Historical Fancy Dress

Canary Bird

(Another easy costume featuring a stuffed bird on the shoulder!)

Dress of yellow plush or satin, with canaries on the shoulder, the bird's head forming the cap. Sometimes the yellow satin is embroidered in pearls, and canaries are scattered all over the dress.

Source: Holt, Ardern.  Fancy Dresses Described, 5th Edition.  London: Debenham & Freebody, 1887.

Parrot

(Back to the birds again.  This outfit seems to require an enormous number of feathers, if the wings are even somewhat proportionate.  I really wish there was a picture for this one!)

A yellow gown with cuirass bodice and cap of green feathers like a parrot's head, two long feathers forming the tail on the skirt the rest of the dress green satin, with wings at the side formed of feathers.

Source: Holt, Ardern.  Fancy Dresses Described, 5th Edition.  London: Debenham & Freebody, 1887.

Magpie

(Here's a dramatic woman's bird costume with two separate descriptions of different approaches to take to the theme, the second of which is illustrated at left.  Note that it's built over a small bustle!  Click the illustration to enlarge.)

Half black, half white dress; hair powdered on one side and not on the other; one glove and one shoe black, one white; short satin skirt, with gauze tunic bordered with fringe; basque bodice; gauze fichu; satin ribbon tied in a bow at the throat; gauze cap.  All half black and half white, so that the wearer seems on one side all black, on the other all white.  A magpie on the right shoulder.

[second version]  The front of the skirt is striped black and white satin plaited; the bodice cut in one with long side revers of black, lined and turned back with white ruching to the hem of the skirt, opening down back to show full plaited skirt.  The black bodice bordered with white; low striped vest; magpie on the shoulder and in hair, which may be powdered or not, or half-powdered.

Source: Holt, Ardern.  Fancy Dresses Described, 5th Edition.  London: Debenham & Freebody, 1887.