I haven’t quite managed to get Rate the Dress back on a same-time-same-day-of-the-week schedule, but at least it’s happening weekly-ish, give or take a day or two. Let’s find out how you like this weeks(ish) offering of an 1880s day dress that blends simplicity and extravagance.
Last week: the Marchesa a la modé in puce and coral
Everyone appreciated the Marchesa’s portrait last week, and the way it clearly showed her personality and interests. Most of you also appreciated her very fashionable outfit, but not everyone was entirely on-board. Things that came in for criticism were the too-plain skirt, the contrasting colours, and the skirt clips.
A number of commenters noted that they hadn’t ever noticed skirt clips like that before, and I know of at least a handful of images with them off the top of my head, so I’ve added a post about 18th century bodice clips to my (very, very long) to-do list.
The Total: 8.5 out of 10
Things continue to approve! I’m pleased that you enjoyed discussing the Marchesa’s very trendy outfit, even if it wasn’t to your personal taste.
This week: A very-fitted 1880s dress in cut velvet
As not everyone was a fan of the bold and clashing hues in last week’s Rate the Dress, and felt that there was too much expanse of plain fabric, this week I’ve opted for the opposite. This 1880s day dress features bold patterning in very subdued tones.
Day dress of cut velvet and patterned silk, c. 1885 Sold by Augusta Auctions, Spring Sartorial Surprise – Visions of Vintage, May, 2022 Sturbridge, MA
The bold patterning is balanced both by the muted colours, and by a very severe, fitted silhouette, which bursts out into typical 1880s extravagance only at the hem, cuffs, and in the draping of the bustle.
Day dress of cut velvet and patterned silk, c. 1885 Sold by Augusta Auctions, Spring Sartorial Surprise – Visions of Vintage, May, 2022 Sturbridge, MA
The fabric may be subdued in colours, but it’s very detailed and dynamic up close:
Day dress of cut velvet and patterned silk, c. 1885 Sold by Augusta Auctions, Spring Sartorial Surprise – Visions of Vintage, May, 2022 Sturbridge, MA
Day dress of cut velvet and patterned silk, c. 1885 Sold by Augusta Auctions, Spring Sartorial Surprise – Visions of Vintage, May, 2022 Sturbridge, MA
The layout of the pattern means it could not be mirrored across the seams of the bodice, but the dressmaker has made an effort to balance the pattern and create as much symmetry as possible.
Day dress of cut velvet and patterned silk, c. 1885 Sold by Augusta Auctions, Spring Sartorial Surprise – Visions of Vintage, May, 2022 Sturbridge, MA
The bodice would probably have been worn with a small ruffle of white or cream lace at the neck.
What do you think? Is this an attractive balance of 1880s extravagance and subtlety?
Rate the Dress on a Scale of 1 to 10
A reminder about rating — feel free to be critical if you don’t like a thing, but make sure that your comments aren’t actually insulting to those who do like a garment. Phrase criticism as your opinion, rather than a flat fact. Our different tastes are what make Rate the Dress so interesting. It’s no fun when a comment implies that anyone who doesn’t agree with it, or who would wear a garment, is totally lacking in taste.
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.
A very impressive dress indeed. Lovely work, placing the pattern on the fabric – balances so well. And sleek!
9 out of 10
This is up my alley. Subtle but dramatic. From afar it’s a black dress, but up close there’s the detail of the pattern and texture.
9 out of 10
oh, yes, i would wear this if i lived in the period. absolutely! i like the fabric, the colours, the overall subtlety in a fashion era which could display clothing that was anything but subtle. it really lets the silhouette speak for itself. i only deduct a single point because i do not adore the bustle periods in general.
rating: 9/10
This is interesting. Rich fabric in black and grayish purple, black lace, minimal cream/beige details – I would guess late mourning dress? Very dignified.
I adore it, but I’m less sure about some details. I assume that the colors changed slightly with age, so nothing on that. I like the side view of the bustle, the back a lot less. The asymmetry of the bustle is too minimal as to look fully intentional, for me. It would be better if the lace skirt -decorations were asymmetrical, too, in the back part. Also, I think that the lace is a bit too delicate for the bold velvet pattern. But I would take it. 🙂
9/10
Oh dear, I am going to be the voice of dissent! I think the pattern is overwhelming for the amount of dress and the breast rosettes are unfortunate. I assume this is a mourning dress, but the severity of the cut can’t quite overcome the size of the black patterns, and the whole effect is both dolorous and loud. I can’t help thinking that this individual would clash horribly with whatever upholstery they sat upon.
6/10
You said everything I was going to say (especially about the breast rosettes!). I don’t like the color of the dress at all. I give it a 4/10.
