A visit with added fashion ...
Today the weather was humid, overcast and 26C/79F in London where I headed on the train with a friend to see their exhibition: Out Shopping: The Dresses of Marion and Maud Sambourne (1880-1910). The main exhibition is at the Leighton House Museum in Holland Park - which I have visited several times, but my friend had never been to it.
One of several houses built around the area for artists the house is full of Sir Frederick Leighton's art along with his contemporaries and one I have posted about before when we visited last year. The exhibition is quite small but focuses on some of the lovely surviving dresses worn by Marion Sambourne and her daughter Maud who lived along the road in Linley Sambourne's house (which we visited last year too).
Under the cut for some different photos of the houses and the lovely dresses worn by the ladies.
I had to photograph the indoor fountain at Leighton House again - it's such a lovely calming space.
Looking up at the ceiling
This is what served as a passport for Frederick Leighton when he travelled around 'acquiring' things for his house. Fabulous phrases -
"...Request and require in the Name of Her Majesty, all those whom it may concern Sir Frederic Leighton (British subject), President of the Royal Academy travelling in the continent to pass freely without let or hindrance, and to afford him every assistance and protection of which he may stand in need"
I love visiting places with different people - my friend pointed out this wonderful glass chandelier (with beautiful blown glass flowers covering it) in the Drawing room which I'd not noticed on the many visits I've made before!
I also spotted some lovely details in the dining room such as..
these carved surrounds for the doorway.
Then it was on to the exhibition. Here we have Marion's green velvet 'afternoon' dress (1885). Marion was in her 30s with two small children and would have worn this when socialising in the daytime (visiting friends and relatives).
This beaver fur jacket was worn by Marion around 1910.
Unusually there is a photo of her wearing it:
Places the ladies went to buy their fashion across London include names that no longer exist like Derry & Thoms, although Selfridges is still around...
Marion's mourning outfit (1895) was purchased after the death of her mother.
A jacket and skirt owned by Marion, and bought for her daughter's wedding in 1898. Made of silk with a pink silk lining and lace cuffs.
This is what a receipt looked like back in the day!
Maude's 'walking outfit' (1909-1910). Made by the dressmaker Sarah Fullerton Monteith Young who was Maude's favourite dressmaker after she'd made her wedding dress.
Detail:
One of several evening dresses owned by Maude (1900). As a married lady, she would have been expected to take on the role of chaperone and watch the unmarried girls dance without taking part herself. Something she wrote about in her letters to her mother expressing her frustration.
Detail
A tea gown worn by Maud when entertaining friends and family at home. A more relaxed style this was probably worn as a maternity dress.
A day dress owned by Maud (1906) - showing how she embellished her dresses. By using an 'off the peg' dress and dressing it up with a silver and gold beaded appliqué and tassels added to the bodice women could personalise their dresses at home.
An evening coat (1912) - silk with a decorative border and fringes. The fashion silhouette changed dramatically over time, and the drop waist was very popular by the early 1910s.
After seeing the dresses at Leighton House, we walked along to Linley Sanbournes House to see the final example in the main bedroom of the museum.
Another of Maude's evening gowns (1900-1905) in velvet with lace sleeves and collar.
It was lovely to see both houses again with someone who had never visited and the fashion exhibition was definitely a bonus (plus we had a delicious lunch at Leighton House sitting outside in the lovely gardens).
Our journey home was slightly disrupted as High Street Kensington tube station was shut when we got there as there had been a points failure. Fortunately, it's not hard to catch a bus which took us all the way back to Charing Cross station very easily. I love travelling around London!
One of several houses built around the area for artists the house is full of Sir Frederick Leighton's art along with his contemporaries and one I have posted about before when we visited last year. The exhibition is quite small but focuses on some of the lovely surviving dresses worn by Marion Sambourne and her daughter Maud who lived along the road in Linley Sambourne's house (which we visited last year too).
Under the cut for some different photos of the houses and the lovely dresses worn by the ladies.
I had to photograph the indoor fountain at Leighton House again - it's such a lovely calming space.
Looking up at the ceiling
This is what served as a passport for Frederick Leighton when he travelled around 'acquiring' things for his house. Fabulous phrases -
"...Request and require in the Name of Her Majesty, all those whom it may concern Sir Frederic Leighton (British subject), President of the Royal Academy travelling in the continent to pass freely without let or hindrance, and to afford him every assistance and protection of which he may stand in need"
I love visiting places with different people - my friend pointed out this wonderful glass chandelier (with beautiful blown glass flowers covering it) in the Drawing room which I'd not noticed on the many visits I've made before!
I also spotted some lovely details in the dining room such as..
these carved surrounds for the doorway.
Then it was on to the exhibition. Here we have Marion's green velvet 'afternoon' dress (1885). Marion was in her 30s with two small children and would have worn this when socialising in the daytime (visiting friends and relatives).
This beaver fur jacket was worn by Marion around 1910.
Unusually there is a photo of her wearing it:
Places the ladies went to buy their fashion across London include names that no longer exist like Derry & Thoms, although Selfridges is still around...
Marion's mourning outfit (1895) was purchased after the death of her mother.
A jacket and skirt owned by Marion, and bought for her daughter's wedding in 1898. Made of silk with a pink silk lining and lace cuffs.
This is what a receipt looked like back in the day!
Maude's 'walking outfit' (1909-1910). Made by the dressmaker Sarah Fullerton Monteith Young who was Maude's favourite dressmaker after she'd made her wedding dress.
Detail:
One of several evening dresses owned by Maude (1900). As a married lady, she would have been expected to take on the role of chaperone and watch the unmarried girls dance without taking part herself. Something she wrote about in her letters to her mother expressing her frustration.
Detail
A tea gown worn by Maud when entertaining friends and family at home. A more relaxed style this was probably worn as a maternity dress.
A day dress owned by Maud (1906) - showing how she embellished her dresses. By using an 'off the peg' dress and dressing it up with a silver and gold beaded appliqué and tassels added to the bodice women could personalise their dresses at home.
An evening coat (1912) - silk with a decorative border and fringes. The fashion silhouette changed dramatically over time, and the drop waist was very popular by the early 1910s.
After seeing the dresses at Leighton House, we walked along to Linley Sanbournes House to see the final example in the main bedroom of the museum.
Another of Maude's evening gowns (1900-1905) in velvet with lace sleeves and collar.
It was lovely to see both houses again with someone who had never visited and the fashion exhibition was definitely a bonus (plus we had a delicious lunch at Leighton House sitting outside in the lovely gardens).
Our journey home was slightly disrupted as High Street Kensington tube station was shut when we got there as there had been a points failure. Fortunately, it's not hard to catch a bus which took us all the way back to Charing Cross station very easily. I love travelling around London!