All posts tagged: Romantic era

Rate the dress: Regency to Romantic era plum pudding

Last week’s 1750s lollie dress wasn’t quite as much to your taste as the week’s before, mostly because of the lace capelet, but you still thought it a quite yummy 8 out of 10. This week I’m sticking with the food theme. In celebration of the Northern Hemisphere winter, and of the holidays, how about a warm wool evening gown in colours that remind me of a plum pudding? This late Regency-early Romance era plum pink wool with gold satin trimmings evening frock is from the MFA Boston. What do you think? Good enough to eat? Does it take the cake? Does the plum pink and gold palette please your palate? Is the blend of simplicity with a few elaborate trimmings divinely delicious or an odd mix of flavours? (OK, I’ll stop now!) Rate the Dress on a Scale of 1 to 10.

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

Published by The Dreamstress

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 …

Rate the Dress: 1830’s menswear

Published by The Dreamstress

Despite my concerns about your interest in last week’s Victorian Batgirl dress (black and white and a fashion sketch), it attracted lots of attention. So much discussion about bats and aesthetics, and links to modern versions of the dress! It rated an 8.3, because while some of you thought it was fabulous, a few of you don’t care for Victorian fancy dress. This week I felt it was time for a change – we leave the details of the Renaissance, the splendor of Worth, the puffs of James, the wacky sexiness of Victorian fancy dress, indeed, all the frills and furbelows of womenswear, behind. Instead, we look at menswear. What will you think of this restrained man’s ensemble from the early years of the Romantic era? The fitted blue silk jacket dates to 1833, and is worn with a palest yellow waistcoat, pleat-front buff trouser-breaches with stirrup bottoms, and a black silk cravat. Simple with a touch of interest, or boring and mismatched? Rate the outfit on a scale of 1 to 10