I’ll join the voices of dissent. Especially those rosettes.
5/10
I utterly LOVE it. One point off for the somewhat distracting pattern placement over the bust–if only there was one central and two offset rosettes there, instead of two. Well, maybe it’s that way because of a seam? But I love everything else about it.
9/10
This is a lovely dress. However, I think the style and the fabric are mismatched. I love the fabric–that pattern and texture is to die for! But it doesn’t work well (in my opinion) with the details of the dress; there are some beautiful hemline details, for example, that don’t show up well because the fabric is so busy. Nevertheless, I think it’s gorgeous, if not my dream dress!
7/10
I’m another dissenting voice. My first thought on seeing it was “What a bad tempered dress.” I know that makes no sense at all but that’s the impression it gave me. I do appreciate the cut and the clean, if rather severe, lines of the front view of the dress but the draping of the bustle is visually completely lost and overwhelmed by the fabric which I dislike intensely. It reminds me too much of flock wallpaper and the colour is dull. My score would probably be higher if the dress had been made in another, less overwhelming fabric.
4/10
My comment got eaten, so … Here’s the important part:
10/10
“Oh, Ow! Will you please get up! I’m feeling suffocated,”
Mrs. Elegance said, breathlessly.
There was a bit of a scramble, as Mr. Man-about-Town rose and then bowed as low as he was able to the rather squashed and pale lady before him.
“I am fearfully sorry, Madam,” he stammered, “I thought you were part of the upholstery.”
And that is my reaction to a dress whose trim I cannot see, as it is obscured by the wallpaper-sized pattern, but whose lines remind me rather of armor than anything else. I cannot love cut velvet in this decade. The effect is severe, stiff, and with the rest of the her tightly coiffed with frizzled bangs, and black gloves, she — the wearer — might take the snap out of anyone.
Apologies therefore, but 4 of 10, the 4 being for a clean cut
I think the pattern is very lovely and the silhouette is elegant. Although the comment about it blending into the upholstery made me laugh! But I still really like the dress.
9/10
I am being rather frivolous here, I think, because the dress made me laugh before I looked at it critically. First, the afore-mentioned unfortunate placement of the pattern right smack over the bust line, and then the back of the dress looks like it has eyes at first glance.
I realize that style norms may have changed and what now is a fashion faux pas may have been perfectly acceptable and not at all regrettable back in the day, but I just can’t take the dress seriously. Which is a shame, because it has a lovely silhouette. But I’m afraid I see it as a costume on a clownish melodramatic stage character. 5/10 as a dress in someone’s wardrobe; 10/10 as comic theatrical wear… 😉
I want to like this dress, but I just can’t. The tailoring is very fine for the most part, but it is all so severe. Perhaps the cut velvet was meant to soften the whole thing, but it really just makes it worse. It looks tight, uncomfortable, and I can’t imagine it flattering anyone. The bustle is dismal, and the color is ghastly. It looks like something one of the Adam’s family relatives might wear. 2-10
Oh my stripes and shirt garters! This dress is so delectably severe! I imagine a very stern person wearing it well beyond a socially delineated mourning period, with Such Brooches. I appreciate any 1880s bustle that doesn’t double as a tea tray, so I’m pleased with that aspect.
What really captures my eye is the petal hem overlaying the black lace, with the bright dash just at the bottom. Is that gold? It’s such an unexpectedly charming hem for so severe an overall dress, and I love it.
I can see the objection to the bust rosettes, but I’m not over-troubled by this because I assume a corseted bust has its own properties. I think it would be far less fortunate a placement over a modern brassiere. Admittedly, I have no personal familiarity with corsets.
The one true objection I have is the long, oozing bits of black lace trickling down the hips. I cannot reconcile myself. In a dress covered in portals to the netherworld, those bits of lace are a step too far for me!
7
I love it! It does look theatrical and vampiric like something from the Adam’s family. I like the size of the bustle and the pattern placement on the bust doesn’t bother me. This victorian goth just needs a lace collar and a twinkling black & gold broach to finish off the look.
10/10
I think this falls squarely into my 8/10 area: the sort of well-made well-looking dress that doesn’t quite wow me but works really well.
So: 8/10
Love everything about it, only minor bump is the cuffs would drive me nuts and look a bit out of balance with the rest of the dress 9.5/10
The cuffs would about me but otherwise I would love to swish around dramatically in this 9.5/10
PAX
Wow, what a beautiful dress! The petal hem and trim balance the somber colors, keeping the dress from appearing too austere. In my opinion, the dressmaker did a great job with the pattern layout. By laying the rosettes over the bust, the pattern flows nicely onto the waist and hip areas, giving the illusion of a trim waist.
9.5