While this tale occurs a good bit before the ACW & not in the US,
there's nothing quite so wonderful as fashion documentation in their
own words. The following is heavily excerpted from Edward Cree's
“Naval Surgeon – The Voyages of Dr Edward Cree, Royal navy as Related
in His Private Journals 1837-1856”. You'll find that a lady's pocket
is featured.
Swedish Consul’s Ball, Alexandria, 1838
We received an invitation to a ball at the Swedish Consul’s in honour
of the Swedish squadron here. We landed at 8:30pm and found a crowd
with torches outside the house and a guard of Swedish marines from
their ships.
About 700 people were present – Swedes, Norwegians, French, Russians,
Dutch, Spanish, Italians, Greeks and Turks in their various costumes.
Not that many English, as it was a Sunday. There were lots of pretty
girls, especially the daughter of the Spanish Consul, with whom I had
the pleasure of waltzing, although we could not understand one
another’s speech. There was also a lovely Greek girl in the costume of
her country. Many Turkish and Egyptian officers in gaudy uniforms of
scarlet and gold.
There were plenty of partners, though non of them that I met could
speak English. I was introduced to a pretty Italian girl, whose name
I forget, but we were so well pleased with each other that we danced
together for the remainder of the evening. Sweetmeats were plentiful;
300 pounds, I hear, were ordered from one confectioner alone in
Alexandria; and there was plenty of negus and lemonade, and claret and
water.
The supper was at a buffet in another room and there was plenty of
cold chicken and cold meat, with jellies, creams and ices, which was
done justice to, especially by the ladies who crowded up to the buffet
and, after eating as much as they could, pocketed many of the good
things. One stout middle-aged French woman was engaged in filling her
pockets which were stuffed out with cold chicken and sweet cakes as
she stood before me. I was eating a custard – the opportunity was
tempting – so I emptied my glass into her open pocket, and a nice
mixture she must have found when she got home.
--cin
Cynthia Barnes
[email protected]
2010/6/8 Käthe Barrows <[email protected]>:
>> 2. What about pockets? I cannot find any references or photos that show
>> skirts had pockets--were they still using a little pouch tied at the waist
>> under the dress? Is it reasonable to design a watch pocket in the skirt?
>>
>
> Yes pocket, in the waistband seam.
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