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  Bugles: Glass beads sewn on to ladies’ clothes as decorative trimming, tubular in shape and most commonly black in colour, although they also came in blue and white.

  Cambric: Very fine linen cloth.

  Chicken-skin gloves: Despite the name they were often made of other types of thin durable leather dressed with spermaceti oil.

  Chip: A narrow piece of straw which could be woven into a hat.

  Crape: Available from the seventeenth century, crape was transparent black silk gauze which had been crimped to give it a dull finish. It was commonly used for mourning clothes.

  Crepe: Available from the nineteenth century, crepe was a crimped transparent-coloured gauze used mainly for dresses.

  Clocks: Originally the term for the gore or triangular piece inserted into a stocking to widen it at the ankle and which came to be embroidered along the seam lines. Eventually stockings were embroidered with or without the gore and this embroidery became known as clocks.

  Cossacks: A baggy-legged trouser with tight waist and ankles drawn in by a ribbon. They first appeared in 1814 after the visit of the Tsar of Russia for the Peace celebrations and were inspired by the uniforms of the Cossack soldiers who accompanied him.

  Cumberland corset: A man’s corset stiffened with whalebone and laced at the back. Along with the Brummell bodice and the Apollo corset, it was often worn by overweight dandies.

  Domino: A traditional hooded Venetian cloak worn by both men and women over their costumes at masquerades. Originally black, by the Regency they could be tailor-made in almost any colour. Men tended to prefer darker colours such as black, purple or midnight blue while women often chose dominoes in pink, lilac or green or to match their costume.

  Drab: A thick, durable cloth, dull in colour and twilled; it was used to make men’s coats.

  Ermine: The white winter fur of the weasel or stoat (the summer fur was brown).

  Fichu: A triangular-shaped neckerchief made of lawn, muslin or other light material, worn around the shoulders and often crossed over the breast.

  Figured: A term used to describe fabric on to which designs had been woven using coloured threads.

  Fillet: A decorative satin band twisted through the hair for evening wear and often ornamented with pearls or other jewels.

  Flounce: A hand-pleated or gathered frill or ruffle, often quite deep, attached by its top edge to the hem or lower part of a lady’s dress.

  Frog: An ornamental fastening using loops of gold braid or cord which were passed over a braided button, used on military uniforms. Fashionable ladies frequently had them on their riding-habits in imitation of the military style of dress.

  Furbelow: Showy ornamental trim for clothes—often in the form of ruffles or flounces.

  Fustian: Durable fabric made of cotton and flax or cotton and wool. It was twilled and had a nap which looked similar to velvet; it was also known as ‘mock velvet’.

  Gauze: Transparent fabric, originally made of silk but later of linen or cotton.

  Hoop: The term refers to the hooped petticoat which was made hugely circular using hoops made of wire, cane or whalebone and worn under an over-dress. During the Regency they were only worn at Court.

  Hose: Women’s stockings.

  Hussar boots: Inspired by those worn by the military, Hussar boots were calf-length with a slightly pointed front upper. They were worn with pantaloons and sometimes had turnover tops.

  Inexpressibles: Another name for men’s trousers or breeches, especially those of the close-fitting variety.

  Jaconet: Fine cotton cloth similar to muslin and cambric.

  Jean: A heavy, durable twilled cotton cloth.

  Kerseymere: A soft, finely woven woollen cloth of unusual texture owing to the method of weaving.

  Lappets: A small piece of plain or lace-trimmed fabric used to ornament the back or sides of an indoor headdress.

  Lawn: Linen cloth so fine as to be semi-transparent; believed to have originated in the French town of Laon.

  Leading strings: Long thin pieces of fabric attached to children’s clothes at the point where the sleeve joined the back of the dress or shirt. Used to restrain or assist the child while walking, when not in use they looked like ‘hanging sleeves’.

  Leghorn: Used to make hats, leghorn was a kind of Italian wheat straw which could be plaited or woven. Probably named for the Italian town of Livorno (in English Leghorn).

  Loo mask: A mask made to cover only the upper half of the face. They were usually worn at masquerades.

  Mourning gloves: Made of black kid, they were worn by both men and women to funerals and by women for the period of full mourning. For half mourning, grey gloves could be worn.

  Muslin: Light, thin, finely woven opaque cotton fabric.

  Nankeen: Durable yellow-coloured cotton originating in Nanking, China.

  Open robe: A woman’s dress with the skirt styled open at the front to reveal a decorative underskirt.

  Pelisse robe: Derived from the outdoor coat known as a pelisse, the pelisse robe was a dress for day wear which looked similar to the pelisse but which was fastened all the way down the front.

  Plumpers: Usually worn by older ladies and gentlemen, these were artificial cheeks in the form of a thin round cork ball which was placed inside the mouth to restore the smooth contours of the face. (A ‘plumper’ was also the slang term for a lie.)

  Poke bonnet: Any bonnet with a forward-poking brim—the size of which varied enormously.

  Redingote: A kind of overcoat which began to become popular towards the end of the Regency. Similar to the pelisse, it was very fitted and fastened across the chest; it could be differentiated from the pelisse style of coat by its wide, flat collar.

  Riband: Ribbon.

  Sable: The highly prized glossy black or dark brown fur of the marten.

  Sarcenet: Also known as sarsnet; a soft silk fabric of fine weave and texture, with a slight lustre.

  Small clothes: Another word for breeches.

  Spangles: Originally made in France of gold and silver and similar to today’s sequin, these were small thin round pieces of metal with a hole in the middle, generally used to decorate ladies’ dresses.

  Stockinette: Machine-made woollen material with a closely woven mesh similar to that of knitted fabric; used for making pantaloons, stockings and underwear.

  Stuff: Woollen fabric without a nap or pile.

  Superfine: A high-quality English broadcloth made from merino yarn which was felted and carefully finished by raising and cropping the pile; although heavy, it had a soft lustrous finish.

  Tippet: Often made of swansdown, but also of fur or lace, the tippet was a short cape or stole for the shoulders. Worn by women, they were often made to match a muff.

  Tucker: A piece of fabric or lace tucked into the bodice of a lady’s dress to raise the line of the neck and reduce the amount of décolletage or visible cleavage.

  Twill: A method of weaving which produced a ribbing effect in the fabric of parallel diagonal lines.

  Wellington boots: Made in the same manner as a top-boot but without the turn-over top. Wellington boots became fashionable after 1817.

  Whalebone: Actually cartilage, not bone, taken from the upper jaw of the whale. It was prized for its flexibility.

  Worsted: Yarn or fabric made from long-staple wool which has been combed straight and then spun. Material made from worsted yarn was close-textured and smooth and had no nap.

  York tan gloves: Soft leather or suede gloves, usually buff or fawn-coloured, they could be either wrist or elbow length.

  Zephyr: A very fine, light cotton or gingham which was thin and silky.

  10

  Shopping

  SHOPPING IN LONDON

  Shopping was a centuries-old tradition in London, with jewellers, printers, linen drapers, haberdashers and furniture makers, among others, making their wares available to those with the money to buy. As both the Regency and industrialisation progressed, and more and more manufactu