The Jane Austen Handbook (12 page)
Read The Jane Austen Handbook Online
Authors: Margaret C. Sullivan
I shall want two coloured gowns for the summer, for my pink one will not do more than clear me from Steventon. I shall not trouble you, however, to get more than one of them, and that is to be a plain brown cambric muslin, for morning wear; the other, which is to be a very pretty yellow and white cloud, I mean to buy in Bath
.
—
LETTER FROM
J
ANE
A
USTEN TO
C
ASSANDRA
A
USTEN
, J
ANUARY
25, 1801
It pays to be thoroughly prepared when shopping for clothes. Fashions change quickly, and one will always want to be up on the latest look. But one can only buy ready-made gowns secondhand, and who wants to wear some other person’s castoffs? Therefore, here is some guidance for how you might spend your pin money wisely.
1. Take inventory. Go through your existing wardrobe and determine what you need for the coming season.
2. Research. Study
Ackermann’s Repository, The Gallery of Fashion
, or other stylish publications to see what is being worn. Consult with friends and relatives who live in London or have spent time there recently. They will be able to tell you the latest cuts of sleeves and bodices and how gowns and bonnets are being trimmed.
3. Acquire patterns. If a friend or acquaintance has a gown that you particularly admire, ask if you can make a pattern from it. Cut out fabric in the shapes of the gown’s pieces, baste the fabric pieces together so they can be taken apart
easily, and reserve it as your “pattern gown.” Reciprocate this favor not just for gowns, but for baby clothes, caps, and other items.
4. Purchase fabric. Go to the local linen draper and choose fabric. You’ll need seven to ten yards of fabric to make a gown. Leftover fabric can be used to make over old gowns or for handkerchiefs, caps, and other accessories; muslin can never be said to be wasted. Choose trimming to dress up the gown if desired. You may ask a friend or relative who is living in a larger town or city to pick up something particular for you, but only if you trust her taste.
5. Consult the professionals. Visit your mantua-maker (dressmaker) and give her your pattern gown or show her the fashion plates you like so she can sketch out a style. Leave the fabric and trimming with her. Your new gown should be ready within a week—less if she has seamstresses on staff.
6. Renew and recycle. To further extend your wardrobe, go over what you already have that is still in good shape. Make it over, add a flounce, dye it, or add new trimming to freshen it up and bring it into the latest style.
7. Accessorize. New outerwear will give life to a wardrobe—purchase a new pelisse or reline one that you already have.
INFLUENCES ON EARLY NINETEENTH-CENTURY CLOTHING
Neoclassicism:
Architecture and interior design reflected society’s interest in ancient Greece and Rome, and ladies’ fashion followed; waistlines rose, gowns became more diaphanous and clinging, and hair was piled high on the crown with ringlets around the face in imitation of classical statuary. The Greek key motif was often used on trimmings.
The
French Revolution:
Once King Louis and Marie Antoinette lost their heads, society threw off their elaborate brocades and high wigs for dress that imitated the simpler clothing of the revolutionaries. English patriotism also directed a change away from the clothing worn by the French enemy to simpler homegrown styles, such as the outfits men wore for hunting, or informal women’s morning gowns.
George “Beau” Brummell:
A crony of the Prince Regent, Brummell was one of the main arbiters of style until debt and a falling-out with the Regent forced him
to retire to France in 1816. “The Beau” preferred simple styles perfectly cut and made up in quality fabrics, and society copied his example. He hated the filthiness of the elaborate eighteenth-century costumes and hairstyles. He bathed daily and kept his clothing scrupulously clean, and fortunately for everyone, society copied that practice as well. He was also meticulous in his personal presentation—he often discarded a dozen clean, ironed cravats each day as he tied and retied the knot until he considered the knot to be perfect.
Britain in the world:
As merchants explored and the army and navy fought in the far corners of the earth, they brought back fabrics and styles that had never been seen before. Exotic items such as cashmere shawls became commonplace, and victories in battle inspired fashion; even Jane Austen succumbed, borrowing a “Mamalouc cap,” a sort of turban, from a friend to wear to a ball after the Royal Navy defeated Napoleon at the Battle of the Nile. Military-style trim on ladies’ outerwear was common around the time of the Battle of Waterloo in 1815.
Tell Mary that I make over Mr. Heartley & all his Estate to her for her sole use and Benefit in future, & not only him, but all my other Admirers into the bargain wherever she can find them, even the kiss which C. Powlett wanted to give me, as I mean to confine myself in future to Mr. Tom Lefroy, for whom I do not care sixpence
. —
LETTER FROM
J
ANE
A
USTEN TO
C
ASSANDRA
A
USTEN
, J
ANUARY
14, 1796
As a Regency lady, choosing a husband is the most important decision you will make in your life. Once you’re married, you’re stuck with him. Divorce is possible but extremely difficult and expensive, especially for women; in most marriages, men control the fortune. And while a rich man with a fancy estate is all very well—and indeed one should not marry a poor man—do some soul-searching before you accept, and go into the match with your eyes wide open. Ask yourself the following questions—and answer them honestly!
