That Little Black Dress

Collections:  I remember an exhibit in London at the Fashion and Textile Museum entitled, "Little Black Dress".  It was around 2008 or 09 I believe.  I thought that it might be fun to muse on the subject myself, since, as a collector, one is always presented with the opportunity to acquire one.  I don't know how other collectors feel on the subject, but I have noticed that the sheer quantity of black or white garments available from dealers or on ebay demonstrates the historical popularity of these neutrals.

Contrary to popular assumptions, black isn't nor has it ever been solely used for observing the ritual of mourning.  We probably inherited that opinion, like so many others, from our Victorian grandmothers, who were obviously influenced by the Queen herself.  Black can be seen in the portraits of the fashionable as early as the Renaissance and 19th century artists, such as Ingres, Whistler and Tissot were masters at capturing its subtleties.  In fact, this neutral was quite expensive to produce due to the instability of the dyes and consequently the most expensive textiles could be acquired in black.  It has denoted rank and authority, hence its popularity in men's wear, and of course has had strong religious associations for many cultures, like the Anabaptists, Amish and the old order Mennonites, the Dutch Reformers of the 17th centuries, and Muslim faiths.  Add to this, the fact that it hid dirt well, in an age when cleaning textiles was next to impossible, and its popularity must have been born more of neccessity than preference.

But when exactly did we throw away our Victorian notions and associations with death and embrace that highly prized, "Little Black Dress?"  An editorial staple since the 20th century phenomenon began.

Ingres, Madame Le Blanc

Sargent, Madame X

While both artists were masters at catching the nuisances of black, Victorian society was particularly shocked by Whistler's portrait.  Not so much the colour, but the lack of sleeves.
Below, the use of black for women's sports wear.  When Bonnie Butler, the daughter of Rhett and Scarlett, needed a new riding outfit, Rhett wanted to defy convention by ordering one in blue.  "A basic black broadcloth is what li'l girls wear." So Mammy admonished!

Riding outfit, circa 1860

Edwardian Swimsuit

Why are the hottest of pursuits performed in black?  Luckily, tennis and croquet costumes were generally in white.  (We'll address it next time)

Victoria 1862

Forever our associations with the use of black. Until......

Black velvet and jet ball gown, circa 1895

Beaded Tulle, circa 1910

1926

Trompe l'oeil dress.  Necklace, belt and bracelets are actually beaded on the garment!

cuff detail

Dior, Taffeta

When Barbie had influence!

Who could forget what Audrey did for this colour.

Breakfast at Tiffany's

Or when a woman is seeking revenge, black is always useful in the right hands!

Recollections:  Like any collector, I try to acquire as wide a representation of the development of dress as I can.  The advantage to collecting black or white garments, is that the eye is free to concentrate on the silhouette and not be distracted by the textile. Still, having said that, whenever possible, a neutral garment will be passed on or traded as soon as a more interesting coloration makes itself available.  When re-creating, I will accent with black, but have yet to tackle the all black costume.

Authors collection, circa 1908

Ambitions:  If you are not familiar with the fairly new Fashion and Textile Museum in London then be sure to put it on your list for the next time you visit.  Their focus is on fashion from 1950-present.  An area that is just beginning to draw the interest of other institutions.

La Galleria del Costume

Collections:  If you have the opportunity to visit Florence, you must make a point of setting aside some time for the Gallery of Costume at the Pitti Palace.  This collection of clothing is an often overlooked gem  in a city of notable collections.  My best advice to you, is to visit the palace ticket office at your earliest opportunity to check on the opening times for this gallery.  Access to the collection is sporadic at best.  I have been able to visit numerous times and the one thing you can count on, is that you can't always count on seeing this collection.  If you are lucky enough to gain access, you will probably have the collection all to yourself!  Unlike the Victoria and Albert museum in London, you won't have to fight for a good view.  I particularly like their arrangement of floating display cases.  It allows for the exploration of the garments from all sides and if you happen to be sharing the space with others, it disperses the crowds nicely.  Unfortunately, catalogues on the collection are no longer available.

Galleria displays

The collection is located on the 3rd floor of the Pitti Palace, in a series of salons which enhance and contextual the costumes.  Usually the rotating exhibits are displayed in a chronological order reflecting the evolution of dress, along with anterooms of specially themed exhibits on accessories or particular periods.  The costumes represent a wide range of manufacturing centers.  Naples seems to have been a preferred shopping source for many in the second quarter of the 20th century and what surprised me most was the large collection of 19th century dresses labelled "C. Donovan" New York.  Interestingly, I have yet to see one Worth on display in their collection but Fortuny and Ferragamo are well represented.

