Historical Fancy Dress

Category: Women’s

  • Pansy

    FD-Holt-1887-Pansy (Here's a specific example of a flower costume, with three different variations, the first of which is illustrated at left.)

    Short white dress trimmed with deep rich-coloured violet pansies, one large one forming the head-dress the petals standing well round the head, like a brim; the bodice made of dark petunia velvet, arranged to simulate the flower, the soft peach crêpe de chine draped with pansies; a fan in the shape of a pansy.

    Or, dress of amber-coloured soft silk, trimmed with purple bands, outlined with gold; loops of purple and amber-coloured ribbons on the top of the sleeves; head-dress in the shape of the flower; white bibbed apron, embroidered in purple; a gold basket of hearts-ease carried.

    Or, dress of violet tulle and satin with profuse trimmings of the flower; wreath and shoes to correspond.

     

    Source: Holt, Ardern.  Fancy Dresses Described, 5th Edition.  London: Debenham & Freebody, 1887.

  • On personating flowers

    (Some advice on the popular — and very easy to assemble — flower costumes.  Descriptions of flower costumes actually worn at an event may be found in the coverage of an 1890s "plant party."  The descriptions given from both editions of this source are quite similar.)

    A fashionable evening dress trimmed with any flower, and called after it, is the easiest kind of fancy costume; a tulle veil with a  wreath is often worn with this, and China floral ornaments, a basket of the flowers carried in the hand.  Sometimes the flower is imitated; as for example: Blue Belle, blue shoes, stockings, and short skirt cut in vandykes, yellow bodice, cap like an inverted bell with green stalk.  Sometimes the dress is the colour of the flower, a violet evening dress made up with silver gauze and green leaves for a Violet, or the dress is embroidered with wild flowers, wall flowers, apple-blossom, ivy, fern, snowdrop, La Marguerite, heartsease, forget-me-nots, buttercups, or any flower personated.  Fleur d'été and oracles des champs can be rendered after these fashions, or if more of a fancy costume is desired, the lower part of skirt is gathered in diamonds, and outlined with silver or gold braid, or leaves and flowers; the bodice made à la Louis XV., and trimmed with gold or silver; an apron with bib, and a coquettish hat at one side of the head entwined with the particular flower.

    Sources: Holt, Ardern.  Fancy Dresses Described, 2nd Edition, Illustrated.  London: Debenham & Freebody, 1880.

    A fashionable evening dress trimmed with any flower, and called after it, is the easiest kind of fancy costume; a tulle veil with a  wreath is often worn with this, and china floral ornaments; a basket of the flowers carried in the hand.  Sometimes the flower is imitated; as for example: Blue Belle, blue shoes, stockings, and short skirt cut in vandykes, yellow bodice, cap like an inverted bell with green stalk.  Sometimes the dress is the colour of the flower, viz., a violet evening gown made up with silver gauze and green leaves for a Violet.  Forget-me-not, blue satin dress, border of flowers, muslin fichu and cap, apron trimmed to match, blue hose, shoes, and mittens; or the dress is embroidered with wild flowers, wallflowers, apple-blossom, ivy, fern, snowdrop, la marguerite, heartsease, forget-me-nots, buttercups, or any flower personated.  Fleur d'été, Fleur des Champs, and Oracle des Champs, can be rendered after these fashions; or if more of a fancy costume is desired, the lower part of skirt is gathered in diamonds, and outlined with silver or gold braid, or leaves and flowers; the bodice made à la Louis XV., and trimmed with gold or silver; an apron with bib, and a coquettish hat at one side of the head entwined with the particular flower.

    Source: Holt, Ardern.  Fancy Dresses Described, 5th Edition.  London: Debenham & Freebody, 1887.

  • Guinevere

    (Two nearly-identical descriptions of a pseudo-historical Arthurian costume from two different editions of the same manual, dated seven years apart.  The only change is the addition of an optional cloak in the later edition.  Judging from other literary-medieval descriptions and illustrations of the era, this would probably have been worn over a corset and either no bustle or a very minimal one, though you never know — they've put bustles under less likely styles!)

