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Queen Charlotte in detail by Zoffany

Don’t you love it when you find a large version of a wonderful historical artwork that you’ve only ever seen in very small versions?

Like this fantastic Zoffany portrait of Queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz:

Queen Charlotte with her Two Eldest Sons, Johan Zoffany, 1765

It’s full of the most glorious details.

There are her sons, with George IV in Roman inspired armour:

Queen Charlotte with her Two Eldest Sons, Johan Zoffany, 1765

Prinny looks a wee bit petulant, possibly because the dog clearly loves mummy more than him! (and honestly, who wouldn’t be jealous over that dog’s look of adoration? I’m not even a dog person and I want to hug it!)

The whole outfit is fantastic, but oh, his boots! Aren’t they just the most adorable things ever?

If he isn’t mad about the dog, perhaps Prinny is glaring at his little brother, wishing he were wearing Prince Frederick’s Orientalist attire. It is rather fabulous isn’t it? And the turban is doing a cunning job of doubling as a pudding cap – the padded caps worn by small children in the 18th century to keep them from injury when they toppled over.

Queen Charlotte with her Two Eldest Sons, Johan Zoffany, 1765

It’s not quite as exciting/unusual as royal children’s fancy dress, but the portrait also provides lovely details of Charlotte’s dress: the glimpse of her shoe, the punched hem of her skirt ruffle, the triple layers of lace engageants, and finely roll-pleated trim.

Charlotte is sitting by her dressing table, giving us a wonderful look at a mid-18th century dressing table. We can see each pot and pouf. The dressing table is draped in a literal fortune in handmade lace, emphasising Charlotte’s wealth and status. Even more fabulously, the mirror reflects Charlotte’s profile, giving us a simultaneous front and side view of her hair – and her fantastically over-the-top earrings.

Queen Charlotte with her Two Eldest Sons, Johan Zoffany, 1765

There are more wonderful details hidden in the painting. Glimpses of the other artwork in the room, showing scenes from Greek & Roman mythology. And two Chinese figures, which frame Charlotte, reinforcing the themes of worldly knowledge and wealth.

Queen Charlotte with her Two Eldest Sons, Johan Zoffany, 1765 (detail)

My absolute favourite detail is this one though:

Queen Charlotte with her Two Eldest Sons, Johan Zoffany, 1765 (detail)

A tiny glimpse of another portrait in the hall off the main room. I wonder who it is?

Rate the Dress: an 1890s dress in floral wool

Published by The Dreamstress

Last week:

Last week’s Doucet-does-Cubism ensemble brought a resounding affirmation of Doucet’s ability to adapt to the post-Edwardian fashion world. The only major quibbles were whether the cape and beading added or detracted from the outfit. Some of you were extremely pro cape, and thought it made the outfit. Some of you were…not. Same thing with the beading.

The Total: 9.7 out of 10!

No wonder so many of you have added it to your sewing inspiration list!

This week:

For this week’s Rate the Dress we’re going back to the 1890s, with this ca. 1893 dress in floral printed wool muslin:

Dress in two parts, Atelier M. Muelle (Costumier of the Opera), Paris, 1893, wool muslin, Galleria del Costume di Palazzo Pitti, 00000326

Muelle designed costumes for the Paris Opera, so it’s possible that this dress was a stage costume – though costumers also designed clothes, and major stars went to known couturiers (including last week’s Doucet, who designed for the Divine Sarah, among others) for their stage and everyday clothes.

Dress in two parts, Atelier M. Muelle (Costumier of the Opera), Paris, 1893, wool muslin, Galleria del Costume di Palazzo Pitti, 00000326

The dress, with asymmetrical draping pulled over a very fitted bodice, A-line skirt, and smocked sleeves, combines typical elements of 1890s fashion. Combined with the light floral fabric and lace cuffs and collar (and flower, which may be a museum addition), the overall effect is very feminine.

Dress in two parts, Atelier M. Muelle (Costumier of the Opera), Paris, 1893, wool muslin, Galleria del Costume di Palazzo Pitti, 00000326

What do you think? Is this a dress for a sweet young ingenue onstage, or a diva on her day off? Or is it too boring for either?

Rate the Dress on a Scale of 1 to 10

(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, so I can find it! Thanks in advance!)

Vintage 1960s Watteau-backed Hawaiian Dress thedreamstress.com04

Watteau in (almost) Paradise: a vintage 1960s dress

Published by The Dreamstress

I’ve blogged about almost everything I wore to Costume College this year, except one: the one thing that was actually on-theme (1960s), and that I didn’t make.

I thought I’d give myself a break from corsets on Sunday, and wear a nice loose, flowing dress. Something that was both 1960s, AND fit the class I was teaching on Sunday: Tapa Cloth & Tiki Attire: the Pacific Influence on Fashion.

This was the dress!

Ironically, despite choosing it for comfort, this dress was the most least comfortable thing I wore all Costume College. Every commercially made Watteau-backed Hawaiian dress that I find seems to have been cut for someone who was 5’3″. The bust is too high, and the waist is too high. The armholes dig into my underarms and force my shoulders back to a really unnatural angle.

This one is no exception.

If you’re thinking that ‘vintage 1960s Watteau-backed Hawaiian dress’ is a very specific description, it is, but they were a ‘thing’ from the late 60s to the early 70s. I collect them, because they are the perfect intersection of my Hawaiian background and my historical costumer background.

I found this one in a vintage store while visiting Lauren of Wearing History after last Costume College. The incredibly vivid, almost over-saturated colours are so fabulous. It’s my first Waltah Clarke’s dress too!

In Hawaiian dress terminology, you’d call this a holomu’u. It’s more formal than a mu’umu’u, but less formal than a fitted, trained holoku – the most elegant of Hawaiian gowns.

I thought I was being clever and original wearing this at Costume College, but holomu’u were a popular choice – particularly for the Friday Night Pool Party. So mine was a bit anti-climactic by Sunday! There were some gorgeous examples. I was very tempted to see if anyone was willing to sell theirs after Friday, but I restrained myself. (It was hard).

I was in such a rush at Costume College, racing between all my classes (I taught waaay too many hours of classes), that I didn’t get a single photo of me wearing this dress. So once I came home and it warmed up enough to make bare arms advisable (barely, I still turned rather purple during the photoshoot) Mr D and I went out and got some photos.

It wasn’t quite as romantic and paradise-worthy as my ‘Watteau in Paradise‘ photoshoot. Hence: ‘almost-paradise’.

Please keep me in mind if you see any of these out in the wild at at a reasonable price-point. Especially if they are made for someone who is about 37-30-41 and 5’7″! I’d really like a few more for my collection!

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