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Rate the Dress: Actual 1880s opulence

Published by The Dreamstress

Last week I showed you a linen and lace resort-wear frock. I had serious doubts about the dating onthe dress from the beginning, and the more I looked at it, the less 1880s it looked. I think it really is from the early 1900s.

I don’t know if a change in dating would have had any effect on the results though: it would still have lost points for not actually being that comfortable for summer wear, and for the dull colours, and odd colour matching between the laces and fabric. Still, it was a very attractive frock in some ways, and seeing it on the wearer did help you to visualise it, so the dress managed an 8.4 out of 10, which is pretty darn good considering that there was one rating of only 3!

Since last week’s dating was a bit iffy, this week I’m showing a gown that is definitely from the 1880s. No mistaking the bustle on this one!

Woman's Dress, England, circa 1885, Silk (plain weave with warp-float and supplementary weft patterning) and silk satin LACMA, M.2007.211.781a-b

Woman’s Dress, England, circa 1885, Silk (plain weave with warp-float and supplementary weft patterning) and silk satin LACMA, M.2007.211.781a-b

This day dress (probably for visiting) features lustrous silk satin and lush patterned brocade (or at least one of the fabrics that would have fallen into the never-very-precise brocade category) in typical late Victorian rich, dark colours.

Woman's Dress, England, circa 1885, Silk (plain weave with warp-float and supplementary weft patterning) and silk satin LACMA, M.2007.211.781a-b

Woman’s Dress, England, circa 1885, Silk (plain weave with warp-float and supplementary weft patterning) and silk satin LACMA, M.2007.211.781a-b

Also typical of the 1880s are the asymmetrical skirt draping, and the elaborations of ornamentation and design. In addition to the elaborately arranged front swag and bustle poof, there are glimpses of the silk satin peeping through the hem (topped, if I am not mistaken, with pom-poms), painted buttons running up the front of the bodice, and lace trim on the bracelet length sleeves.

Woman's Dress, England, circa 1885, Silk (plain weave with warp-float and supplementary weft patterning) and silk satin LACMA, M.2007.211.781a-b

Woman’s Dress, England, circa 1885, Silk (plain weave with warp-float and supplementary weft patterning) and silk satin LACMA, M.2007.211.781a-b

The back is no less detailed, with beautifully folded and piped jacket tails sitting above an expanse of blue silk.

Woman's Dress, England, circa 1885, Silk (plain weave with warp-float and supplementary weft patterning) and silk satin LACMA, M.2007.211.781a-b

Woman’s Dress, England, circa 1885, Silk (plain weave with warp-float and supplementary weft patterning) and silk satin LACMA, M.2007.211.781a-b

Woman's Dress, England, circa 1885, Silk (plain weave with warp-float and supplementary weft patterning) and silk satin LACMA, M.2007.211.781a-b

Woman’s Dress, England, circa 1885, Silk (plain weave with warp-float and supplementary weft patterning) and silk satin LACMA, M.2007.211.781a-b

The side silhouette reveals the typical mid-1880s extreme bustle, with the added oomph of the panier effect of the side swags:

Woman's Dress, England, circa 1885, Silk (plain weave with warp-float and supplementary weft patterning) and silk satin LACMA, M.2007.211.781a-b

Woman’s Dress, England, circa 1885, Silk (plain weave with warp-float and supplementary weft patterning) and silk satin LACMA, M.2007.211.781a-b

What do you think? An exceedingly attractive way smuggle a tea trolly and a couple of picnic baskets into any event? Or a total fashion folly?

Rate the Dress on a Scale of 1 to 10

Lingerie Touches for Frocks, 1932

Published by The Dreamstress

I’m got a bunch of blog posts half written at the moment, but they are all long and elaborate, and I just don’t have the time to finish them today.

So instead, a quick, sweet and simple blog post, featuring a page from the March 1932 Fashion Services Magazine, with frocks that show ‘Lingerie Touches for Chic’

In addition to the lingerie touches (by which they mean handiwork and lace edging), there is lots of exoticism – Persian prints, and ‘scarab’ crepes (which sound like the pure silk variation of roshanara).

Plus, Irish crochet is a la mode and skirt lengths are shorter – a whole 11 to 13 inches off the floor (and that’s in shoes!) .

HSF/M ’15: Challenge #3: Stashbusting

Published by The Dreamstress

The third Historical Sew used-to-be-Fortnightly-now-it’s-Monthly challenge of 2015 is Stashbusting.

Unlike previous challenges, like Blue, there is no research or inspiration needed for a Stashbusting challenge: you either have one, or don’t, and if you have one, the question is simply, how big is it?

Mine is ummm…big.

There are bits of it stored in chests and suitcases and boxes all over the house.

Mostly I sort by colour, with specialty boxes of linens, laces, and a few other pieces. Where I have so much of one colour (cough *white*) that it doesn’t fit in one box, it’s sorted by fibre and weight: a box of white silks, a box of lightweight whites, and a box of mid-heavyweight whites.

Under our bed I have my red stash:

Isn’t the dark red swoon-worthy? It’s a proper vintage rayon, with flowers and moon shapes on it, and it just begs to be made up as a late ’30s frock! And I’m currently working on a dress in the feather print – so the red stash is being reduced!

And my green stash:

From top left, a green wool jersey, beautiful original 1950s plaid wool, destined to be a 1940s suit, green and white checked voile (some of which has already been made into a blouse), green silk (some of which is being made into a corset), vintage rayon that needs to be a blouse, the most SPECTACULAR carnation patterned faille, which is going to be a dressy swing coat, lemongrass silk crepe, and geometric rayon challis.

And my white silks

In the spare bedroom I have a small poof full of pinks:

And in the lounge, a suitcase of purples:

That fabric on top is a vintage silk and metal brocade that I found in an op-shop for 50 cents, and it is THE MOST AMAZING THING EVER.

There is also a chest full of black and white and grey in the lounge. Not exciting, but very practical and useful!And, in my actual sewing room, I have a box full of browns:

Surprisingly full, considering how much brown is not my thing..

And a box full of blues:

There are actually two boxes full of blues – a big one for wool, silk and rayon, and a small one for cotton.

So, yeah. A lot of stash! Better get sewing! (and if you really want to see more of my sewing mess, check out my sewing space tour)

How do you store and sort your stash?