Last week’s dress was all sweet and serene. This week is the first full week back at Toi Whakaari: The New Zealand Drama School. All our new students have arrived, and we’re back into the swing of things. So I’m feeling a bit more dramatic. And what’s more dramatic than gold and tassels? Last Week: a 1790s over-robe in pale pink Most of you loved last week’s Regency over-robe, and thought it was a perfection in pink. And then some of you thought it was a bit….boring. The Total: 9 out of 10 Still a very, very good score, but not as good as the preceding weeks. This week:  ca. 1880s tiers of tassels This week’s dress is VERY natural-form-to-second bustle-era Victorian. Trim and textures and layers upon layers. The pleats and tasselled fringe and metallic embroidery and damask silk and lace are all held together by a single colour scheme: a medley of apricot and gold. So what do you think? Dramatic but elegantly harmonious, or tasselled tackiness? Rate the Dress on a Scale …

Everybody knows that the 1910s are my favourite decade, and it’s been a while since I featured one on Rate the Dress, so that’s this week’s theme. But of course, while I might like the decade, I don’t love every example… Is this week’s pick one you’ll like?   Last Week: an 1860s day dress in raspberry pink Well, when it comes to last week’s dress, you all agree with Maggie Prescott – it’s time to #thinkpink! The Total: 9.4 out of 10 Pink perfection! This week:  A 1910s dress in devore velvet and metallic lace Last week’s dress was big, with bold design flourishes. This week I’ve gone for the slim, sleek lines of the 1910s, with an evening dress in devore velvet and metallic lace. The layers of different fabric, with contrasting textures of stiff lace, plush velvet, silky underlayers and glass beads, is typical of the aesthetics of the era. Also typical is the mix of symmetry and asymmetry. The front bodice is balanced: a shallow scoop of neck, and swooping winged …