Jane Austen’s Wardrobe, by Hilary Davidson — A Review

From the desk of Laurel Ann Nattress: 

In Jane Austen’s novels we rarely hear about clothing—only an occasional mention of a blue coat or white frock, here and there. However, we do know from her surviving correspondence that she was a fashionista. The frequency of her and her older sister Cassandra discussing fabric, bonnets, and shopping is only rivaled by the volatile English weather. With this cache of personal information from her letters, fashion historian Hilary Davidson has created her second volume on Regency fashion, Jane Austen’s Wardrobe. It’s logical to question why we needed another sumptuous volume on clothing scholarship after her excellent, Dress in the Age of Jane Austen (2019), nevertheless, we are given an intimate look at Austen’s existing garments and accessories, and the fashions she might have worn.

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BOOK DESCRIPTION

Hilary Davidson delves into the clothing of one of the world’s great authors, providing unique and intimate insight into her everyday life and material world

What did Jane Austen wear?

Acclaimed dress historian and Austen expert Hilary Davidson reveals, for the first time, the wardrobe of one of the world’s most celebrated authors. Despite her acknowledged brilliance on the page, Jane Austen has all too often been accused of dowdiness in her appearance. Drawing on Austen’s 161 known letters, as well as her own surviving garments and accessories, this book assembles examples of the variety of clothes she would have possessed—from gowns and coats to shoes and undergarments—to tell a very different story. The Jane Austen that Hilary Davidson discovers is alert to fashion trends but thrifty and eager to reuse and repurpose clothing. Her renowned irony and wit pepper her letters, which describe clothes, shopping, and taste. Jane Austen’s Wardrobe offers the rare pleasure of a glimpse inside the closet of a stylish dresser and perpetually fascinating writer.

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MY THOUGHTS

This book contains a dazzling array of full-color fashion plates from period ladies magazines, portraits of women of the era, photographs of Regency fashion from museums and private collections, and images of Davidson’s own recreation of Austen’s brown silk pelisse. The chapters are arranged logically, taking us through categories of clothing that would have been in Austen’s wardrobe:

• Clothes Press: Gowns
• Closet: Spencers, Pelisses and Outer Garments
• Band Box: Hats, Caps and Bonnets
• Shelves: Shawls, Tippets, Cloaks and Shoes
• Dressing Table: Gloves, Fans, Flowers, Trims and Handkerchiefs
• Jewelry Box: Necklaces, Rings and Bracelets
• Drawers: Undergarments and Nightclothes

Each of the categories has several examples—crowned with pertinent quote from Austen’s letters. Davidson goes on to place each item in context to events in Austen’s life, elaborating on the fabric, or design.

“I like my Gown very much & my Mother thinks it very ugly.”  Jane Austen, 27 October 1800

Exploring Austen’s fascination for finery—what she wore, talked about, and admired is a heady experience, not only for those who study Regency fashion, but for those who want an insider’s view of how Austen’s personality is revealed through her choice of clothing. I love looking at a fine spotted muslin frock or a beautifully trimmed bonnet as much as the next Regency fan, but the insights into Austen’s life that Davidson has revealed is what fascinated me. Jane Austen’s Wardrobe is truly a treasure to covet and enjoy.  

5 out of 5 Stars

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PRAISE FOR JANE AUSTEN’S WARDROBE

“An intriguing and wholly original approach to Jane Austen. . . . A most delightful book and a must for every Austen reader.”— Claire Tomalin, author of Jane Austen: A Life

“The definitive compendium of Jane Austen’s clothes, recreated from fragments, by an acknowledged mistress of the field. Open the book, the author invites, as you might a chest of drawers, to find anything but a dowdy spinster.”— Amanda Vickery, author of Behind Closed Doors

“This gorgeously illustrated volume from the world’s leading expert on the fashion of the Regency era lifts the skirts on Jane Austen’s wardrobe.”— Paula Byrne, author of The Real Jane Austen

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BOOK INFORMATION

• Jane Austen’s Wardrobe, by Hilary Davidson
• Yale University Press (September 12, 2023)
• Hardcover (240) pages
• ISBN: 978-0300263602
• Genre: Fashion History, Jane Austen’s Life

AMAZON | PUBLISHER | ADD TO GOODREADS

We purchased a copy of the book for our own enjoyment. Cover image, illustrations and photographs, and book description courtesy of Yale University Press © 2023; text Laurel Ann Nattress © 2024, austenprose.com, an Amazon affiliate. NoAI: material on Austenprose.com may not be used in datasets for, in the development of, or as inputs to generative AI programs.

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