The "aigrette de paradis" would suggest a feather plume, thus styling
the hat along the lines of an officer's hat. I believe I've seen a
picture of a woman wearing the little stylish hat the quotation is
gushing over, and it did look like a tminiature of Cornwallis' fancy
hat, perched in an elaborate coiffeure.
--Ruth Anne Baumgartner
scholar gypsy and amateur costumer
On Feb 11, 2009, at 4:12 AM, Kate Bunting wrote:
I immediately thought of the "lobster tail" helmets of the English
Civil War (popularly associated with Parliamentarians but actually
worn by cavalry on both sides). However, I don't think it can mean
those, because it says the hat is "perched over the right ear" so
it must be something small, and the "lobster" be a reference to red
coats as Ruth says. All sorts of headgear were worn during the
"redcoat" era, but I guess this could refer to some kind of forage
cap from the late 19th century.
Kate Bunting
Librarian & 17th century reenactor
------------------------------
Message: 5
Date: Tue, 10 Feb 2009 08:31:19 -0500 (EST)
From: ruthan...@mindspring.com
Subject: Re: [h-cost] Lobster Back???
To: Historical Costume <h-cost...@indra.com>
Message-ID:
<21945386.1234272680486.javamail.r...@elwamui-
polski.atl.sa.earthlink.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
What is being described is not the coat but the hat, a "tiny
version of the hats of those English soldiers nicknamed 'lobster
backs.'" Those would be the redcoats, the English soldiers of the
18th-19th century notorious here during the American Revolution.
--R.A. Baumgartner
scholar gypsy and amateur costumer
-----Original Message-----
From: Penny Ladnier <pe...@costumegallery.com>
Sent: Feb 10, 2009 4:18 AM
To: h-costume <h-cost...@indra.com>
Subject: [h-cost] Lobster Back???
I was looking through an August 1913 issue of a French high-
fashion magazine. In the text was a description of a fashion
having a lobster back. I do not read French very well. Can
someone please read the following paragraph and let me know what
is being referred to as having a lobster back. I have not heard
the term used for fashion.
Deauville, 12 Ao?t
L'un de ces manteaux, qui m'a infiniment plu, parce que r?ellement
celui-l? r?pondait ? un besoin et avait extr?mement de chic, ?tait
en gros molleton un peu dur, comme l'?toffe des vareuses de
matelots; sans manches drap?, et seulement garni de ses revers, il
avant une allure inouie sur une robe de mousseline blanche ?
volants, parce qu'il ?paississait la silhouette d'une facon voulue
et cocasse, contrastant avec la t?te que coiffait un de ces
minuscules bonnets des soldats anglais surnomm?s "lobster back;"
comme celui-l?, il ?tait pos? sur l'oreille droite, compl?tement
adh?rent au front tr?s d?gag?, et piqu? d'une aigrette paradis tr?
s maigre et d?mesur?ment haute. C'?tait l? du nouveau, autant par
les d?tails que par l'ensemble de cette toilette tr?s excentrique
et tout ? fait r?ussie.
The University of Derby has a published policy regarding email and
reserves the right to monitor email traffic. If you believe this
email was sent to you in error, please notify the sender and delete
this email. Please direct any concerns to info...@derby.ac.uk
The policy is available here: http://www.derby.ac.uk/LIS/Email-Policy
_______________________________________________
h-costume mailing list
h-costume@mail.indra.com
http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
_______________________________________________
h-costume mailing list
h-costume@mail.indra.com
http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
