Women wore caps and bonnets indoors on all but the most formal occasions. They ranged from simple ones, resembling nightcaps, to elaborate confections such as those shown here. The simple ones served to keep the hair under control and the head warm. The dressy ones served only to attract attention. Few of these have survived because the trimmings could be used again.
The anonymous portrait of Mrs. Charles Morrison, who lived in Lower Canada, shows her in a cap made of embroidery and fancy ribbon. The hanging ribbons are called lappets and are purely decorative. The painting may have been done about the same time as the fashion plate from Townsend's Monthly Selection of Parisian Costumes (London: August, 1831). The headdress worn by the standing woman is described as "bonnet de blonde". Blonde was the term used for French silk lace popular at that time. The lace frill on Mrs. Morrison's dress may also be blonde. The coiffure worn by the seated woman resembles some hairdos of today; it was called coiffure chinoise but never became popular.
Other fashion features are the enormous gigot sleeves, the shoulder cape and the large bonnet. Frills around the skirt were replaced by bands of cording, called rouleau, in the 1830s. The silk apron's shoulder pieces, with stylish pointed edges, are like those around the edge of Mrs. Morrison's pleated bodice. Note the fashionable drop earrings and the slippers with the square toes that came in about 1830.
Courtesy: National Gallery of Canada, National Museums of Canada, and Library, Royal Ontario Museum
