All posts tagged: 1830s

Rate the Dress: Maria Christina in lace, lace, more lace (and some diamonds)

Oops!  Sorry!  I’m sure many of you woke up this morning and went to check on the Rate the Dress, and there was nothing there.  The sad truth is that I was so tired last night that I got confused and thought Rate the Dress wasn’t until tomorrow. Last week I posted a simple 1860s gown, and the initial consensus was that it was so boring that it was neither wonderful nor dreadful.  But then Tenshi pointed out “It’s not a ballgown, so it shouldn’t be judged like one” and a rather interesting conversation about ordinary clothing developed.  The eventual rating acknowledged, that yes, it was the simple, practical dress of its time, but a reasonably good one at that, and it rated a 7.4 out of 10 This week I’m playing with the idea of not every dress being made for a pretty young thing on her way to a ball, but taking the concept almost as far as it can go in the opposite direction.  I’d like to present an outfit that very …

Rate the Dress: Queen Adelaide in velvet and lace

Hrrmph.  I try to keep my opinions about Rate the Dresses under covers, but your review of last week’s Worth dress rather disappointed me.  Whilst I knew the aesthetics of the zig-zag Roger Worth dress might prove challenging, I’d hoped that more of you would recognise the artistry of the construction: the brilliance of the stiffened front-raised hemline, allowing easy walking and dancing, and creating the most amazing movement in the skirt; the clever, clever sleeves, cut at one with the bodice; the un-pieced skirt, with shaping achieved through tucks.  And yet, it was these very things that so many of you disliked!  A few loved the dress (I love the dress), but so many of you hated it that it came in at a 5.3 out of 10.  Poor Roger: worse even then his grandfather! Carrying on the zig-zag theme from last week, here is Queen Adelaide (consort of William IV of England and aunt to Queen Victoria) in a very regal 1830s gown with fascinating zig-zagged sleeve details, and luscious blonde lace sleeves. …

Rate the Dress: An uber-romantic print for the romance era

Last week there were mixed responses to the 1912 dress with its daring mix of colours and drape and details.  Personally, I thought it was lovely, but not quite perfect – the bodice seemed quite awkward and clunky compared to the divinely sophisticated skirt.  I would give it an 8 out of 10, and apparently you collectively agreed with me, because that’s exactly what you gave it! This week I’m returning to a classic, uncomplicated silhouette, and a classic, uncomplicated colour scheme, to see if you prefer your fashions challenging and avante-gard or a little more sweet and simple.  I’m mixing it up by throwing in a not-quite-as-popular timeperiod; the Romantic era late 1820s. Romantic fashions are characterised by their puffy sleeves, poofed hairdoes, and nipped waist,  often combined with really boring fabrics in shades of dun and sand, but this dress from the MFA also has very romantic silk fabric strewn with carnations and roses in blue and pink on chocolate brown.  How sweet!  How simple! So what do you think?  Is this so …