Last week’s Rate the Dress was extremely revealing, and rather incomplete. This week I’ve got in the opposite direction, with a very covered up 1890s dress, that even comes with its original matching hat. Last week:  a ca. 1908 evening dress covered in metallic embroidery & beading The vast majority of you adored last weeks dress, and appreciated the way it melded historical references (medieval sideless surcoats & neoclassicism) with an extremely modern feel that wouldn’t be out of place on today’s red carpets. You correctly noted that the dress was missing a very important feature: an underdress which filled in the neckline, and the sheer gates-of-hell-esque side mesh. And then, a few of you thought it was terribly tacky… The Total: 9.2 out of 10 (I’m mildly amused that this weeks rating is 8.4 — both numbers that always look like they are pregnant to me!) This week: an 1890s dress in plum and leaf print chine Today’s pick is a classic 1890s day dress, though the choice and combination of fabric make it …

Last week’s Rate the Dress was so dark and heavy that I really wanted a light coloured, light feeling frock to balance it out. I couldn’t find something that was as light and frothy as I’d hoped – but this beaded and be-spangled ca. 1908 evening gown is certainly a contrast to last week. Last week: a very short-waisted ca. 1855 afternoon dress No consensus on whether the dress might have been a maternity gown, but lots of discussion of the non-mirrored front (as expected – not a point winning feature). The general feeling was the fabric was so lovely, and the dress was overall rather elegant. The Total: 8.4 (I’m mildly amused that this weeks rating is 8.4 – both numbers that always look like they are pregnant to me!) This week:  a ca. 1908 evening dress covered in metallic embroidery & beading Augusta Auctions describes this strikingly beaded frock, with its streamlined silhouette, as a ball gown. With that elaborate train, it’s not exactly practical for dancing, but it definitely would have been …

Today’s Rate the Dress pick was chosen because it’s a garment that has fascinated me for years. There are so many mid-century gowns that museums claim were maternity dresses, where I really don’t see it. It’s just a wrapper, or a dress in a larger size, or… The Met doesn’t claim that this dress dress was a maternity dress, but gosh, that waistline is high… Last week: an 1780s gown with an embroidered hem Wow! I thought last week’s dress was very pretty indeed, but I didn’t expect the outpouring of adoration that it received! You loved every detail, from the not-quite symmetrical embroidery, to the vandyked bodice trim. You just wanted to see it fully styled, with fichu and bows. The Total: 9.7 In Rate the Dress, anything about a 9.5 is as close to perfection as you can get! This week:  a very short-waisted ca. 1855 afternoon dress The Met’s description of this afternoon dress is very simple and generic, and makes no mention of how unusually high the waist of this dress …