Rate the Dress: La Belle Otero
Poor James! Not only is his rather decent go at being a king completely overshadowed by the queen who preceded him, but you, dear readers, declared that he ruled over the most unflattering period in men’s fashion…ever. With that said, you didn’t think that James’ own outfit was as bad as it could have been, considering the period, though most of you noticed his distinctly scrawny legs. James rated a 4 out of 10. This week, let’s look at something that doesn’t show any leg…just everything else. You didn’t like Garbo’s take on Mata Hari, but a few of you mentioned that Mata Hari’s own costumes were rather attractive. It turns out that they weren’t particularly original though. Actress and courtesan La Belle Otero was photographed in her own exotic eastern dancer attire in 1905. Unlike Mata Hari, La Belle wasn’t trying to hide her lack of bosom with her costume, as she was said to have the most famous pair in the world. What do you think? Is 1905 pseudo-Oriental exoticism better than the …

