Regency governess

Note! This post originally appeared on Savvy Verse and Wit in late November 2021. Enjoy! The life of a governess in the Regency period was certainly not a glamorous one. These young women were most…

RJ-Regency-Women-Set-53-021

Inspiración para historias

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"There is nobody in the house with whom I can be on equal terms" So spoke Ellen Weeton in her 'Journal of a Governess' and more than anything else, her statement delineates the chief difficulty of the governess' position. The education of young girls, while sometimes involving young ladies' academies and the like (which I will discuss in future posts), was in the main left in the hands of 'the governess'. The governess was always a woman of gentle birth, with an acceptable level of…

This summer, I volunteered at a Bridgerton themed ball. This really was just an excuse to create a regency gown. While the regency era has never been my favorite fashion period, I always relish an opportunity to test my sewing skills, and nothing spurs creation like a deadline. While it was Bridgerton themed, I decided to create something more historically accurate. I was inspired by the Bennet sister’s gowns at Netherfield Ball in 2005 Pride and Prejudice, which I dutifully rewatched while…

Daughter of the house with her governess.

[The New Governess] oil on canvas 19 3/4 x 16" . 1836 - 1908. http://www.artnet.com/artist/424876880/thomas-ballard.html This was a popular subject in mid-century with an estimated 20,000 governesses leading a precarious life, subject to instant dismissal if they upset the family (notice the numerous travel labels on her trunk), poorly paid but not quite a servant and not one of the family. Given the black dress, she is probably a widow fallen on hard times, or perhaps from a genteel family…

Description Dress of striped chambray linen, c. 1810s

The Paradise (tv series 2012-13)