#victorian fashion plates

[resplendentoutfit]

Festooned in Flowers: A Victorian Fashion Trend of the 1870s and 1880s

Artificial flowers are much used both for hair ornaments and as trimming on the gown – the largest size roses possible made of silk or velvet in black, white, or different colors with the dewdrop effect of rhinestones or diamonds. – Vogue, 1901

Some dresses, such as the gown below, were trimmed with elaborate garlands of flowers.

Right: Gustave Boulanger (French, Portrait de Madame Lambinet, née Nathalie Sinclair • 1887 • Musée Lambinet, Versailles

Left: Rogelio de Egusquiza y Barrena (Spanish, 1845-1915) • The End of the Ball • 1879

Flower garlands appeared draped over the entire gown, or just the skirt of a gown. Flower clusters were also popular on the shoulder, the middle of the neckline, and on a strategic placement where the fabric was gathered. Sometimes it seems they were used everywhere at once.

The Art of Dressing Well. A Complete Guide to Economy, Style and Propriety, published in 1870 advises: 

“Yet, even in the full dress requisite for evening parties, the rule should be to dress well, becomingly, and appropriately, but not obtrusive, and above all, not gaudily, or too much. It is a crime against good taste to be too much in excess of the company, yet care must be bestowed upon the costume, the hostess expects it, and the guests observe its neglect. It is the test of good taste to be in the foremost rank of guests for appropriate dress, but never in advance of others." 

Hmmm...it seems to me through today's lens that the antique gown in the photo above is "too much".

Short, or what we now call cap sleeves, were essential for formal evening wear in any season, as were sleeveless dresses. Off-the-shoulder and low-necklines were also very popular.

Glittering jewelry was often worn – necklaces in double-strands, dangle earrings, bracelets, and pearls. Some fashion plates and gowns in museums show women wearing a thin velvet ribbon around the neck.

Long gloves were a must. Hats were not considered appropriate in formal wear but fancy comb and pins were. As stated above, fabric flowers were also often used to decorate hairstyles that were mostly up-dos. Feathers were sometimes also tucked into the hair. Some hairstyles were very elaborate. And then there is the ubiquitous fan; either held closed or open to show off a special design.

[fashion-from-the-past]

1895

[pastlivesfinery]

Le Moniteur de la Mode, 1896 🤍

[antiquebee]

Revue de la Mode, Gazette de la Famille, November 1883

[vintagefashionplates]

Evening dress, 1865-68. Musee du Costume et de la Dentelle.

[cringeborg]

Kaja - a late 1860s Promenade Dress

A perfectly plain and simple dress for your mid-to-late Victorian ladies. Nothing to see here. Just a boring old dress in normal colors. Includes a normal floor-length version, a shorter version for young ladies, and a CF conversion for even younger ladies.

BGC

Custom thumbnail

62 swatches à la mode

Tagged as feminine

Found in the Long Dresses category (V2 and the conversion can also be found in Short Dresses)

Casual, Party, Hot Weather, Cold Weather

Polycount (V1): 7304

Polycount (V2): 6897

Polycount (CF conversion): 6502

All LODs

Normal + specular map

Color tagged

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[isabelle-primrose]

♡ Pictures ♡ decorated with fabrics

[designedandplated]

Women's Purple Day Dress, 1880.

[frenchcreavintage-blog]

La mode illustrée de 1902.

Toutes mes publications proviennent de ma collection personnelle de gravures de mode

[pastpatterns]

Magasin des demoiselles 1861

[clove-pinks]

Fashion plate detail: Winter 1840.

The man on the extreme left wears a frock coat and top hat suitable for daywear while his companion is dressed in formal evening wear: tailcoat, white cravat, and Brandenberg coat worn over the shoulders like a cape. He carries a chapeau bras.

Historic Textile and Costume Collection, the University of Rhode Island.

[resplendentoutfit]

A Night at the Opera, Part II

What to wear?

From The Art of Dressing Well: “The hair should be dressed as for a large evening party, and artificial flowers, jewels, feathers, ribbons, or any style of head-dress peculiar to the fashion may be worn.” “Jewelry must be worn according to the dress, but more is allowable than on most occasions, and the glittering gems are very effective in the brilliant light of a superb opera house.”

James Tissot (French, 1836-1902) • La Mondain (The Lady of Fashion) • 1883-85 • Private collection

There are myths about Victorian women's dress requirements that must be debunked. Firstly, only the ultra-rich could afford to have enough outfits to accommodate the many activities of a busy day. The reality was that women added and shed certain accessories for different activities, without changing their dress five times a day. If she was wearing an afternoon dress but going for a walk, she wouldn't necessarily run to change into a specific walking dress but instead find a hat and parasol and perhaps take off her shawl and replace it with a cape.

Likewise if she were to be invited to the opera. The dress she would choose wouldn't be one that could only be worn to the opera. Instead, the Victorian women would choose her most formal dress, add her best jewelry, and if she had them, wear an opera cape and bonnet. If she did not possess the latter, she could borrow them or make do with her best coat. That woman may not have been among the fashionistas in the audience, as described below, but maybe she enjoyed the opera and didn't care. I get a bit of pleasure imaging that at least a few women didn't give a toss about what others thought! This in spite of my interest in fashion history!

One source stated that it was typical for women (and perhaps men?) to dress according to where they sat but it was not elaborated upon. I assume the more expensive the seating, the fancier the dress.

“Well-dressed as well as handsome ladies are looked for in the audience of an opera, and it is out of harmony with the scene and surroundings to see sombre draperies, heavy bonnets, and dull faces. Ladies are supposed to be seen, as well as to see, and are often the most beautiful part of the display. They should not spoil the beauty of the auditorium by wrapping themselves in cloaks or shawls.” -The Art of Dressing Well

* Sorry, not all sources are cited, as I lost track by not keeping notes.

Part I is here.

[fashion-from-the-past]

La Mode 1891

[pastlivesfinery]

Fashion Plate, 1877 🎀

[antiquebee]

The World of Fashion, February 1851

[vintagefashionplates]

Charlotte Harding: A "quick change" -- for the rest of the afternoon.

Published in: "Our Foolish Virgins" by Eliot Gregory (Nov. 1901).

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