Last week I showed you a fascinating yellow frock that celebrated the innovation of simplicity: the refinement of shape, silhouette, fabric, trim, and underclothes that characterise early 19th century fashions.  Most of you were extremely impressed, and then a small group of you were completely unimpressed, and thought it boring.  I began to see one of those scenarios where the rating comes out to be something that almost none of you rated, and I was right.  8.3 out of 10 might have been the average, but it reflects how few of you felt about it personally. (and thank you to Sabine for finding the proper link to the dress) Those of you who didn’t like it thought the yellow dress last week was just too plain, simple and austere. So this week, I’ve picked something that is a wee bit more detailed: At first, all the details on this dress just look daft: mameluke sleeves (now sadly crushed) and pleated trim, bizarre circular motifs arranged in pyramids on the skirt.  The fabric looks dirty and …

Last week  I was a little disappointed in the lack of interest in Élisabeth de Valois and her velvet dress.  I thought it was a fascinating fashion choice, but it just wasn’t a good week for discussions.  Those of you who commented did like it though – it came it at 8.6 out of 10, which was just off its most common rating (8.5).  And it was a big hit as a pinterest pin, which is always a good indication of popularity! This week, let’s return to the HSF as a source of inspiration for my Rate the Dress choices.  The next fortnight’s theme is ‘Innovation’ and one of the most innovative fashion periods ever was the streamlined neoclassical styles of the end of the 18th and beginning of the 19th century.  Few fashion innovations are introduced completely out of nowhere: there is often a period of transition, in which elements of the old style mingle with the new trend. This dress represents both the innovation, and the transition: radical in its overall simplicity, it …

As I’m away on holiday, I haven’t been able to tally up the scores for the 1940s embroidered dress, but I can tell you they are likely to be pretty high: you LOVED it! UPDATE: You certainly did!  30 out of 34 scores were 10/10, and the dress came in at an astonishing 9.9 out of 10 – I don’t think we will ever get that close to a perfect score again! Last week’s dress was likely a younger woman’s frock, so in contrast, here is something rich and holiday-y that I simply cannot imagine being worn by a younger woman. The amount of work that has gone into the dress is gobsmacking: the twisted silk scrolls, highlighted with tiny chenille work.  The weighted buttons to hold the hem.  The pleated collar and little pleated back vents on the cuffs.  The intricacy and details are astonishing.  It would take a lot of panache to pull it off without the ensemble overwhelming the wearer. What do you think?  Was the work worth it?  Who do you …