1870s Evening Dresses and Gowns

Circa 1870/1875 France. Day dress with princess, two-part bodice and skirt on a bustle cage. Sky-blue taffeta decorated with starched cream gauze called tarlatane, finely wrinkled and crenellated à la grecque. Boned bodice with long basque closing in front by matching curved buttons. Long skirt with train adorned with the same furbelows. Volume of the bouillonné skirt in pouf projected at the back that can be raised by a system of brass rings and cotton cords. Exhibit in "Falbalas, Portraits et Mode au féminin 1850 - 1930" (Falbalas, Portraits and Fashion Female 1850 - 1930) at the Museum of Art of the City of Toulon in 2017. There a brown stain under the pocket, really hard to notice. A yellowish spot on the skirt at the bottom right, only defect. Otherwise clean dress and very good structure of silk and cotton. Good condition of color and conservation. Dimensions: Equivalent French Size 36 Front height 139 cm Back height 209 cm Shoulders 36 cm Collar 5 cm Sleeve 50 cm Chest 82 cm Waist 61 cm Hips 118 cm Circumference of the skirt 355 cm Facing the drawbacks of long trains of the late Second Empire, revive the principle of à la polonaise...

Circa 1875-1880 France Troisième République Period A bustle cage dress and peplum over dress in Eau du Nil challis and lustrous pink taffeta silk. Historicist inspiration of the Louis XIII style by the small puffed sleeves and the berthe collar of the dress. As well as of the Louis XV style by the peplum overdress with a polonaise retroussé effect and its large basques judiciously superimposed. Generous work of ruched appliqué ruffles with hems made by sewing machine. Piping braids, knots, and flat pleats work in a contrast effect between the shiny taffeta and the matt challis. A few moth holes, a small hole and a halo located on the front skirt and the waist belt (not visible because covered by the overskirt). Very good condition of color and conservation Dimensions : Presented on mannequin size 32/34. Small size. Height 122 cm Shoulders 37 cm Collar 3 cm Sleeves 46 cm Chest 80 cm Waist 62 cm When around 1868, the Princess of Metternick was first seen in a Worth dress known as the Peplum withouh crinoline, the muse of the imperial salons of the Second Empire, she set the tone for a simplification of the silhouette towards a fashion less marked of etiquette. In the same way, the princess line launched at the same period, a draped dress without seams at the waist between the bodice and the skirt, designed a fashion suitable for ceremonies as well as for city or walking ensembles: dresses with a system that allows the skirt to be raised by a system of inner cords also facilitate walking and the progressive development of women's sports. Between 1870 and 1890, the old crinoline cages underwent several morphological evolutions: from the half whale cage in the shape of a pouff or a false butt, to the bustle cage, the most extravagant model of which was the folding chair with articulated cushion, the female silhouette only became lighter very gradually. The upholstery style is still very much in vogue, with its drapes, braids and pleats, but is superimposed in several pieces of clothing: paletots, corselets with straps, boleros, visits and removable overskirts with aprons or à la polonaise...

Winter 1874 (written in black ink on the lining) China Qing Dynasty Amazing ceremonial dress for Taoist Dignitary (Fa Yi) dated in black ink on the lining "Winter 1874". Purple silk...

Adolfo, silk chiffon and gold lame, paisley patterned caftan with cuffed sleeves. Dress has a silk slip in a complimentary shade of green. C. 1970's.