FEMME FASHION
I stumbled across a book on sale yesterday. It's called Femme fashion, is in both German and English, and focuses on female fashion from ca. 1780-2004. The biggest chunk of the book is about newer fashion, but there are some interesting articles and photos of pre-1900 outfits there as well. I've skipped a few photos, but this is basically it:
Robe a la Francaise, Germany ca. 1780
This one slightly reminds me of the Toile de Jouy dress I started on loooong ago (not in fabric, but in cut and details). The compère is actually front closed with hooks and eyes, from what I can tell (there's a closeup of it in the book). That's rare, isn't it? The engageants looks like a newer adding.
Chemise dress, Germany, ca. 1819
I love the back pleats of this dress! The hem is also gorgeous. The book describes it as "....is notable for being made of a stiff cotton fabric which is not at all transparent. The sleeves are very elaborate worked and show that the silhouette is becoming increasingly broader at the shoulder lime. Similarli, the neckline, which is almost straight across without any transition to the shoulder line since it is now higher at the back, is emphasized by lace trimming, corresponding to a hemline faced with costly Richelieu needlepoint lace".
Summer dress ca. 1829
Nice embroideries on the skirt.
Afternoon dress with Pagoda sleeves, ca. 1848/50
This just isn't my era.... But I love how the stripes of the fabric is being used in the pleating of the bodice. Gorgeous tailoring there! The colour are more muted in the book than this online photo.
Afternoon dress, German or British, ca. 1866
Plaid o'hoy!! I'm guessing British.... hehehe. Gotta love the wacko colour combination.
Afternoon dress, British, 1869/70
There's a slight fading on the backdrape (side), it's not due to my camera....
Afternoon dress, British, 1881/82
What a pleasant, though somewhat modest, colour combination!
Day dress with "Cul de Paris" bustle, 1884/86
I like the fabric in this one
Afternoon dress, Magdeburg, Germany, 1894/95
Wow....