A revolutionary era of the Regency is a response to the turbulent events occurring around the world. The period is known for the expansion of empires and revolutionary ideas. Regency fashion is a response to objects brought from the East India Company and the ideas of French Revolution and the Enlightenment period.
The dress in the photography above is known as the Hunt dress. The dress was donated by the Hunt family to the FA&M archives, but the dress does not descend from the family. The original wear of the Hunt dress is quite a mystery. The trunk containing the beautiful dress was found in the 1990s. The name Tuckerman was written on the front. The name refers to Edward Tuckerman, a botanist famed for collecting lichens at Mt. Washington. Tuckerman’s ravine is named after him. He descends from a wealthy Boston family. Tuckerman was born after the dress was fashionable, so it most likely was worn by a
relative. Three possible women could have worn the beautiful dress: Tuckerman’s mother Sophia (May) Tuckerman (1784-1870), his half-sister Hannah (Tuckerman) Mason (1805-1859), or his wife’s mother Martha Ann (Cargill) Cushing (1801-1840).
Hunt dress is a symbol of revolutionary ideas. Imported from the ‘far east,’ the low-neckline, transparent fabric, and bare arms speak to modern femininity. The dress rejects the regulations and rules of the monarchy and embraces liberty. It is also a response to Rousseau’s ideas of simplicity and embracing a more natural state.
Regency fashion began in France after the revolution. The French desired liberation from years of monarchy, which was translated into fashion. The same sentiments were found among American women too. Women’s fashion embraced the ideas of the democratic republics by resembling Roman dress: a tunic with flat shoes and few undergarments. The Regency era dress was liberating. Corsets, heavy fabrics, and hooped skirts transitioned to light, transparent fabrics. The extravagance of the aristocracy also diminished at the end of French Revolution. The classless white dress with few jewels was adopted to show the transition.
The Regency era also marked the beginning of modern consumerism. Ready-made fashion and haute couture changed the idea that fashion was not just for the rich. The Industrial Revolution and abundance of cotton made white-dresses cheaper for the masses.
The Hunt Dress represents that global connectedness of the Regency era. The dress is made of sheer cream muslin with eyelet embroidery. The dress would have been important from India to the United States. It is quintessential Regency. Regency dresses had sleek silhouettes which hugged the body, low necklines, and an empire waist. Dress sleeves would be cut above the elbow and in the bishop style. Under the dress, women would have worn a linen chemise or shift, light-boned stays or corsets, and silk stockings.
In 1810, more ornamentation was added to the dress usually in the form of embroidery. The Hunt dress embroidery was extremely fashionable. The embroidery on the dress was most likely domestically made for the owner. The embroidery pattern can be seen along the helm, waist, shoulders, and a large flounce.
Traditionally, a thread count is when the threads get counted lengthwise (commonly known as warp) and widthwise (also known as weft). When added together, they create a thread count. Thread count gets calculated as per square inch of fabric. For example, if the cloth had 200 lengthwise threads weaved with 200 widthwise threads, it would equal a thread count of 400. The average muslin dress worn in the Regency era had a minimum thread count of 300. However, the maximum known thread count for this ancient art went up to 2,700, and in some rare cases, even higher. The higher the thread count, the thinner the fabric, and more breathable and light it became, making it into the expensive garments royalty such as Marie Antoinette wore. This led to the fabric earning many names such as “woven air” and “white gold,” leading it to be woven forever into history.
The Hunt gown would have been worn to a special event, particularly a ball. The gown would have been worn by a very fashionable woman.
Balls provided women with the opportunity to meet eligible bachelors. Although the era is known for liberal fashion, marriage and family were still seen as the most important accomplishment of a woman’s life. For women, marriage was a way to secure stability in life. Finding a suitable match was rather difficult at times, so a ball was when ladies had to look their best. Perhaps the owner of this dress was trying to find a suitable match!
The fashionable white muslin of the gown would have been light for dancing in. It also would give the wearer an ethereal or otherness that was a romantic idea of Gothic novels. The gown’s fabric hugged the wearer making it quiet eye catching while dancing.
Movieclips. “EMMA (2020)-Dancing With Mr. Knightley Scene (5/19).” YouTube. May 22, 2020. https://youtu.be/_NqVX2rLR8k?si=dbE8Wgu6LiYOHAM5.
A white Regency era gown would have been accessorized with colored accessories such as extremely long-gloves, pearls, ostrich feathers, parasols, reticule, shawls and shoes. Many of the items coming from “exotic” places, which showed wealth in an era when anybody could wear white. The wearer’s hair would likely have small curls fitted around the face.
The wearer would also have had a fan printed with a psalm, political message, map, or botanicals. During the Regency Era an entire language behind fans was formed. The fan allowed young people the ability to communicate romantic intrigue from across the room. Just like including a relationship status on social media, the way a women held a fan communicated her availability.