    (Idylls of the King).  Costly dress of gold tissue, velvet, and brocade; the skirt long and flowing, fastened from neck to hem with jewelled clasps, if possible an emerald in each, square-cut bodice, with jewelled bands round; sleeves tight at lower part, of a distinct colour to the bodice, the upper portion slashed and jewels introduced; coronet of pearls; hair in plaits.

    Source: Holt, Ardern.  Fancy Dresses Described, 2nd Edition, Illustrated.  London: Debenham & Freebody, 1880.

    (Idylls of the King).  Costly dress of gold tissue, velvet, and brocade; the skirt long and flowing, fastened from neck to hem with jewelled clasps, if possible an emerald in each; square-cut bodice, with jewelled bands round; sleeves tight at lower part, of a distinct colour to the bodice, the upper portion slashed and jewels introduced; coronet of pearls; hair in plaits.  A long brocaded cloak enveloping the figure may be added.

    Source: Holt, Ardern.  Fancy Dresses Described, 5th Edition.  London: Debenham & Freebody, 1887.

  • Footwoman of the Future

    FD-Holt-1887-Footwoman
    (This costume verges on science fiction — a preview of an egalitarian future in which women take on a traditionally male job — while simultaneously looking back to the late 18th and early 19th centuries for style elements in the same way as a footman's livery of the era!)

    Black satin quilted skirt; maroon double-breasted tail-coat, brass buttons; black waistcoat showing beneath the jacket in front, and lace ruffles; hair powdered; tricorn black and gold hat; gold-headed cane in hand.

    Source: Holt, Ardern.  Fancy Dresses Described, 5th Edition.  London: Debenham & Freebody, 1887.

  • Costumes for brunettes

    (Costumes ideally suited the wearer by age and coloration.  Here three nearly-identical lists of suggestions for brunettes, taken from different editions of the same manual.)

    Among the Costumes best adapted to BRUNES are Africa, Arab Lady, Arrah-na-Pogue, Asia, Autumn, Bee, Gipsies of various kinds, the Bride of Abydos, Brigand's Wife, Britannia, Buy-a-Broom, Carmen, Cleopatra, Colleen Bawn, Connaught Peasant, Diana, Druideess, Earth, Egyptian, Erin, Esmeralda, Fenella, Fire, Greek, Harvest, Maid of Saragossa, Maritana, Oranges and Lemons, Rose of Castille, and Zingari, together with Italian, Spanish, and Oriental.

    Source: Holt, Ardern.  Fancy Dresses Described, 2nd Edition, Illustrated.  London: Debenham & Freebody, 1880.

    Among the Costumes adapted to BRUNES are Africa, Arab Lady, Arrah-na-Pogue, Asia, Autumn, Bee, Gipsies of various kinds, the Bride of Abydos, Brigand's Wife, Britannia, Buy-a-Broom, Carmen, Cleopatra, Colleen Bawn, Connaught Peasant Diana, Druidess, Earth, Egyptian, Erin, Esmeralda, Fenella, Fire, Greek, Luti, the Indian Girl, Harvest, Maid of Saragossa, Maritana, Rose of Castille, and Zingari, together with Italian, Spanish, and Oriental dresses.

    Source: Holt, Ardern.  Fancy Dresses Described, 5th Edition.  London: Debenham & Freebody, 1887.

    Among the Characters adapted to BRUNES are Africa, Arab Lady, Arrah-na-Pogue, Asia, Autumn, Bee, Gipsies of various kinds, the Bride of Abydos, Brigand's Wife, Britannia, Buy-a-Broom, Carmen, Cleopatra, Colleen Bawn, Connaught Peasant, Diana, Druidess, Earth, Egyptian, Erin, Esmeralda, Fenella, Fire, Greek, Harvest, Maid of Saragossa, Maritana, Rose of Castille, together with Italian, Spanish, and Oriental dresses.

    Source: 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.

  • Christmas Card

    (An amazingly detailed description of how to embody a Christmas card. Merry Christmas to all who are celebrating!)

