Descriptions of mourning adornments in England and New Orleans in the nineteenth century are used to argue that many of the customs of mourning in England -- the designs, themes, and materials -- also were present in New Orleans. This study draws from these observations and sources to suggest that mourning practices involving jewelry and costume became more functional and less formal in both England and New Orleans as the century progressed, while French customs retained and even grew in complexity. The high level of trade between Britain and New Orleans during the nineteenth century, reflected in the jewelry and costume of Louisiana, supports an argument that this new world city was influenced by, absorbed and incorporated social customs and activities that were useful to them, drawn from a wider range of cultures and peoples than perhaps are usually mentioned in historical accounts.