ornamented by two rows of riband; geranium colour petticoat of Swiss stuff bordered by two rows of narrow black velvet; apron of white lawn. Hair dressed a la Madonna, entirely concealed by the head-dress, which is formed of a delicate transparent white shawl, enlivened by ends embroidered in rows of the brithest colours, and a deep fringe to correspond. Michael Angelo has beautifully introduced this head-dress frequently in his paintings; the half of the shawl is rolled up and placed on the top of the head, the other half spreading wide over the shoulders, and when the fair wearer chooses, closes in front, and conceals the face; grey stockings, green shoes, with scarlet heels.