    Short striped skirt of black and gold, on the black a row of Christmas Cards printed horizontally, edged with gold braid, three on each, graduated, the largest at the bottom. At the edge of skirt are satin flounces, over which fall gold tinsel and fringe. Red satin paniers and drapery, covered with swansdown pompoms; scarlet satin cuirass bodice laced at the back, bordered at the neck with swansdown, festoons of holly-berries on the arm, below the shoulder. Cordon of Christmas roses across the bodice, white ribbon epaulettes, holly wreath, red aigrette, stockings and shoes. A Christmas card in centre of white swansdown fan.

    Source: Holt, Ardern.  Fancy Dresses Described, 5th Edition.  London: Debenham & Freebody, 1887.

  • Classic

    FD-Holt-1887-Classic (This is my absolute favorite of all the pseudo-historical Victorian fancy dress costumes: a "classical" Grecian style…draped over a bustle and corset!  "Not rigidly correct" is quite the understatement!)

    This simple rendering of a classic gown is suited to a young girl of slender figure, and is not rigidly correct as the costume of ancient days. It can be made in soft cashmere, muslin, nun's veiling, crêpe, crêpe de Chine, or Liberty silk, worked in the Greek-key pattern with narrow Russian gold braid.

    Source: Holt, Ardern.  Fancy Dresses Described, 5th Edition.  London: Debenham & Freebody, 1887.

  • For elderly ladies

    (This author pulled no punches with regard to dressing your age; no sexy costumes for older women, though at least there are a few suggestions that are not just some sort of old woman.)

    For ELDERLY LADIES the following costumes are suitable: –Mrs. Balchriste; Griselda Oldbuck, Dowager of Brionne, My Grandmother, a Lady of the Olden Times, Night, Puritan, some Vanduke dresses, Quakeress, Mrs. Primrose, wife of the Vicar of Wakefield, Peacock, the Duchess of Orleans, a Maltese Faldette, Mother Hubbard, Mother Shipton, a Sorceress, a Gallician Matron, and some Gainsborough and Sir Joshua Reynolds’s dresses.

    Source: Holt, Ardern.  Fancy Dresses Described, 5th Edition.  London: Debenham & Freebody, 1887.

  • Rosina (Barber of Seville)

    (Another costume from the opera, this time from Rossini.)

    (Barbiere de Seville). Spanish dress of cerise satin and black lace; black velvet senorita jacket; black lace mantilla.

    FD-senorita jacket Reconstruction note: the senorita jacket pictured at left is from the fashion section of the April, 1867, issue of Arthur’s Home Magazine. Though this is twenty years earlier than the description above, but the style is probably similar. The description given with the illustration is:

    Breakfast jacket of scarlet cashmere, ornamented upon the breast, and epaulets with butterflies with spread wings cut out in velvet and embroidered with gold and red and blue silk. There is a slight spring at the back of the waist, which deepens into a point, ornamented with butterfly to match.

    Source: Holt, Ardern.  Fancy Dresses Described, 5th Edition.  London: Debenham & Freebody, 1887.

  • Harliquina

    Armstrong-Harliquina (I have other descriptions of this costume, but none with such a good illustration.  I love the combination of the bustle and the bicorn hat.  It might be faster to do the diamonds as appliqué rather than patchwork.)

    Pierrette or Harliquina (for she is called by either name) has become a very favourite character at fancy balls of late, and the costume is decidedly piquante, and has a great air of individuality.  The lady in the picture is dressed in pink and green, but the dress can also be made in red and black, white and silver, pink and blue, and in many other combinations of colour.  The bodice and petticoat are made in diamond-shaped pieces of shot silk, alternately pink and Chatreuse green, and the gay little cloak which hangs from one shoulder, has a border of diamonds to correspond.  The top-skirt is formed of a drapery of pale green mousseline chiffon, and the two-cornered Directoire hat has a large rosette made of the two colours.  Long black gloves appear in the picture, but these would be in better taste if they matched the dress.

    Source: Armstrong, Lucie.  The Ball-Room Guide.  London and New York: Frederick Warne & Co., c1880s.