Use the following links to create your own Regency fan:
Video Guide: https://www.tiktok.com/@perfectlittleparcel/video/7301073434912558368
Step-by-step Instruction: https://www.perfectlittleparcel.com/post/regency-fan-tutorial
Language of the Regency Fan: https://janeausten.co.uk/blogs/regency-accessories/fans?srsltid=AfmBOorLqYiYvgghUQiIEDwlgzkHY7OAMW685XDnhjLXzxqbPxqsMeM9
By 1820, the United States was still in the throes of establishing itself as a nation. This period was marked by expansion of territory and ideas alike as Americans became more educated and distinct social classes developed. In an era of political and social growth and development, American families, particularly those of considerable wealth, were provided the opportunity to express themselves and showcase their fortune.
The Louisiana Purchase of 1803 saw the United States expand its territory westward, effectually doubling the size of the country. This major event overseen by Thomas Jefferson during his presidency, and the expedition by Lewis and Clark the following year, inspired a sense of exploration and a desire for Manifest Destiny; the country was to be further discovered and settled, creating a larger sphere of American influence and culture. The United States was met with struggles in the form of the War of 1812 against Great Britain and the Panic of 1819 in which the nation faced a financial crisis that led to the economy’s collapse.
Despite these nationwide hardships, the Regency Era prevailed. Wealth and sophistication were honored among the higher social classes of the time, and the late 1700s and early 1800s saw a rise in literacy and education. A majority of white men in America were literate and a college education was available for boys of wealthy families. Girls and women were also able to learn several skills, including handwriting, reading, basic math, and sewing. Children from genteel families were also expected to learn proper manners, dancing, drawing, and music. This well-rounded education separated the wealthy classes from those of lesser socioeconomic standing and African Americans, who had little to no schooling or formal education.
For the average American family in the early nineteenth century, it was easiest to produce many of the goods needed, such as textiles. Women were responsible for weaving and creating clothing and other fabrics for use around the house. However, wealthier families wore higher quality fabrics that were imported from abroad, such as muslin. Muslin was so popular that it has been located among families residing on the frontier. Those who experienced an elegant, genteel upbringing would most likely have come from a family that owned their own private property. In addition, the men of the house would have had high-standing careers, such as government officials, lawyers, or other positions of authority. The expense of muslin garments made them difficult to afford and therefore only available to the well-to-do American families.
The fabric known as muslin likely got its name from the city of Mosul in Iraq. Muslin is a light, delicate fabric made from cotton. The origins of muslin weaving stem from the Dhaka region in Bengal, located on the eastern Indian subcontinent.
Cotton can be traced back to the Neolithic period, where it was first found in India between 6000-5000 BCE. It was cultivated and used in the Indus River Valley and Mexico as well as India, until it eventually began to spread worldwide to China, Africa, and the Middle East between the years 800-1000 CE. For its proper development, cotton needs to grow in loose earth with enough minerals and be accompanied by a warm climate. Good irrigation is also required. These specific conditions make cotton a special material that requires much care to produce.
The plant that weaved history is scientifically known as Gossypium Arboreum and from there divides into different varieties. One of the finest varieties was known as Bairati Kapas, which grew only in small quantities. On the other hand, Phuti karpas was more common and traditionally grown in Bengal, though it was discovered that the only places where this muslin was woven was near Dhaka and was typically known for producing the best cotton near the northern district. After a successful harvest the cotton would begin the long process of creating the thread and weaving the cloth, having a sixteen-step process from beginning to end and requiring fifty tools to reach a completed piece.
Bengal’s cotton textile industry was part of the backbone of the economy, alongside silk textiles, indigo, salt, and shipbuilding. Dhaka muslin’s sixteen-step process utilized the whole community, employing men, women, and children in the craft. Rumors surfaced that the fabric was crafted by mermaids and other spiritual creatures due to its complexity. This complicated process meant that muslin took longer to produce than other textiles, and weaving could take several months when additional patterns or geometric designs were added to the project. Children often apprenticed under a father or close relative where they would learn how to weave cotton fabrics, and the labor was often divided into a caste-type system. While muslin production was long, arduous work, it was a community effort that involved the whole family.
Despite the labor involved, Bengal’s cotton industry did not provide high wages. This did not improve with the arrival of the British in the 1600s and the establishment of the East India Company.
The British East India Company was founded in 1600, and textile manufacturing companies began to pop up in India as early as 1611. As muslin textiles started to be traded to Europe, demand grew. The fabric was highly expensive, and during the 1800s cost thousands in today’s currency for just a single yard. With the East India Company in control of the trade, the weavers that produced the muslin did not see equivalent wealth to what they were making; weavers were only paid once the fabric was completed, and since muslin took such a long time to manufacture, it could take months or years for the workers to be compensated. If the quality of the muslin was not to the Company’s satisfaction, the weavers would have to pay it back, losing profits.
