Evening and Walking Dresses – Autumn 1836

The Court Magazine Early Victorian Walking and Evening Gowns

This exquisite hand-colored fashion plate from the early 1830s was published in London by Edward Churton for The Court Magazine and Belle Assemblée. The detailed engraving illustrates the distinct stylistic requirements for different hours of high-society life, juxtaposing a formal evening gown with a highly structured daytime walking dress. The standing figure captures the dramatic volume of pre-Victorian fashion, modeling a lavender or soft lilac printed promenade dress adorned with wide, tiered ruffles along the bodice and cascading lace vertical borders down the expanding dome-shaped skirt panel.

Romantic Era Gigot Sleeves and Elaborate Pokebonnet Millinery Styles

The seated companion on the left balances the composition, showcasing an elegant white silk evening dress decorated with contrasting emerald green velvet bands, horizontal sleeve ribbons, and a delicate botanical hemline border. Her ensemble emphasizes the iconic gigot or mutton-leg sleeve silhouette, which featured immense upper-arm volume tapering tightly at the elbow. Both ladies feature meticulously curated period accessories, including the standing lady’s structured straw poke bonnet embellished with fresh red roses, a matching green parasol or walking stick, and formal black lace fingerless mitts, providing premium research data for antique textile collectors.