All posts filed under: 19th Century

Jeanne Samary’s book: Charlotte’s Treats

Published by The Dreamstress

It’s really hard to get ahold of a copy of Jeanne Samary’s children’s book  Les Gourmandises de Charlotte (Charlotte’s Treats), which is really a pity, because it sounds charming, and the illustrations are adorable. Little Charlotte is a greedy, unruly little child.  She won’t eat anything but sugar! Her mother tries to tempt her with all sorts of delicious, nutritious food, but Charlotte just says “Non”! A doctor is called to warn her, but does Charlotte listen? Non! Without nutrition, Charlotte begins to shrink… and shrink…. and shrink… …until she becomes so little that she is smaller than a rat. Indeed, she is so small that she becomes the servant to a rat! Poor naughty Charlotte! Charlotte is so distressed that she begins to eat. She eats… and eats… and eats… She eats anything she can get her hands on! She eats so much that she grows enormously fat, and can’t walk or play! Poor naughty Charlotte! Will Charlotte ever learn to eat the right amount of the right kind of foods, and be a …

Jeanne Samary and her dress

Published by The Dreamstress

Interestingly, while numerous paintings of the late 1870s and early 1880s show women in low cut, almost sleeveless natural form evening gowns, like the one worn by Jeanne Samary, and fashion plates also show this style of gown, very few examples these gowns have survived. Were they cut apart and modified for later styles?  Did they become so soiled at balls that they were not worth saving?  Did women tend to have only one evening gown, and a selection of reception dresses (the ones with low square necks, and 3/4 length sleeves) ?  Is it because wedding dresses were reception dresses, not ballgowns, and wedding dresses represent a disproportionate amount of the extent historical garments? Whatever the reason, I can only find one extent ballgown for every 10 reception dresses, so here are the ones I can find.   I’m infatuated with the orange/goldenrod colour of this dress, and the bodice is very similar to Jeanne’s dress in some ways.  And the skirt, well, how can you not love metal embroideries of daisies!?! Looking at …