This bonnet veil shows the new style in lace designs that developed from about 1810. It included patterns and tiny border floral sprigs that grew into large curved sprays of flowers. These filled the fields and borders of lace shawls and veils in the 1820s and 1830s. This type of pattern worked particularly well with blonde silk lace. The lustrous silk made the densely worked leaves and flowers gleam and contrasted with the extremely fine ground. Although other lightweight laces and embroidered machine-made net were popular, blonde silk lace was the height of fashion.

During the 1820s and 1830s lace on male dress fell out of fashion. However, it played a larger part in women's dress. The growing fullness in skirts and sleeves allowed more scope for its use. So too did the popularity of veils, such as this one, and of overdresses made entirely from lace.