I missed Rate the Dress last week because I had too much on – which was not the case for the dress and spencer themselves, which you deemed almost perfectly decorated. This week I’m pushing the ‘how much can you put on a dress’ envelope – but in a surprisingly restrained way. Last Week: an 1820s dress & spencer ensemble A couple of you were lukewarm about the dress, but most of you loved the detailing, the pairing of blush and cream, and the wardrobe options that a dress and spencer would allow. The Total: 9.5 out of 10 Practically perfect – the bride (if it was a bride) can feel that her dress passed the test of time This week: an 1882-3 day dress in fawn brown The description of this dress in my post title may make it sound like a lot. There’s pleats, on pleats, with lace trim, and overskirts, and overbodices with very interesting peplum effects, and oh-so-many buttons down the front: But all of this (excepting the lace) is done in …

We’ve been having very spring-y weather in Wellington, by which I mean changeable. It’s very four seasons in one day! Wind, rain, sun, and then back again. So I’ve picked a Rate the Dress for changeable temperatures – although it probably wouldn’t do well in a good spring shower. Last Week: an 1860s day dress in bright blue Last week’s bright blue 1860s number had two distinct pools: it’s fabulous (but badly displayed) and; those shoulders and sleeves are just terrible under any circumstances. The Total: 8.7 out of 10 Not bad, if not as brilliant as the colour. This week: a 1820s dress & spencer ensemble So many of you loved last week’s bright blue, but you know I’m always a fan of white-on-white texture, or (in this case) palest blush on ivory texture. This 1820s ensemble consists of a dress, and a spencer to wear over the dress. The silk fabrics, light colour and elaborate trims suggest both pieces were for very fine occasions. By itself the dress could be worn to dinners, and …

I’m back on schedule with Rate the Dress this week, but still feeling blue – or at least that blue is the right hue for Rate the Dress! This week we go from all the subdued evening blues of last week’s tea gown, to a brilliant blue 1860s number, with equally exciting (if quite different) sleeves. How will it fare in comparison? Last Week: a 1910s Worth tea gown Generally you felt that a dress by ultimate design house (albeit one in decline), purchased by a woman with all the money in the world at her disposal, should be good, and was. There were a few small niggles though. A number of you felt the dress was less than the sum of its parts. Beautiful in details, but the details didn’t add up right, or were too much altogether. The Total: 9.3 out of 10 Almost perfection, but not quite… This week:  an 1860s day dress in bright blue Since I’m still in the mood for blue, and not everyone was sold on last week’s …