#2017 $2,400
Directoire silk gauze dress, c.1805
Silk gauze dresses from the early 19th century are difficult to find in good condition because they were so delicate. Fancy dresses from this period with their original trim rarely come on the market. This lovely dress is a unusual find for the serious collector!
We are calling our dress Directoire instead of Regency because it is thought to be French. The dress was purchased from a collection formed over 30 years ago. Many pieces in the collection originated in France.
The dress is fashioned from gossamer silk gauze woven with the Neoclassical stripes then popular. The color is soft muted maize. The neckline, sleeves, and belt feature gimp trim set with faux pearls. The neckline flounce and sleeve appliqués are fashioned from the sheerest silk lace imaginable. The lower skirt has a border of satin ribbon swags and rosettes.
The skirt is cut fuller and slightly longer in back. The dress closes in back with drawstring ties, one at the neckline, and one just below the bust.
Like all dresses from this period, this one has no inner boning or rigid built-in structure. The bodice has folds softly draped for minimal shaping. The draped folds and lace appliqués on the short puffed sleeves show masterful design.
During the Directoire period, in the aftermath of the Reign of Terror, fashionable Parisian ladies were eager to move as far as possible from the elaborate court costume of the aristocratic victims of the Terror. Fashion moved towards simplicity and freedom of movement, patterned on the styles of classical antiquity, as shown in the recent discoveries from the ruins of Pompeii.
There was a conscious hearkening back to the political ideals and culture of the Greek and Roman republics. As so often happens, political and intellectual idealization of a distant period took on a cultural coloring and affected women's dress particularly. This superb Directoire period dress is a near-perfect embodiment of the Neoclassical style at its best.
The condition is almost excellent and all original. In the silk are a few tiny mended spots, which are barely discernable.
The bust, adjustable with drawstring ties, is approximately 32". The center-front bodice length is 6", and the center front skirt length is 41".
