(This is a fantastic and bloodthirsty costume, with a snaky theme and a classic Greek chiton rather than the usual gown of the era. It may well still have been worn over a corset and bustle, though!)
Red or black veils, snakes entwined about bare arms, buskins like a huntress, rough chiton of brown, or black, or blood-coloured, girt with skins of snakes; other serpents bind their waists, and their garments are embroidered with snakes' eyes.
Source: Holt, Ardern. Fancy Dresses Described, 5th Edition. London: Debenham & Freebody, 1887.
Your blog is such an exciting discovery! I'm fascinated by historical fancy dress and am compiling my own database of fancy dress images and mentions - lots of photographs and articles from New Zealand magazines. I'm going to enjoy following what you put up!
Posted by: The Dreamstress | September 21, 2010 at 12:26 AM
How wonderful! I just came back from a trip to New Zealand, though I was touring rather than doing research. I very much enjoyed a wearable art show that I saw in Rotorua. If any of your fancy dress material is historical, I would be very interested in seeing it!
Posted by: Susan de Guardiola | September 21, 2010 at 07:28 AM