All posts filed under: 19th Century

Terminology: What is a chesterfield coat?

Published by The Dreamstress

The chesterfield is a man’s overcoat with simple vertical seams, no side-back piece, and a velvet collar, usually in grey with black. The velvet collar is the defining feature of the chesterfield (as the fitted waist has since been lost) and is said to be based on the black strips that supporters of the old regime sewed on their jackets after the execution of Louis XVI in 1793.  This last bit, while quite romantic and appealing, is, alas, probably apocryphal. According to The Encyclopedia of Fashion, the coat was named after Phillip Dormer Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield, .  This seems somewhat improbable, Stanhope died in 1773.  As the first known use of the term was in the 1840s, it seems likely it refers to a 19th century Earl of Chesterfield, perhaps the 6th Earl of Chesterfield, who cut a bit of a swath in London the 1830s and 40s.  There are certainly references to it as a Lord Chesterfield coat, indicating a link between the Lord and the coat. The Chesterfield was interesting as …

I can’t believe this is a thing

Published by The Dreamstress

There was, up until a month ago, a sign in Wellington that reads “The Royal Antedeluvian Order of Buffalos”. The sign was on the very artsy, independent (dare I say ‘hipster’) Bats Theatre, so I assumed it was a joke. Nope.  Turns out its real.  There really is a Royal Antedeluvian Order of Buffalos, and despite all the stuff they have going against them, they take themselves pretty seriously. In order to be a member, you have to be over 18, enter of your own free will, and be a “true and loyal supporter of the British Crown and Constitution.”  Oh, and be male. Obviously (thanks to the British bit), despite the name, there aren’t a lot of Buffalos organizations in the US. I have no idea what goes on at Buffalo meetings today, but they started out as a club for stagehand and theatre techies in the early 19th century (well before techie was a word). Their history sounds like it came out of a kids book: the actors had a club called Lushingtons, …

Terminology: What is astrakhan?

Published by The Dreamstress

Astrakhan (also spelled astrachan) is, properly speaking, the tightly curled fleece of the fetal or newborn karakul (also spelled caracul) lamb.  Less accurately, it can also refer to the fleece of fetal or newborn lambs from other species, or a knitted or woven fabric that imitates the looped surface. Astrakhan has a distinctive tight, whorled, loopy surface with a slight sheen.  The younger the lamb, the tighter and shinier the loops.  True astrakhan comes in a range of colours from pale golden yellow to black, though black is the most desirable. This may be the part where you are thinking “fetal or…wait, what!?!”. Yes, the most desirable form of astrakhan is that from a lamb 15-30 days away from being born, and it is sourced by killing both the ewe and the unborn lamb.  Horrific. There are other ways to source astrakhan: either by waiting for the lamb to be born, or by utilizing the pelts of lambs that are born dead (beware that some companies selling lamb-ewe fetal kill astrakhan describe it as ‘stillborn’ …