Black Chantilly lace over yellow silk satin, circa 1865

Yellow and cream striped silk over pale blue underskirt, circa 1878

Roller printed cotton in pale grey, circa 1837

Black silk, circa 1915

Silk Tulle embroidered in gold thread, circa 1823

Recollections:  Of special note, on my last visit, was an exhibition on the exhumed costumes of Eleanora of Toledo, Cosimo I de'Medici and their son Don Garzia.  These dated circa 1562.  Mounted on large flat sheets of foam core, they were angled within their cases for easy viewing by the public.  Heavily stained with the remains of body fluids and with large areas of the silk missing due to disintegration, the display relied on the drawings of costume historian Janet Arnold to "flesh" out what the viewer was studying.  Portraits of the three added to our understanding of how these garments were worn and the importance of dress at the time.  Notice the bodice and details in the portrait of Eleanora of Toledo below and compare them to the remaining fragment removed from her tomb in the 1850's.  They are so strikingly similar it poses the question, "Is this the actual dress she wore when she was buried?"  It would not be unusual for many women to be buried in their best clothing or even wedding apparel.

Eleanora of Toledo

Satin & Velvet bodice Fragment, 1562

Janet Arnold, Patterns of Fashion, 1560-1620

Ambitions:  To re-visit this collection in May of 2012.

That Little Black Dress

Collections:  I remember an exhibit in London at the Fashion and Textile Museum entitled, "Little Black Dress".  It was around 2008 or 09 I believe.  I thought that it might be fun to muse on the subject myself, since, as a collector, one is always presented with the opportunity to acquire one.  I don't know how other collectors feel on the subject, but I have noticed that the sheer quantity of black or white garments available from dealers or on ebay demonstrates the historical popularity of these neutrals.

Contrary to popular assumptions, black isn't nor has it ever been solely used for observing the ritual of mourning.  We probably inherited that opinion, like so many others, from our Victorian grandmothers, who were obviously influenced by the Queen herself.  Black can be seen in the portraits of the fashionable as early as the Renaissance and 19th century artists, such as Ingres, Whistler and Tissot were masters at capturing its subtleties.  In fact, this neutral was quite expensive to produce due to the instability of the dyes and consequently the most expensive textiles could be acquired in black.  It has denoted rank and authority, hence its popularity in men's wear, and of course has had strong religious associations for many cultures, like the Anabaptists, Amish and the old order Mennonites, the Dutch Reformers of the 17th centuries, and Muslim faiths.  Add to this, the fact that it hid dirt well, in an age when cleaning textiles was next to impossible, and its popularity must have been born more of neccessity than preference.

But when exactly did we throw away our Victorian notions and associations with death and embrace that highly prized, "Little Black Dress?"  An editorial staple since the 20th century phenomenon began.

Ingres, Madame Le Blanc

Whistler, Madame X

While both artists were masters at catching the nuisances of black, Victorian society was particularly shocked by Whistler's portrait.  Not so much the colour, but the lack of sleeves.
Below, the use of black for women's sports wear.  When Bonnie Butler, the daughter of Rhett and Scarlett, needed a new riding outfit, Rhett wanted to defy convention by ordering one in blue.  "A basic black broadcloth is what li'l girls wear." So Mammy admonished!

Riding outfit, circa 1860

Edwardian Swimsuit

Why are the hottest of pursuits performed in black?  Luckily, tennis and croquet costumes were generally in white.  (We'll address it next time)

Victoria 1862

Forever our associations with the use of black. Until......

Black velvet and jet ball gown, circa 1895
Victoria & Albert Museum

Beaded Tulle, circa 1910
Pitti Palace, Florence

1926

Lagerfeld, 1988

Trompe l'oeil dress.  
Necklace, belt and bracelets are actually beaded on the garment!

cuff detail

Dior, Taffeta

When Barbie had influence!

Who could forget what Audrey did for this neutral.

Breakfast at Tiffany's

Or when a woman is seeking to upstage her unfaithful husband, black is always the right choice!

Recollections:  Like any collector, I try to acquire as wide a representation of the development of dress as I can.  The advantage to collecting black or white garments, is that the eye is free to concentrate on the silhouette and not be distracted by the textile. Still, having said that, whenever possible, a neutral garment will be passed on or traded as soon as a more interesting coloration makes itself available.  When re-creating, I will accent with black, but have yet to tackle the all black costume.

