Fashions for December 1823 (beautiful red dress #3)

Loretta reports:

Many thanks to Susan for posting a rerun while I was in the throes of revisions.

Following, as I promised earlier in the month, is another red dress for December.  Note the radical style change since 1813.

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No. 2.—Carriage Dress. 

Witzchoura pelisse of gros de Naples of a bright scarlet geranium colour, trimmed with a very broad border of swansdown, or of ermine. The conspicuous splendour of this pelisse compensates for the plainness which marks the bust and sleeves, that are almost devoid of all ornamental trimming. A bonnet of black velvet, lined with white satin, is worn with this beautiful winter dress; the bonnet is ornamented with one very long drooping black feather, hanging over the right side; on the left, is a half wreath of various coloured flowers. A fine clear muslin ruff, gauffrée, is worn round the throat, and over the bust, is a gold chain, forming three rows, festonnés; from the lower one depends the eye-glass. A muff is worn, to correspond with the broad fur at the border of the pelisse, either ermine or swansdown; and the lady thus appropriately attired generally carries a reticule of Waterloo blue velvet, ornamented, lightly, with gold. The shoes are of kid, and are either of a bronze colour, or of London smoke.

GENERAL OBSERVATIONS

ON

FASHION AND DRESS.

 . . . We have given, in one of our engravings, for this month, a fac-simile of that most comfortable of all pelisses, when the weather is very rugged—the witzchoura. Its closeness round the form, its unsparing portion of fur, all render it a desirable outdoor covering and shield against the cutting winds of bleak December. Yet, sensible as is this out-door envelope, as well as every other kind of pelisse, these long cherished favourites seem tardy in their appearance, and nothing new has been invented yet, either in their make, or the manner of trimming them: one lady waits to see what kind of pelisse will be worn this winter by her fashionable friend; the friend has not yet determined on it, and the invention of her marchande de modes seems at a stand, while pelisses, at least of any novel fabric, appear to be actually laid aside.
—La Belle assemblée, 1823.