(Not a costume of Van Dyke himself, but meant to represent the style of the dresses worn in his paintings, this is one of those hilarious reimaginings of a historical era with the general style worn over completely inappropriate Victorian underpinnings for a very peculiar silhouette.)
Full plain skirt; muslin apron, edged with pointed lace; bodice with revers; sleeves to wrist; hair in curls.
Source: Holt, Ardern. Fancy Dresses Described, 5th Edition. London: Debenham & Freebody, 1887.
(This is a fantastic and bloodthirsty costume, with a snaky theme and a classic Greek chiton rather than the usual gown of the era. It may well still have been worn over a corset and bustle, though!)
Red or black veils, snakes entwined about bare arms, buskins like a huntress, rough chiton of brown, or black, or blood-coloured, girt with skins of snakes; other serpents bind their waists, and their garments are embroidered with snakes' eyes.
Source: Holt, Ardern. Fancy Dresses Described, 5th Edition. London: Debenham & Freebody, 1887.
(Something adorable for a little girl! Notice the elongated bodice meant to represent the insect body; this is found on women's insect costumes as well. I don't know enough about butterflies to have any idea what makes this particularly Canadian, but there are non-Canadian butterfly costumes as well for both women and girls and the general style could be adapted to any species of butterfly.)
Bodice of green plush elongated into a point which falls on to the short yellow tulle skirt; short, puffed sleeves; gauze wings at back forming tunic; butterfly on head; green gloves and shoes with butterflies; butterfly fan.
Sources:
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.
(This is really two separate ideas for the theme: either a "classic" fashion, probably meaning a chiton, or a standard period evening gown. With so little detail as to the decoration there's lots of room for imagination here!)
Short blue and white dress made of cashmere or soft silk in classic fashion, or in gauze or twill as an evening gown, with stars and spheres for ornaments; star-spangled veil.
Source: Holt, Ardern. Fancy Dresses Described, 5th Edition. London: Debenham & Freebody, 1887.
(Helpful tips for ball hosts and hostesses on two issues: how to arrange to show off all of the costumes present and what to do with costume props during the dancing.)
Processions often form a prominent feature in fancy balls. Some of them begin with a Polonaise, while others have a kind of march round the reception-rooms just before supper. This gives an opportunity for showing off the dresses, which are frequently hidden in a crowded dance.
When a march occurs it is correct for the characters to carry their crooks, wands, milking-stools, or any other property appertaining to their dress.
As most of these things are much in the way whilst dancing, and are apt to get lost when left about in the ball-room, many hostesses provide a stand in the hall for their reception. It should be lighter than an ordinary umbrella-stand, consisting of a slight frame covered with artificial flowers.
Armstrong, Lucie. The Ball-Room Guide. London and New York: Frederick Warne & Co., c1880s.
(Back to the birds again. This outfit seems to require an enormous number of feathers, if the wings are even somewhat proportionate. I really wish there was a picture for this one!)
A yellow gown with cuirass bodice and cap of green feathers like a parrot's head, two long feathers forming the tail on the skirt the rest of the dress green satin, with wings at the side formed of feathers.
Source: Holt, Ardern. Fancy Dresses Described, 5th Edition. London: Debenham & Freebody, 1887.
(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.
(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.
(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.