This week’s rate the dress illustrates how widespread the global textile trade was in the mid-19th century, and how a dress worn in Europe or the Americas might be made from fabric woven in China. It also brings up an interesting discussion of how Asian fashion and textiles have been perceived, and pigeonholed, in the West.
This week’s dress is an elegant evening ensemble, suitable for a reception or dinner. It’s also an amazing example of how quickly fashion changed in one generation: from the heavy layers of the 1880s, to a light, open frock which afforded glimpses of the legs up to the calves.
This week’s rate the dress is fall themed, for all you Northern Hemisphere costumers getting excited about Autumn. Perhaps next week I’ll post a spring-y pastel confection for us Antipodeans. Last week: a braid trimmed 1870s sports dress Last week’s sports frock started out strong, and mostly got every ball through the hoop with minimal swings and maximum points – but a few of you weren’t quite so impressed. In some ways the poor dress couldn’t win. It lost points from some commentators for not being interesting enough, and from others for being too fancy! The Total: 9.1 out of 10 Not so unbeatable that it completely dominates in its field, but still likely to win most tournaments. This week: a ca. 1895 dinner dress in shot silk This week’s ca. 1895 dinner dress is covered from chin to toe, but I’d venture to say there’s still something rather sexy about the dress, despite all the fabric. The extremely fitted bodice is quite body-conscious, emphasising every curve. The pleated draping and lines of velvet trim …