The East India Company took further control by controlling the price of muslin. According to Saiful Islam in Muslin: Our Story, the price of muslin was “based on samples sent, two years in advance of procurement and with little connection to actual economic conditions at the time of purchase.” This further hurt the weavers and the economy of Bengal. After the British government seized more territory in India in the mid-1700s, the Company took another step to control the cotton industry: it made itself the authority for collecting taxes from Indian peasants, which before were collected by the Mughal emperor of India. This overtaking showed the strength and influence of the East India Company. It would eventually stop paying for muslin and other textiles with its own money, and instead use money made from Bengal to purchase their textiles, with the purpose of turning a profit by selling those textiles to Europe.
The cotton textile industry began to decline slightly in the 1820s, and the British turned to making muslin at home rather than continually buying products from Bengal. This contributed to the sixteen-step process of Dhaka muslin being forgotten over time, with only more recent efforts to revitalize the practice. With the decline of the industry, Bengal’s labor market suffered for several decades – the lack of demand from Europe meant that many weavers struggled financially.
The muslin phenomenon was a perfect example of globalization at play. The British East India Company set up factories and took over the trade market for Indian textiles with the intention of selling the products to Europe and America. While the Company became wealthy from high muslin prices, the weavers who manufactured the fabric by hand made very little money for themselves. Muslin garments traveled the world and became staples of wealth and sophistication in Europe and the United States. It is no wonder why muslin was also known as “white gold,” for it was viewed as a pure and high-quality fabric that rose to popularity during a period of expansion and industry.
What was once a respectable and profitable profession of being a weaver has shifted and adapted to a perishing art trying to keep production alive. In modern day, the average weaver works a fifteen-hour day hunched over the loom. It is here where they spend their time blending their work and family lives together, as it takes a village to create the pieces that once were and still are used today. One traditionally weaved piece would cost 60,000 Taka equalling around $500. From that cost, it gets divided in many ways, leaving a single weaver only 5,000 Taka for a month’s pay, translating to $41.66. Many are leaving the art and moving to working in the factories since they can earn triple that amount. In many cases this leads a weaver to be trapped in poverty as the costs of cotton continue to rise, but times are beginning to change once again.
While the days of the Regency era are long past, a new hope for muslin has come forth. In the last few decades efforts have been made for the revitalization of muslin. In a Khadi-muslin revival experiment done in 1992, a group of weavers were successful in producing a 500-count thread but it was found not sustainable due to the very high production costs. Since 1992, significant progress has been made. In “2014, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina instructed officials at the Textile Ministry to work on reviving muslin, and the government undertook a project restoring the technology of creating muslin clothing to create golden yarn and reviving muslin production,“ which involved several Bangladeshi researchers (Rezwan 2021). It is from these projects that the revival of the original cotton species has made a comeback and that Bangladesh has made efforts for applying for Geographical Indication (GI) of muslin to protect it as a unique product of the country. What once was a textile of nobility was nearly destroyed, but the possibility of it being commercially available again is near.
Al Jazeera. “Textile hub Bangladesh revives muslin, the forgotten elite fabric.” YouTube. May 22, 2022. https://youtu.be/VhIzcIiwZo4?si=CZBTlQP55i4bMkA8.
“White gold” ultimately became a materialistic symbol of the Regency era. Muslin was the transactional commodity that brought liberty to some and imperialization to others. Women of the Regency era found new liberty in fashion, while the Industrial Revolution led to the demise of the muslin industry in India. Today, the revitalization of the muslin industry is allowing Bangladeshis and Indians to take back their craft and begin a new textile era.
Amherst College Archives & Special Collections. “Sarah Eliza Sigourney Tuckerman (1821–1906) Collection.” Accessed October 9, 2024. https://archivesspace.amherst.
Amherst College Archives & Special Collections. “Sophia Tuckerman (1816–1891) Collection.” Accessed October 9, 2024. https://archivesspace.amherst.
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Find A Grave. “Sarah Eliza Sigourney Tuckerman (1821–1906).” Accessed October 9, 2024. https://www.findagrave.com/
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Gorvett, Zaria. “The ancient fabric that no one knows how to make.” BBC, March 16, 2021.https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20210316-the-legendary-fabric-that-no-one-knows-how-to-make.
Islam, Saiful. Muslin Our Story. Dirk Picture Library Ltd., 2016.
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Rezwan. “Bangladesh Moves to Revive Production of Muslin, Fabric of Legend.” Global Voices, January 11, 2021. https://globalvoices.org/2021/01/11/bangladesh-moves-to-revive-production-of-muslin-fabric-of-legend/.
Wass, Ann Buermann, and Michelle Webb Fandrich. Clothing Through American History: The Federal Era through Antebellum, 1786-1860. Santa Barbara, CA: Greenwood Press, 2010.
Created By: Sierra Harvey, Brodie Werkheiser, Jayla Willard
HIS 501: Introduction to Applied History Interpretive Project