Evening Dresses – Summer 1829

Ackermann Repository Parisian Evening Dresses from June 1829

This magnificent hand-colored fashion plate, published in London on June 1, 1829, by Rudolph Ackermann for his Repository of Fashion series (Plate 24 of Volume I), captures the dramatic aesthetic transition into the early Romantic period. The illustration features two aristocratic women showcasing opulent Parisian-inspired ball gowns. The standing lady models a vibrant apple green silk dress, defined by an expansive dome-shaped skirt adorned with structural fabric bows and structured pleating along the lower hem, accentuating a heavily corseted natural waistline.

Early Romantic Puffed Sleeves and Complex Apollo Knot Hairstyles

The seated companion introduces an elegant alternative style, wearing a slate blue satin evening dress layered with an intricate white lace pelerine shawl that drapes gracefully over her shoulders. Both figures highlight the newly fashionable sheer white imbécile or ballooned gauze undersleeves that added immense upper-body volume to late 1820s attire. Their elaborate updos reflect the peak of pre-Victorian hairdressing artistry, featuring towering braided Apollo knots decorated with fresh botanical blossoms and jeweled tortoiseshell combs, making this archival print a premier resource for historical costume designers and vintage graphic art curators.