It’s been so hot in Wellington for the past month, and I long for walks in cool green forests, and mossy swathes under pine trees, and babbling brooks. Meanwhile, I know that some of you in the Northern Hemisphere are dealing with unusually cold temperatures. So for this week’s Rate the Dress I chose a moss green velvet Edwardian dress that would hopefully appeal to all of us: cozy enough for winter, in a colour that makes us think of cool things in the summer heat!
Last week: a pink and gold and so-many-florals française
Well, for once you were totally unanimous about one aspect of a garment: the silver-trimmed stomacher that the MFA Boston had paired with the pink floral française was just terrible. Daniel dubbed it a ‘Brillo pad’ and now I’ll never unsee that… (also his comment included a truly terrible pun, and I always adore those!).
Other comments were mixed between loving and not loving the trim, and loving the pleats, but not the very square paniers (always a hangup with formal française). The fabric was generally very popular.
I’m with CR that the back view was so pretty that “it makes my heart happy”. The front view really bugged me. All those squiggles! Nope.
The Total: 8.1 out of 10.
Much more charitable than I would have been! From the front, it was one of my least favourite française ever.
(which now makes me wonder what my most favourite, which is only available as one back-view photo, actually looks like from the front. Eeep!)
This week: an Edwardian Afternoon Dress in Moss Green Velvet.
This week’s pick is a type of garment that I love: something lush and decadent, without having to be a ballgown.
This afternoon dress took every bit as many hours as a frothy Edwardian ballgown. The bodice features shaped cut-outs, and elaborate beading and embellishment. The beading is worked in sequins and marcasite. Despite its dark hue, the dress would have sparkled under the gaslights on a dark winter afternoon. The pale yellow silk taffeta behind the cutouts would have glowed like stained glass.
Even with the sparkling trim, the overall effect is one of restraint. The dark fabric and modest silhouette balance the sparkle and decadence. The cutouts, hinting as they do at stained glass, seem more holy than holey, more pious than peek-a-boo. They also feature fleur de lys, frequently associated with the Virgin Mary in European iconography.
In contrast to the elaborate bodice, the skirt is relatively plain, letting the swathe of luxurious green silk velvet speak for itself. There is only a hint of trimming at the hem. It ties the skirt to the bodice, and also may have helped to hide the hemstitching.
What do you think? Does the pairing of modesty and extravagance tickle your fancy? Do you find the colour scheme as appealing and evocative as I do?
