(One last costume — for now — from Shakespeare, this time for the men. And yes, it’s another costume with tights. And a purse! Notice he’s carrying a rose, a reference to the famous line from the play.)
Tunic and tights of dove-colored wool; shirt of white mull and cloak of Venetian red cloth lined with pale gray. Cap of red velvet with gray feather. Leather belt from which is suspended a pocket.
Source: Masquerades, Tableaux and Drills. New York: The Butterick Publishing Company, 1906.
(Back to Shakespeare: a fairy costume from The Tempest, conceived as female, though the character is often played as male or, nowadays, androgynous. This is a very classic fairy style, with wings, a wand, and a star on the forehead.)
Short white diaphonous tulle dress, with silver wand and silver gauze wings; hair floating on shoulders, confined by a silver band around the head, with star in centre; low full bodice and short sleeves.
Source: Holt, Ardern. Fancy Dresses Described, 5th Edition. London: Debenham & Freebody, 1887.
(Serious consideration given to the problem of gloves. The mitts and mittens mentioned here refer to fingerless gloves, not the modern sort of mitten.)
It is uncomfortable to dance without gloves, so consistency yields to convenience. For most Peasant dresses mittens are best; but when gloves are worn they should be as little conspicuous as possible. For the Poudré costumes, long mittens and long embroidered gloves are admissible. Gloves were never heard of till the 10th and 11th centuries, and not much worn till the 14th; still, what can pretty Berengaria do if she wishes to dance and does not care to appear ungloved?
Holt, Ardern. Fancy Dresses Described, 5th Edition. London: Debenham & Freebody, 1887.
(Fancy dress balls for children were very popular, and the patriotic early twentieth-century mother could dress her son in the style of Teddy Roosevelt's unit from the Spanish-American War.)
Costume of khaki cloth, duck or canvas, with leggings to match. The trimmings may be of red, blue or yellow, with brass buttons. Tan felt hat with crossed sabres.
(The Victorian fascination with the natural world…Angels & Insects
Short black skirt with horizontal stripes of red and yellow; the same combination carried round the top of the black bodice; a black pointed cap, the whole covered with ever-moving toy beetles. A sceptre in the hand, surmounted by a beetle.
Source: Holt, Ardern. Fancy Dresses Described, 5th Edition. London: Debenham & Freebody, 1887.
(Yes, women cross-dressed for fancy dress balls! And how could the costume of the heroine from As You Like It be anything but respectable? Note that the pink lining of the cloak is not a "girly" thing; pink was considered a masculine color in the early 20th century, Click to enlarge the image.)
Doublet and hose of light-gray wool, the former trimmed with gray fur. Green velvet bodice, chemisette and puffs of Nile-green silk. Long gray cloak lined with pink.
Source: Masquerades, Tableaux and Drills. New York: The Butterick Publishing Company, 1906.
(Useful information for a late nineteenth-century Ball Poudré, as described here, or for 18th-century-style costumes.)
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Powder and patches are so often adopted at fancy balls and private theatricals that a few hints as to how to apply them may not be out of place in a work like the present…
…The complexion must be made up in the following way: — Cover the face with the finest glycerine or cold cream; now rub in the rouge with a piece of cotton-wool, commencing at the cheek-bone and working gradually downwards. Next, cover the face with the fine pearl-powder, and outline the eye-brows with an eye-brow pencil, which may be purchased in any shade at most chemists. Finally, powder lightly all over, to soften the effect of the rouge.
The patches should be cut out of black sticking-plaster, the sticking side moistened and applied to the cheek. They may be round or cruciform, or any fanciful shape. Georgian belles used to adorn their cheeks with bows and arrows, or ships in full sail.
There is quite a science to putting on a patch: it must never be placed on a line of the face, as it appears to extend it. If you place a patch on the line which goes from the nostril to the lip, it will appear to draw down the mouth, and give you a sullen appearance. A patch should be placed so as to call attention to a favourite feature, like a signpost for the stupid or unobservant. The blackness of the patch accentuates the brilliancy of the complexion, whilst its position calls attention to the rounded cheek or sweetly curling lip. The coquettes of old times used to hve a patch which went by the name of the "Assassin," so deadly and rapid was its effect. Perhaps it will be better not to reveal where it was placed, as we do not wish to destroy the peace of mind of the youths of the nineteenth century.
Armstrong, Lucie. The Ball-Room Guide. London and New York: Frederick Warne & Co., c1880s.
(Another lovely costume description with no illustration to accompany it. This is a great one for people who want to fuss around with accessories and little decorations on a relatively simple gown.)
Rose-coloured skirt, white satin front, and low square bodice, trimmed with bells, crocuses, shamrocks, and butterflies (emblems of mirth); coronet and veil; a sceptre surmounted by a butterfly; rose-coloured shoes.
Source: Holt, Ardern. Fancy Dresses Described, 5th Edition. London: Debenham & Freebody, 1887.
(Yes, men wore fancy dress as well. Especially men who wanted to wear tights! Click the illustration to enlarge.)
Tight-fitting waistcoat and skirt of white satin embroidered with silver; pale-blue tights, with trunks and sleeves of blue and white striped silk; lace collar and cuffs; cloak of white and blue hat with white plumes.
Source: Masquerades, Tableaux and Drills. New York: The Butterick Publishing Company, 1906.
(Fancy dress books included costumes for every season and month of the year, but Holt cheated by using the same costume for Summer and for July. Lisse appears to be a filmy gauze, possibly crinkled.)
A white or pink gauze, lisse, or tulle evening dress, liberally trimmed with summer flowers, especially roses; it is sufficient to wear a wreath of the same, but a veil with butterflies is a more decided fancy dress, or a straw hat, with flowers and butterflies. Scattered rose leaves on the skirt add to the effect, interspersed with butterflies and green beetles; a basket of flowers in hand; necklet and earrings of China roses. Or, a dress of blue and crimson brocade, with fringes of flowers. July is dressed in the same fashion.
Source: Holt, Ardern. Fancy Dresses Described, 5th Edition. London: Debenham & Freebody, 1887.