What JA Ate & CD Knew
Posted by Laura W on June 28, 1998 at 01:18:31:
In response to My reference is....(somewhat long), written by CathyW on June 25, 1998 at 20:00:51
] ...the book "What Jane Austen Ate & Charles Dickens Knew".
Unfortunately this book doesn't really address the Regency, despite its title. I think that the rigid mourning rules he describes within it are applicable only after 1850 or so, and probably date from the death of Prince Albert when the Queen's mourning created a death cult in Britain. I've never heard of a woman wearing black and mourning for the rest of her life before Victoria did it.
That said, I can't offer any real guidance on the subject-- except that I think the concept of "half-mourning" (which included gray and lavender, not just stripes) predates the Victorian death cult. I've kept an eye out for a good source which discusses the subject (primary or secondary) for years and haven't found one yet.
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