Regency bib front dress

  This dress represents a “nude” version of Regency fashion, which was popular only between a narrow range of highly fashionable French ladies, among whom was e.g. Juliette Recamiere or Josephine de Beauharnais. Under the transparent chemise dress made according to the extant gown from France, dated to 1802 (Kyoto Costume Institute) only a bodiced petticoat is worn. The whole outfit is completed with stockings with garters, pink leather slippers, a woolen embroidered Persian shawl and a set of jewelry. The hairstyle was made according to the bust of Juliette Recamiere by Joseph Chinard, 1801 (procedure by Janet Stephens) and is completed with a golden ribbon, a silk scarf and a brass hair comb trimmed with artificial pearls, engraving and enamel. The hair comb was inspired by a French empire comb, c. 1800.