Historical Fancy Dress

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.

Snow, Snowstorm, Snow Queen

(A costume suited to the season or for anyone with an excess of swansdown at hand.  White maribou would make a workable substitute.)

Snow, Snowstorm.
A princesse dress of soft white foulard, made high to the throat, or with a square-cut bodice, back and front, and very short sleeves; a drapery of Indian muslin put on just below the hips, covered with detached pieces of frosted swansdown, caught back at both sides with a long broad piece of swansdown, long glass icicles; the bodice and short sleeves trimmed to match, and a wreath of frosted swansdown, with icicles; a veil, fastened either to the wreath or to the shoulders, of frosted gauze, dotted all over with swansdown; very long gloves, trimmed to match, and shoes covered with swansdown; necklace of frosted swansdown and icicles, and from underneath a few drooping snowdrops peeping out; hair down; the fan entirely of swansdown, with an edging of drooping icicles; if the swansdown is just touched with gum, and some "frosting" powder sprinkled on, the effect is very sparkling.

Snow Queen.
Same, with crown of icicles.

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

Christmas Card

(An amazingly detailed description of how to embody a Christmas card. Merry Christmas to all who are celebrating!)

Short striped skirt of black and gold, on the black a row of Christmas Cards printed horizontally, edged with gold braid, three on each, graduated, the largest at the bottom. At the edge of skirt are satin flounces, over which fall gold tinsel and fringe. Red satin paniers and drapery, covered with swansdown pompoms; scarlet satin cuirass bodice laced at the back, bordered at the neck with swansdown, festoons of holly-berries on the arm, below the shoulder. Cordon of Christmas roses across the bodice, white ribbon epaulettes, holly wreath, red aigrette, stockings and shoes. A Christmas card in centre of white swansdown fan.

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

Golden Autumn

(Here's a costume appropriate to the season, for anyone who looks good in gold!)

The bodice and tunic of golden satin, looped over tulle of the same shade; the tunic caught back and edged with a fringe of ears of corn, clusters of fruit of all kinds, and nuts; the bodice trimmed to correspond, and for the small sleeves a band of fruit and leaves; a wreath of ears of corn an fruit; ornaments of fruit. Attached to side a gold-coloured fan with a border of ears of corn; a cluster of fruit placed on the outside stick; in the hand either a bunch of corn or a sickle.

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

Summer (or July)

(Fancy dress books included costumes for every season and month of the year, but Holt cheated by using the same costume for Summer and for July.  Lisse appears to be a filmy gauze, possibly crinkled.)

A white or pink gauze, lisse, or tulle evening dress, liberally trimmed with summer flowers, especially roses; it is sufficient to wear a wreath of the same, but a veil with butterflies is a more decided fancy dress, or a straw hat, with flowers and butterflies.  Scattered rose leaves on the skirt add to the effect, interspersed with butterflies and green beetles; a basket of flowers in hand; necklet and earrings of China roses.  Or, a dress of blue and crimson brocade, with fringes of flowers.  July is dressed in the same fashion.

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