Victorian Fashionista

Behind The Scenes At The Met

/ Adam Lid / 1 Comment

Here’s an interesting garment that we came across on the Met YouTube Channel that takes a look at an evening gown from 1898:

 

We previously discussed this gown in this post and this video takes a close look at the dress. Here are a couple of views of the dress:

Ballgown, Worth, 1898; Metropolitan Museum of Art (2009.300.1324a, b)

House of Worth, Ballgown,, 1898; Metropolitan Museum of Art (2009.300.1324a, b)

One interesting thing that stands out is the video shows that the bodice has green silk flower appliques that provides a background for the butterflies. It’s an interesting effect but unfortunately hard to make out from the regular pictures. After looking at the video, we were amazed at just how complex the dress is in terms of design effects- it’s more exquisite than we originally thought which just goes to show that to fully appreciate Worth’s work, it really needs to be seen up close in person.


And Some Petticoats

/ Karin McKechnie-Lid / Leave a comment

Even in the heart of winter, my girly heart craves embroidered sheers over colored petticoats…this yellow one gives this dress a kiss of sunshine 🌞

We have a variety of designs and fabrics available for petticoats and you can find out more by contacting us HERE.

 

 


And More Corsetry…

/ Karin McKechnie-Lid / Leave a comment

The lustre of silk ribbon is luscious, it also tends to not fray when cut on the bias. Ribbon candy loveliness. One of these could be yours…we have a wide variety of fabrics and colors. For more details, please contact us HERE. ♡

 


More Corsetry In The Works

/ Karin McKechnie-Lid / Leave a comment

Silk warp print from Paris cut for a yummy plus size shape using Atelier Sylphe’s Ref Z and a suite of antique lace and silk ribbon going to her new home for Christmas. 🎄


And For The Winter Season From Maison Worth

/ Adam Lid / Leave a comment

Norbert Goeneutte, “The Boulevard de Clichy under Snow 1876”

Winter is here and with it, outerwear takes on a whole new importance. Here’s one spectacular design from Maison Worth from the late 1890s to help keep the winter cold at bay… 🙂

Worth, Evening Mantle, c. Late 1890s; Metropolitan Museum of Art (C.I.51.69.2)

This mantle/coat is a stunner with silk velvet (most likely) floral pattern fashion fabric combined with sleeves lined with black silk velvet and collar and upper capelet also of the same black silk velvet. As a counterpoint, the facings are a cream/ivory colored silk satin edged in lace filigree. Finally, trimming the neck are cream/ivory feathers. Below is a close-up of the upper front:

Close-Up of Front

Side Profile

The sides and back really show off the floral pattern fashion fabric nicely.

And below is a close-up of the fashion fabric:

Close-up of fashion fabric.

From the above photo, it appears that the fashion fabric’s floral pattern is either created from burned out velvet or the black floral elements are velvet appliques. It’s hard to tell without examining it in person. And finally, we have the characteristic Maison Worth label:

Label

As with many of Maison Worth’s creations that we’ve viewed online, mere photos don’t tell the whole story and it’s too bad that we aren’t able to view this coat in person because we’re sure it would have a lot more to tell. But in spite of this, it’s still a marvelous example of the designs that Maison Worth produced during the 1880s and 90s. 🙂