This week’s Rate the Dress, like last week’s dress, comes with both a day and an evening bodice.  In contrast to last week’s pastel confection, this week’s choice is in deep red velvet. Last week:  an 1865 Robe à transformation The theme of gala frocks is sitting well with you: last week’s dress was another success.  You loved both the aesthetic of the dress, and the practicality.  It may have been in delicate, pale silk, but at least the wearer was getting as much use as possible out of it.  The few points the ensemble lost was for the colours.  Not everyone loved the gold & lavender, or the ochre sash that went with the day dress. The Total:  9.4 out of 10 Not quite the most popular dress we’ve had in December, but still a fabulously good score! This week: a House of Worth  Robe à transformation  in red velvet The House of Worth may have been the pinnacle of high fashion in the Victorian era, but even its august and moneyed clientele wanted …

Last week’s Rate the Dress was very spring-y, and extremely popular.  This week’s puffs and polka dots Rate the Dress looks towards winter, and the coming holidays (because November 20 is my arbitrary date for Christmas-y stuff not being disgustingly early).  Will it be equally popular? Last week:  an 1770s-80s pink gown Well, strawberry ice cream is everyones favourite flavour of dress, because no one disliked last week’s dress.  In fact, every score but one was a 9 or above.  And most were 10s. The Total: 9.9 out of 10 In Rate the Dress terms, that is a PERFECT score! This week: an 1890s dress in dark green ribbed velvet and chiffon, with appliqued polka dots, puffed sleeves and more Jeanne Hallee isn’t the most famous of late 19th century label, and unlike her better known contemporaries (Worth, Pingat et al), she is considered a dressmaker, rather than a couturier.  Nonetheless her creations were very high end in their own time, and certainly came with a fair bit of cachet. Her extent garments all show …