Linen day dress with green silk underslip, 1901-2, Misses Leonard, St. Paul, US, Minnesota Historical Society
Linen day dress with green silk underslip, 1901-2, Misses Leonard, St. Paul, US, Minnesota Historical Society
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Linen day dress with green silk underslip, 1901-2, Misses Leonard, St. Paul, US, Minnesota Historical Society
The shape of the skirt is fantastic. The back is fantastic. The show-through detailing is fantastic. I think I would love how the sleeves fell with an arm in them. The color palette is… a little off. I like the green, and I don’t dislike the neutral khaki-like brown. I don’t HATE the colors together, but they’re not doing it for me. And I just sort of hate pigeon breasts. I can’t quite tell what’s going on with the front detailing, but it seems neutral. I’m going to suck up my hatred of the pigeon breast because that’s just what was in at the time, and detract points only from the iffy color palette. 8/10. If the brown were replaced with black or cream and the pigeon breast with an earlier-era tailored jacket front, it would be a total 10.
I agree with Laura on the the things she loves. I love the green slip, but the linen – well perhaps it has faded or it was designed for safari wear? I also don’t love the braiding on the bodice, looks like a bicycle chain draped around her pigeon breast.
On the whole though, I like the style and the era generally, I just don’t think this is a great example.
I’d give it a 7 because I’m a redhead and that colour scheme would probably look ok on me 🙂