It’s been another exciting week for me, with way too much work (luckily I love my students & patternmaking), and way too many chores to do, and then a plumbing disaster on top of everything else.
But I finally have an evening to relax, and am sitting on the couch in my new favourite pants, with Felicity curled in a contented ball in front of the heaters. Bean soup is simmering on the stove (which means I won’t have to cook for the next three days – the dream!). All is, if not right, at least momentarily not-terrible with the world. And it’s the perfect time to write Rate the Dress.
Last week: an 1860s dress in pale pastel pink with bold black trimmings.
Last week’s pink and black colour scheme won universal approval, but you were less unified on what parts of the dress you liked, and what parts you didn’t like. Some of you loved every part of the dress. Some loved the bodice but thought the stripes on the skirt were overpowering. And some thought the skirt was perfection, but the black bertha was just-too-much.
But everybody liked at least something about the dress, so that’s a win!
The Total: 8.5 out of 10
A point and a decimal point up from last week! That’s an improvement
This week: A 1913-1914 dress in salmon pink and black with silver lace.
I’m sticking with the pink and black colour scheme of last week, but pushing out the boat with a deep salmon pink that is almost orange, and adding in some ivory and silver, as well as a bit of patterning, with this evening dress from 1913-1914:
Evening dress by an unknown maker (possibly British),1913-1914, silk, linen, glass, metal, National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design, Oslo
This dress has all the most fashionable features of 1913-14: a bold colour scheme, high-low hem, square train, tunic effect, metallic lace, pointed peplum (also seen in more casual garments like the Selina Blouse), slightly-higher-than-natural waist, kimono sleeves, V neck over-blouse over a straight under-bodice, tasseled sash, and layers of fabric and texture. It’s the absolute epitome of high-end evening wear of its era.
Evening dress by an unknown maker (possibly British),1913-1914, silk, linen, glass, metal, National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design, Oslo
Some online sources state that this dress was worn by Queen Maud of Norway, but I can’t find a definitive source for that, and it’s not one of the garments in Style and Splendour, the book about her wardrobe.
Evening dress by an unknown maker (possibly British), 1913-1914, silk, linen, glass, metal, National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design, Oslo
Whoever wore this dress, they weren’t afraid to stand out, or to embrace every single design fad, all at once.
Evening dress by an unknown maker (possibly British), 1913-1914, silk, linen, glass, metal, National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design, Oslo
What do you think? Is this a gown suitable for a Queen…of fashion?
Rate the Dress on a Scale of 1 to 10
A reminder about rating — feel free to be critical if you don’t like a thing, but make sure that your comments aren’t actually insulting to those who do like a garment. Phrase criticism as your opinion, rather than a flat fact. Our different tastes are what make Rate the Dress so interesting. It’s no fun when a comment implies that anyone who doesn’t agree with it, or who would wear a garment, is totally lacking in taste.
As usual, nothing more complicated than a .5. I also hugely appreciate it if you only do one rating, and set it on a line at the very end of your comment.
