Freemason (Female)

(This costume description predates the Co-Freemasonry movement that began on the European continent in the 1880s.  It is probably meant as a futuristic fantasy costume, rather like the Footwoman of the Future.)

FREEMASON, FEMALE.  Black velvet dress; white satin Watteau sacque, trimmed with swansdown; swansdown ruff at throat; hair powdered; quaint velvet hood, studded with pearls and Masonic emblems; a Master Mason's apron and collar of office, with pendant gauntlets and Masonic jewels; clock at girdle.

Other than the earliest edition not capitalizing "Mason" or "Masonic", the descriptions are identical throughout across sixteen years and three editions of a single manual.

The costume is a poudré (powdered) one; see With Regard to Powdering for instructions on how to powder the hair for such costumes.

MrsAldworth Oddly enough, there was a female Freemason in the eighteenth century, Elizabeth Aldworth, whose portrait may be seen at left.  Her clothing is considerably less elaborate than the swansdown-trimmed outfit described above, and her hair is not powdered, but the apron is present, and she is pointing to a Masonic symbol in the book next to her.

 

Sources:
Holt, Ardern.  Fancy Dresses Described, 2nd Edition, Illustrated.  London: Debenham & Freebody, 1880.
Holt, Ardern.  Fancy Dresses Described, 5th Edition.  London: Debenham & Freebody, 1887.
Holt, Ardern.  Fancy Dresses Described, Sixth Edition.  London: Debenham & Freebody, 1896.

The 1896 edition of Holt may be found online at the University of Wisconsin Digital Collections.

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