Historical Fashion and Fancy Dresses in Nativity Scenes of the 18th century

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No, neither Jane Austen nor the Duke of Wellington ever owned a nativity scene. These charming displays were very much a Catholic tradition, flourishing in 18th-century Italy, Spain, Austria and Germany. British Protestants, on the other hand, tended to raise an eyebrow at such things. Nevertheless, British diplomats, statesmen and aristocrats on their Grand Tour would see nativity scenes while staying on the Continent. Travelling through Catholic Europe, they encountered an unexpected passion among the courts: collecting nativity figurines. In Italy and Spain, this was considered a royal pastime. Princesses and court ladies even contributed hand-made trinkets and exquisite little dresses for the figurines.

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Fashion Meets Scientific Progress: The “Spy Fan”

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Fans are so much more than fashionable accessories: They are useful for flirting, can cool heated cheeks or hide an unladylike emotion. In the wake of the Napoleonic War, their usefulness was boosted beyond the known limit when fans were made for spying, i.e. discretely observing the surrounding or other persons. I found some examples of these extraordinary devices when I visited the exhibition “Waterloo: Life & Times” of the Fan Museum in Greenwich, UK.

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Dolls as toys and as mirror of fashion

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Dolls have always been around. As a marketable toy for children, they became more and more elaborate in the 18th century. Dolls for the wealthy were elegantly dressed, including ruffles, panniers, rich lace and tiny shoes with buckles. True ambassadors of fashion were the so-called Pandora dolls, early mini-mannequins used by dressmakers to send their designs to customers.

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You are not really dressed until you are wearing a hat

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Dear time travelling gentleman on the way to the 18th century, please make sure to take with you one thing: a hat!
In the 18th century, a hat is not only useful in bad weather, and it is more than a fashion accessory. A hat indicates your role in society. Without a hat you are a nobody.
Follow me to a brief introduction to the history of 18th century hats. We make sure you pick the correct one for each period, and we also find out about hat etiquette.

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Ladies’ Hats made from Horsehair

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During the Regency period, horses seemed to be everywhere: They were indispensable partners for work, transportation, warfare, sport – and even for lifestyle and fashion. Horsehair from manes and tails was used for brushes, wigs and string instruments, and it was proceeded into haircloth. Haircloth was a great fabric for upholstery or for stiffening crinolines and the front panels of a suit. All these usages relied on the robustness of the material. But did you know that delicate ladies’ hats were made of horsehair, too?

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Sign your name across my card

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How to use a dance card in the Romantic Age

For a young lady few things would be more satisfying than being a sought-after dancing partner at a glamourous ball. But if she was in constant demand, how would she keep track of the partners engaging her for the waltz or the cotillion later in the evening? And how would a gentleman secure a dance with her?
Keeping track of the gentlemen who had promised a dance in the course of the evening was done – on the Continent – with the assistance of a so called ‘carnet de bal‘ (a dance card). A gentleman would ask a lady to write down his name on the card a for a specific dance. These small and often precious carnets de bal were very popular in France and Austria throughout the 18th century.
In Britain, the dance card became fashionable at around the turn of the 18th century. The carnet de bal initially was often less elaborate than the Continental model.

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