•
Does he have a good income?
While one should not mind being asked to economize a little, one would not wish to be put to constant pains to contrive the elegancies of life.
•
Does he have good principles?
Bad boys are all very well for girlhood crushes, but do not marry one with the idea that you might “change” him. He will spend all your father’s money and leave you at home with the children. Find a good man and treasure him.
•
Is he handsome?
He should be, if at all possible—or at least very near it.
•
Is he a sensible man?
One would not wish for a silly or stupid husband. However, if one wishes only for an establishment of one’s own, at least be sure he is not stubborn as well. If he is easily controlled, you can contrive to almost entirely avoid being in his company.
•
Does he have a sense of humor?
If not, you will need to teach him to be laughed at. If your manners are lively and easy, this will complement his gravity well. In fact, that is probably what made you attractive to him.
•
Does he love you?
You do not want to marry a man who only is marrying you for fortune or position, because he feels an obligation towards you, or because of a passing infatuation. When these quick passions wear off, your life together may become intolerable. If you cannot love your husband, at least you should be able to respect your partner in life.
•
Do you love him?
The most important question of all. Your choice in a husband may provide you with more fine clothes and fine carriages than your sisters and friends, but will they make you happy? If he is a good man, and has made you love him, then your chance for a happy marriage is very good indeed.
MARRYING FOR MONEY VS. MARRYING FOR LOVE
Not long before Jane Austen’s time, the upper classes did not choose a mate on the basis of attraction or affection. One great fortune looked for another, and if affection came into play as well, it was merely a lucky coincidence. However, the nineteenth century brought new ideas, and a heroine could at last declare, as did Emma Watson in Jane Austen’s unfinished work
The Watsons
, that she “would rather be Teacher at a school (and I can think of nothing worse) than marry a Man I did not like.”
Elizabeth Bennet’s offer from Mr. Collins in
Pride and Prejudice
would have been a very good one in the eyes of her contemporaries, and better than she could expect given her lack of inheritance. And her initial rejection of Mr. Darcy, a very rich man, was even more outrageous in view of the common wisdom of the day. However, the reader understands that Jane Austen approves of Elizabeth’s refusals because she should not marry a man she does not respect. If she had done so, she would be repeating her father’s mistake, and certain to end up unhappy.
Jane herself was faced with a similar choice when Harris Bigg-Wither, the heir to a large estate, made her an offer of marriage. If she had accepted, she was guaranteed lifetime security for herself and her family. Jane actually did accept Harris’s proposal, then changed her mind overnight, allowing us to be very sure of Jane Austen’s opinion of marriages made only for financial motives.
M
ISS
B
INGLEY
:
“I am afraid you do not like your pen. Let me mend it for you. I mend pens remarkably well.”
M
R
. D
ARCY
:
“Thank you—but I always mend my own.” —
P
RIDE AND
P
REJUDICE
In a time when communication between unmarried persons of the opposite sex is so proscribed by social mores, it is difficult to let a man know that you find him attractive. In nine cases out of ten, a woman had better show
more
affection than she feels, because a man’s own natural diffidence might lead him to think that she is not interested in him otherwise. But how to do so and maintain your reputation? Read on for some techniques that will get the point across—unless he is a blockhead, of course. But you wouldn’t want to marry a blockhead, anyway.
•
Flatter his vanity
. Listen to everything he says with great interest, admire everything he does, and agree with him on all subjects. If he disagrees with something you have said, turn your own
words around so you sound as though you actually agree with him.
•
Talk about him to his relatives
. They might take the hint and pass it on to him. You know how siblings like to tease!
•
Offer to perform little services for him
. Mending his pen might be one step from mending his stockings.
•
Ask him if he would like to go “stargazing.”
Everyone knows what that means. If not, he must be rather clueless, and perhaps you should rethink your affection.
•
Keep your cool
. If he shows interest in another young lady, pretend that you do not care. Tease him about his “conquest” and ask when you might wish him joy.
•
Mirror his actions
. If he is reading a book, take up the second volume. If he is playing cards, help make up his table. If he is going for a walk, declare that it is time for your daily stroll in the shrubbery.
•
Find him irresistible
. You will become so yourself.
Mrs. Norris was most zealous in promoting the match, by every suggestion and contrivance likely to enhance its desirableness to either party
. —
M
ANSFIELD
P
ARK
As a mother, it is the business of your life to see your daughters married, and if you can offer assistance to your nieces in that capacity, all the better. Even though you may not wish to be going out in public quite as much as when you were younger, nothing should stand in your way when it comes to launching your girls.