To the Ladies of England

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"TO THE LADIES OF ENGLAND"

On three occasions, G. A. Audsley dared to venture into the quicksands of fashion in women's apparel. The 1863 work, entitled Taste verses Fashionable Colours, was mockingly dedicated to "the Ladies of England (without their permission)." There followed more conciliatory statements and suggestions:

We are on your side, and will try to get into your good graces by telling you that we believe the subject of female costume to be one of the greatest possible interest.

Colour is precisely similar to music, whose strains affect and work upon the passions and sentiments of the mind; but not being so energetic or demonstrative in its disposition, it is of necessity less powerful in its effects.

By adopting colours which disagree with the tints of complexion, the injury sustained is simply a loss of personal beauty.

The French Ladies, as a rule, are far superior to those of our own country in their knowledge of colour, as well as all matters of taste in costume; in fact, most of the continental nations are in advance of us in this respect. . W. & G. Audsley, Taste vs. Fashionable Colours: A Manual for Ladies on Colour in Dress (London: Longman, Green, Longman, Roberts & Green; Liverpool: Adam Holden, 1863).

Audsley divided females into four complexion groups: brunette pale, brunette florid (olive), blonde fair, and blonde ruddy ("This type is much subject to an increase of color in times of excerise or excitement.") He then described which colors were best for each group, many being the same for all. A table of harmonious color combinations was also given. On the whole, the this small booklet was rather condescending in tone and ended with advertisements for the other Audsley publications.

Essentially the same themes appeared in two other Audsley works. The 1912 Colour In Dress bore the inscription, "To the Ladies of England this Manual is respectfully dedicated by their admirer, the Author." . G. A. Audsley, Colour In Dress (London: Sampson, Low, Marston & Co., 1912). The final work appeared in 1922 and bore the title, Colour Harmony in Dress. . G. A. Audsley, Colour Harmony in Dress (New York: Robert M. McBride & Co., 1922).

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