Banyans (or dresssing gown, robe de chambre, or the many other names which they were called in fashion articles of the time) were to menswear in the 1830s what tea gowns were to womenswear in the 1890s: elegant, informal, at-home-only attire for showing off your wealth, taste, and knowledge to your closest friends.
This post is late because I booked my schedule to the limit without giving myself any space for emergencies and things going wrong — which meant of course there were, and they did! It’s also late because my browser freezes every time I visit the Centraal Museum’s website, which is rather annoying when you’re trying to Rate a Dress from that site. Last Week: a mid 1890s dress in red silk faille and silk velvet Last Rate the Dress was quite theatrical…or costumey. Perfect for a Victorian Disney villain, or a gothic horror movie, but perhaps less effective in real life. Some of you loved the drama of it, but not everyone. The Total: 7.5 out of 10 Even worse than the week before! This week: a sporty 1920s day dress in spring shades After something so heavy and plush and upholstered, I thought something light and sleek would be a nice contrast: This 1920s ensemble is a dress in two parts, consisting of a pleated skirt with attached slip, and a long tunic-blouse with …
This post is late because I booked my schedule to the limit without giving myself any space for emergencies and things going wrong – which meant of course there were, and they did! It’s also late because my browser freezes every time I visit the Centraal Museum’s website, which is rather annoying when you’re trying to Rate a Dress from that site. Last Week: An 1810s dress of pink roll-printed cotton, with lots of frills Comments on last week’s dress focused on how frilly and pink and youthful it was – and how much it reminded some of you of a nightgown! For some people that wasn’t an issue, or even made the dress more charming. For others….not so much. The Total: 7.6 out of 10 Looking like a nightgown was a little too much for some of you, and the rating definitely reflects that. This week: a mid 1890s dress in red silk faille and silk velvet A number of the comments on last week’s dress focused on how girlish it was. I feel …