Authors vintage collection, circa 1908

Detail

Black point d'esprit over black satin.  Jet beaded decoration.  Cream lace with turquoise blue velvet trim.


Ambitions:  If you are not familiar with the fairly new Fashion and Textile Museum in London then be sure to put it on your list for the next time you visit.  Their focus is on fashion from 1950-present.  An area that is just beginning to draw the interest of other institutions.
Have a favorite "little black dress"?  I'd be happy to take care of it for you!  Want to share a story or memory?  Feel free to comment.

Material Girls

Collections:  Costume collections the world over are a rich resource for the fashions of the elite.  Often, the cult of celebrity has fueled the flames of fashion to reach for the ridiculous as well as the sublime.  Certainly this has been true of the fashions of the 18th and 19th centuries.  Luckily for those of us interested in the dress, manner and customs of the past, a wealth of "material" survives.  While many of the clothes that make up the great collections of the museums of the world have documented fashionable dress for most of the past 300 years, the identity of their owners has been lost. But, having said that, certainly the influences of a handful of women can be seen.  My tribute is to the ultimate "Material Girls".  Those women who influenced the generation that shared the stage with them.

18th century display, Museum of Costume, Bath

At the court of Louis XV of France, Madame de Pompadour was certainly the "it" girl.  She met Louis at a masked ball for 5000 at Versailles.  The ball was part of the celebrations for the marriage of his son, the Dauphin.  Her uncle worked in the cabinet and secured an invitation for her.  She came dressed as Diana, Goddess of the Hunt.  Louis, along with 15 men of the bedchamber, came dressed as a forest of yew trees.  One observer recounted how she ran in and out of the forest of men looking for the king.  She certainly was on the hunt.  She had such an enormous impact on the manners, customs and design of her day that a colour was created to honor her.  "Pompadour Pink".  A well educated women, she is shown below in a portrait of grace and refinement.  Set in her boudoir, the artist has chosen to contrast her beauty and fashionable appearance against a desk laden with architectural prints, sheet music and published volumes.  He wanted us to see that not only was she well educated, but that she was a great patron of the arts and writers of her day.  She even supported Diderot with the publication of his Encyclopedia.

Her gown is of the newly fashionable painted silks.  These were a reaction to the cheaper Indian printed cottons that were threatening the silk industry in France.

Brocaded Silk, MET collection

Madam de Pompadour

Detail of fly fringe decoration






Within a generation of the death of Madame de Pompadour, the Austrian princess Marie Antoinette arrives at the court of Versailles.  At 13, she will marry the grandson of Louis XV and heir to the throne. Literally the first fashion victim, she and her ladies were a product of the time.  So interested was she in her appearance, that her dress maker, Rose Bertin, was given apartments within the palace.  They met to discuss and plan the Queen's attire twice a week.

Rose Bertin

Marie Antoinette

Unfortunately, nothing of the fabulous wardrobe of Marie Antoinette survives.  At least, not that can be accounted for by hard evidence such as bills, journals or any paintings.  The French Revolution swept away any attributions.  Although, the shoe that she wore to the guillotine has survived.  The dress below, has been attributed to the workshop of Rose Bertin.  It is fascinating to ponder the possibility that this garment once donned the body of the ill fated queen.

Collection of Royal Ontario Museum

Collection of Kyoto Costume Institute

Certainly, the Toronto example, is less exaggerated than the court example on display in Japan.  Like the silk worn earlier by Madam de Pompadour, it has been hand painted.

Empress Eugenie of France

When the dust of the French Revolution had settled and Napoleon had had his day, the time was ripe for another fashionista.  The empress of the second empire, Eugenie.  The ultimate clothes horse, it is said that she changed her clothing on average 7 times a day!  It is also claimed that she never wore the same gown twice and that when women were invited for the week to the hunting lodge at Compeigne, they packed 28 changes of clothing.  A great beauty in her day, she shocked society by wearing eye liner and rouge.  Talk about an age of conspicuous consumption.  Is it surprising that under her patronage the couture industry in France began?

Crinoline supported gown, circa 1865

At the same time, England had its' own fashion icon.  Alexandra, Princess of Wales.  Like the late Princess Diana, she too set the trends for a generation.  The princess seam was designed to take advantage of her 18" waist.  The dog collar necklaces and her favorite color, lilac, to note two more.

Princess Alexandra of Wales, 1883

Museum of Costume, Bath 1896
Gown of Princess Alexandra

Do the material girls end here?  Not on your life.  We will revisit this fascinating costume heritage again.