Wearing History and I are hosting Edwardian & the Great War March on Instagram: (TagL #greatwarmarch) for all of March, carrying on from American Duchesses’ Victorian February and Dames a la Modes Georgian January.
If you’re on IG you can join us by sharing anything relevant to the daily theme from between 1900-1924 and tagging @wearinghistory and I (@thedreamstress)
To celebrate, March’s Rate the Dresses will be themed to those years. There is a ton of variations in fashion from between 1900-1924, so I don’t think you’ll get bored!
Last week: a beaded ca. 1810 dress
No one could deny that the beading on last week’s dress was exceptional. Some of you found the dress itself a little nightgown-y. That beading definitely wouldn’t have been fun to sleep on!
The Total: 8 out of 10
Mostly I think for the beading! Without it the dress wouldn’t be anything.
This week: a late Edwardian dress in pink velvet and lace
Dress, ca. 1910, From the collection of Alexandre VassilievThis afternoon or restrained evening dress combines the lush romanticism of the early Edwardian era with the vivid hues and more streamlined silhouette made popular by the Ballet Russes and other modernist and exotic influences.
The layering of fabrics and textures is typical of ca. 1910 fashion. Delicate, sheer tulle mutes the lush cyclamen pink silk velvet. The circular and floral lace applied to the tulle appears to be an earlier 19th century lace – possibly from the 1860s. The final layer of lace is a lush metallic lace, which adds visual weight to the hem and borders, and carries out the progression of textures from light to heavy.
What do you think? Do the materials work together? Does the saturated pink keep it from being too sweet?
Rate the Dress on a Scale of 1 to 10
(as usual, nothing more complicated than a .5. I also hugely appreciate it if you only do one rating, and set it on a line at the very end of your comment, so I can find it! Thanks in advance!)
The deep pink definitely keeps it from being too sweet, but the lacy pale fan-like motifs across the bodice and skirt make it look too fussy and clash with the silver metallic lace. The gown overall is an odd blend of harsh (the metallic lace, the belt with heavy metal buckle) and soft (the drapey velvet).
6 out of 10.
I often feel terribly critical when I comment on rate the dress. I tend to dislike more things than I like! Still every so often, a dress comes along, that against all rhyme or reason I just love for no reason at all. This is one of them. And really, I’m not sure why I like it so much. I don’t generally like pink, and I prefer plainer garments. However, in this case, I think the various textures really work together and make it something spectacular – and I don’t find it sweet at all.
10/10
It’s visually interesting without being overwhelming, and I think it would be a beautiful silhouette. I find the belt a little jarring, but love everything else… even the pink. Honestly, I’d wear it. 10/10
Can’t decide if I want to wear a viking apron dress or a piece of Edwardian frippery? Problem solved! 10/10
Right!? It has a very Scandinavian national romantic look with that buckle, but it works. 10/10 from me as well.
You have no idea how much I love this time period. Maybe because my great grandma would let me dress up in her old clothes. I love the dress, for so many reasons, color, lace, visual interest. 10/10 for me.
Love it! The lace looks like a shell. The colors and textures are beautiful.
10/10.
Although I do like the overall complexity of the different fabrics and the way the pink fabric and lace interplay for a richer impression, I am put off by some of proportions of the lace motifs of the skirt . Although I like the impression of trees arising from the silver ground, the tree motifs are so large that I find them overwhelming the general profile, almost as if the rest of the dress were being drowned.
7 of 10
For me, I see the whole thing, not pieces put together. And I love the overall impact of this. 10.
I think the dress is perfect for the time. Not sure about the heaviness of the metallic lace…just too much of a contrast with the delicate lace behind it.
9, I think.
I adore that rich, sumptuous pink – such a beautiful gown. 10!
I like pink and lace and velvet and it’s a well thought out design so a 10. I think it would be fun to see a dress like this in motion, it would be lovely when you danced.
I wish there were pictures of the details, the lace and metallic trim on this dress looks like it would look amazing up close. I make bobbin and needle lace so I’m familiar with the styles, and though it’s hard to tell without a close up photo, this looks to be point de gaze needle lace. It’s also possible it is Brussels Applique, a form of lace where motifs are made using Brussels lace technique(which is bobbin lace), and then sewn onto machine made netting. It also often has some motifs or sections done in the more delicate point de gaze technique(which is needle lace). From what I can see of the motifs, they seem to be a style characteristic of point de gaze. But the large areas of unadorned mesh ground is suggestive of Brussels Applique
Anyway, I find the overall silhouette of the gown very pleasant. I really like the way the lace is used, recycling an older piece, and the textural contrast between the delicate lace and the metallic trim. If I really wanted to nitpick I would say the red of the fabric that sticks out at the hem is way brighter than the muted red everywhere else on the dress(because it is covered in what I presume to be mesh), and that I would like it if the brighter shade of red were echoes somewhere else on the dress. But I’m not sure how that could be incorporated without making to dress too busy, and I don’t think it detract much from the overall impression. Also, the fabric looks like it might be faded as the sleeves and the bodice are different shades so it’s hard to know how the mesh overlay afftected the color scheme originally.
I have to say I really love the two little round ornaments on the front of the belt. That little detail all by itself really boosts my overall impression of the dress for some reason.
9/10
There is one closeup from an Art Nouveau exibition from Vassiliev’s collection, RÄ«ga (Latvia), june-october 2012: https://scontent.frix3-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/734929_507142019336700_344655784_n.jpg?oh=478248f2d63a23ac2ff6b4dbce1dec71&oe=5B4E4152
(Photo is made by me, without flash)
I love the top half, the shape, colour and the metallic elements, but the lace on the skirt just looks to me like patches of mould growing up the dress and I really don’t like them.
8/10
As a whole it works, not sure about the sleeves but it’s hard to tell with sleeves when they don’t have an arm in them.
9/10
I am usually unimpressed by 1910’s fashion (my deep and abiding love is more 1810) but I instantly want to own this. I can’t see a single thing I don’t like, and the lace is spectacular.
10/10
I don’t usually comment. But for this dress I couldn’t keep quiet. I love it.
10/10
Oh jeez now I’m really not sure about the lace. In the closeup Anita linked it looks more like machine. Or possibly tambour/needle run lace? I give up.
Also, what is the deal with the material? It looks almost like the bodice is gros grain/faille but it could just be the same bright red fabric of the skirt with a mesh overlay. The sleeves are definitely a different material from the rest of the dress. A red lace overlay? Some kind of embroidery? It’s odd. Not sure I really like it. It already had lace and metallic trim, did it really need another kind and color of lace?
When I first caught a glimpse of this dress I thought, “Western Saloon Worker.” Granted my eyes are shot but I saw the belt buckle (which would do Hoss Cartwright proud), then the lace on the skirt (which looked like two Native Americans with headdresses facing away from each other). I hate pink but don’t mind the color. The silhouette is nice. Even the metallic lace looks good – from a distance. I can’t help thinking this could have been much nicer with a little editing. There’s too much going on for me.
6/10
Oh man I really love this dress! For some reason it’s making me think of Meg from the Disney Hercules movie? I really enjoy this shade of pink and the overall effect of the dress is stunning!
10/10
Oh, I love this dress. This is gorgeous! Everything about it. Colour, material (combination), design. Absolutely stunning.
10/10!