All posts tagged: 1890s

Rate the Dress: a tea gown with attitude

Today was a public holiday in New Zealand (Waitangi Day). Most people took a four day weekend, so it’s thrown my usual scheduling out. So apologies for the slightly belated Rate the Dress. To make up for it, I’ve picked a VERY exciting Rate the Dress: a relatively unknown 1890s Pingat tea gown (probably) that caused quite a stir when I shared it on Instagram earlier this week. Last week: a ca. 1820 dress re-made from 18th century chine a la branche I’m on a Rate-the-dress roll! Once again, the majority of you loved the frock, though there were a few caveats. The two main complaints were about the wide sleeves, the sleeve trim, and the muted colours. Wider, more relaxed sleeves were often a feature of late 1810s fashions. Chine, by its nature, is muted, and this was a particularly restrained example. The Total: 8.7 out of 10 Not quite as good as the week before, but still a very good score indeed. This week: A c. 1892 Pingat ‘tea dress’ or tea gown …

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: 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. 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 …

Rate the Dress: Very pink Paquin

Published by The Dreamstress

Last week’s purple & black 1860s dress received a rather lukewarm response, with few strong feelings in either direction – and not a single 10! Almost unheard of! I think most of you felt the way I did: that while there was nothing to actually dislike about the dress, there was nothing much to make you really love it either. So a 7.3 out of 10 is an unsurprising score. This ball gown by Jeanne Paquin, widely acknowledged as the first female couturier, features a striking chine a la branche taffeta in pink and ivory, with pink chiffon overlay and very puffy spotted lace sleeves. Anne would love them – do you? The full skirt of the 1890s (another one that could be easily adapted from the Fantail skirt pattern) provides an excellent canvas for the unusual fabric, and only the bodice blooms with the exuberance of ornamentation so beloved by the late Victorians. There are lots of exciting and interesting things going on in the bodice and sleeves, but alas, the Met does not …