Historical Fancy Dress

Brownie

(A brownie costume for a boy or a group of boys that's more creepy than charming.)

This costume is of brown cloth with yellow bands, buttons and cap trimming.  Yellow stockings and brown pointed slippers.  Where a number of "Brownies" are to appear, the costume may be made of khaki, duck or like material, and may be of any combination of colors, bright hues being preferred.

Source:
Masquerades, Tableaux and Drills.  New York: The Butterick Publishing Company, 1906.

The Seasons Quadrille

(Here are descriptions of costumes for a Fancy Quadrille carried out by a matched set of eight ladies and gentlemen.  A subset of the costume descriptions could also be used for a group of men or women or for a couple.)

THE SEASONS QUADRILLE

SPRING. -- A very Young Lady. -- Short dress of primrose tulle, with satin bodice of the same colour.  Skirt, trimmed with bunches of primroses, and bouquets of same on shoulders; primrose wreath on the head; shoes and stockings and gloves all of the same colour.

Attendant Gentleman -- Angler -- Izaak Walton. -- A brown, velvet doublet, with brass buttons up the front and along the square side-pockets.  Full knee-breeches of brown velvet, with brown or yellow silk stockings.  A high pointed beaver hat, with yellow feather.; fishing-rod in hand.  Hair tied in a bag-wig with brown or yellow bow.

SUMMER. -- Pale pink tulle, over satin of the same shade.  Low bodice, edged with garland of roses.  Wreath of ross on head, and a long garland of the same flowers on the skirt.

Attendant Gentleman -- Haymaker. -- Smock frock of cream-coloured soft silk, brown corduroy knee-breeches, and pale blue stockings, with Oxford shoes.  Rustic hat, and square-cut hair.  Sleeves tied in three places with pale blue ribbon.

AUTUMN. -- Amber tulle dress, trimmed with long garlands of poppies and corn.  Bunches of same on shoulders  Wreath of poppies and corn.  This is a most becoming dess for a brunette.

Attendant Gentleman -- Reaper. -- Same as haymaker, but with green corduroy breeches, instead of brown.  Brown stockings and Oxford shoes.  Belt and sickle.

WINTER. -- White satin short dress, edged with swan's-down.  A robin perched on left shoulder.  Leonardo da Vinci cap of white plush, trimmed with swan's-down, and a robin stuck at one side.  High white satin boots edged with swan's down at the top.

Attendant Gentleman -- Polish Skater. -- Dress of purple velvet, edged with fur.  Small skates slung to his belt.

Source:
Armstrong, Lucie.  The Ball-Room Guide.  London and New York: Frederick Warne & Co., c1880s.

Falconer & Falconry

(Falconer and Falcon(e)ry are actually individual costumes from completely different sources, though close together in time, but they'd also make a workable pair of themed costumes for a couple, despite their disparate historical styles.  It seems a bit unfair that the lady gets a hawk, presumably stuffed, and the gentleman does not!)

For the gentlemen, a Falconer:

FALCONER
Short tunic of brown velvet trimmed with a plastron of gold cloth and bound with gold braid, fastened round the waist with a leather belt.  Loose knickerbockers, gartered at the knee, and tied with a ribbon bow.  White stockings with calf-pieces of velvet trimmed with gold braid.  Leather shoes.  Lace neck-frill.  Soft, round hat of velvet, trimmed with eagle feathers.

Source:
Masquerade and Carnival.  New York: The Butterick Publishing Company, 1892.

 

For the ladies, Falconery:

FALCONERY
Short skirt of dark cloth, red, blue, or brown; green velvet skirt caught up on one side; long basqued jacket of the same; gauntlet gloves with hawk on the hand.  Cavalier hat with dropping feathers; high boots.

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

 

Nine years later the description is virtually the same, though the velvet overskirt is lost and the spelling is more conventional:

FALCONRY
Short skirt of dark cloth, red or brown; long basqued jacket of green velvet; gauntlet gloves; a hawk on the hand.  Cavalier hat with dropping feathers; high boots.

Source:
Holt, Ardern.  Fancy Dresses Described, Sixth Edition.  London: Debenham & Freebody, 1896.

The 1896 edition of Holt may be found online at the University of Wisconsin Digital Collections.

Salt Water and Fresh Water

(Here's a pair of costumes for two sisters or friends that's in the same general category as the mermaid, sea maiden, and water spirit previously described, though considerably simpler in ornamentation.)

The 1896 description:
Suitable dresses for two sisters; both would wear green and white tulle dresses and veils.  For salt water, these would be trimmed with coral, seaweeds, and shells; the other with water-lilies and grasses.

The 1880 and 1887 descriptions specify green and white evening dresses with white tulle veils but are otherwise identical to the later one.

Sources:
Holt, Ardern.  Fancy Dresses Described, 2nd Edition, Illustrated.  London: Debenham & Freebody, 1880.
Holt, Ardern.  Fancy Dresses Described, 5th Edition.  London: Debenham & Freebody, 1887.
Holt, Ardern.  Fancy Dresses Described, Sixth Edition.  London: Debenham & Freebody, 1896.

The 1896 edition of Holt may be found online at the University of Wisconsin Digital Collections.

Brunhilda and Kriemhilda

(My fabulous costume-and-dance friend Eowyn requested the description of a Walküre (Valkyrie) costume. This was the closest I could find for her -- Wagnerian characters in medieval gowns. I don't know the operas well enough to know whether the outfits would be particular to some specific scene.

(Niebelslungen Lied). Suitable for two sisters. They wear rich gold stuffs made in Burgundian fashion of the thirteenth century. Brunhilda would have under-dress of brocade, over-dress of gold tissue caught up at the side; low square bodice bordered with jewels, jewelled stomacher, silver girdle; sleeves puffed at elbow and shoulder; gold crown, hair in coil entwined with pearls. Kriemhilda: under-skirt of rich stuff, bordered with bands of gold; upper-dress of embroidered cloth-of-gold, bordered with ermine; low bodice much jewelled in front, long sleeves lined ith ermine, and bound with gold, tight sleeves to wrist; hair on shoulders, surmounted by a crown.

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

Costume suggestions for sisters

(A list of suggestions for costumes for sisters that also work for any pair or group of women. I can just imagine my sister's reaction had I ever suggested dressing her as a slave to my Circassian Princess...)

SISTERS who desire to appear in costumes which assimilate might choose any of the following: Apple and Pear Blossoms, Sovereign and Shilling, Cinderella's two sisters, Cordelia's sisters, Brenda and Minna Troil, Brunhilda and Kriemhilda, Salt and Fresh Water, the Roses of York and Lancaster, a Circassian Princess and Slave, Music and Painting, the Two Nornas, Lovebirds, Aurora and the Hours, Oranges and Lemons, and Four Sisters as the Seasons.

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