Habit of a Young Lady of Wallachia in 1700

by Thomas Jefferys

Travel back in time to the 18th century in the Balkans through this beautifully executed copper plate engraving from Thomas Jefferys' book titled A Collection of the Dresses of Different Nations. This image illustrates the Wallachian Young Lady in her unique "habit" - a rare representation of the blend of Eastern elegance and local customs.

While the stiff designs in the courts of the Western world at that period were very different, the Wallachian dress is more fluid, consisting of the elaborate layers that define the dresses of the Romanian aristocrats (Boyars).