Historical Fancy Dress

Vandyke

(Not a costume of Van Dyke himself, but meant to represent the style of the dresses worn in his paintings, this is one of those hilarious reimaginings of a historical era with the general style worn over completely inappropriate Victorian underpinnings for a very peculiar silhouette.)

Full plain skirt; muslin apron, edged with pointed lace; bodice with revers; sleeves to wrist; hair in curls.

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

Eumenides

(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.

Canadian Butterfly

(Something adorable for a little girl!  Notice the elongated bodice meant to represent the insect body; this is found on women's insect costumes as well.  I don't know enough about butterflies to have any idea what makes this particularly Canadian, but there are non-Canadian butterfly costumes as well for both women and girls and the general style could be adapted to any species of butterfly.)

Bodice of green plush elongated into a point which falls on to the short yellow tulle skirt; short, puffed sleeves; gauze wings at back forming tunic; butterfly on head; green gloves and shoes with butterflies; butterfly fan.

Sources:
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.

Fine distinctions in the Regency era

(Yes, there were fancy dress balls in the Regency era, though it's difficult to find much information on them.  Note the distinction made here between the masquerade or characteristic ball, at which masks were worn and behavior was less restrained, and the more respectable fancy dress ball, at which masks were eschewed.  This excerpt is from a lengthy satirical poem by London dancing master Thomas Wilson, who was active from approximately 1800 to 1825.  The "some people" said to confuse the two types of balls are rival dancing masters.)

Fancy dress balls must as the next appear,
And what they really are you now shall hear.
Fancy Dress Balls, some people likewise name
Characteristic, and think they are the same;
(But Characteristic as I just have said,
Is meant to signify a Masquerade,)
A Fancy Dress Balls that, where every guest
Is in appropriate costume strictly dres't;
The face to shew the character, and age
They paint, as is the custom of the stage;
The mask's forbid the countenance to aid,
For "Fancy Ball" means not a "Masquerade."

-- Thomas Wilson, The Danciad. London, 1824.

Scotch Lassie

(National costume or folk dress of different countries were popular themes for fancy dress costumes.  This outfit is remarkably similar to modern formal Scottish dress for men.  It features loose hair and even reveals a few inches of bare leg.  The "vest" referred to is a blouse or dickey, not a waistcoat; it can be seen under the jacket and plaid.)

Kilted skirt of Scotch plaid.  White silk bouffant vest.  Jacket of the principal clan color trimmed with black velvet, and scarf of the plaid goods.  Cap of plaid.

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

Universe

(This is really two separate ideas for the theme: either a "classic" fashion, probably meaning a chiton, or a standard period evening gown.  With so little detail as to the decoration there's lots of room for imagination here!)

Short blue and white dress made of cashmere or soft silk in classic fashion, or in gauze or twill as an evening gown, with stars and spheres for ornaments; star-spangled veil.

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

Jockey

(Another good one for a boy.  The colors of the blouse and cap could be altered; jockey silks come in a wide range of colors and patterns, each representing a different owner.)

Blouse of blue satin with white rings, cap of same material with white peak.  White cloth breeches; black boots with white tops.

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

Of processions and prop-stands

(Helpful tips for ball hosts and hostesses on two issues: how to arrange to show off all of the costumes present and what to do with costume props during the dancing.)

Processions often form a prominent feature in fancy balls.  Some of them begin with a Polonaise, while others have a kind of march round the reception-rooms just before supper.  This gives an opportunity for showing off the dresses, which are frequently hidden in a crowded dance.

When a march occurs it is correct for the characters to carry their crooks, wands, milking-stools, or any other property appertaining to their dress.

As most of these things are much in the way whilst dancing, and are apt to get lost when left about in the ball-room, many hostesses provide a stand in the hall for their reception.  It should be lighter than an ordinary umbrella-stand, consisting of a slight frame covered with artificial flowers.

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

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.

Romeo

(One last costume -- for now -- from Shakespeare, this time for the men.  And yes, it's another costume with tights.  And a purse!  Notice he's carrying a rose, a reference to the famous line from the play.)

Tunic and tights of dove-colored wool; shirt of white mull and cloak of Venetian red cloth lined with pale gray.  Cap of red velvet with gray feather.  Leather belt from which is suspended a pocket.

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

Ariel

(Back to Shakespeare: a fairy costume from The Tempest, conceived as female, though the character is often played as male or, nowadays, androgynous.  This is a very classic fairy style, with wings, a wand, and a star on the forehead.)

Short white diaphonous tulle dress, with silver wand and silver gauze wings; hair floating on shoulders, confined by a silver band around the head, with star in centre; low full bodice and short sleeves.

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

On the necessity of gloves

(Serious consideration given to the problem of gloves.  The mitts and mittens mentioned here refer to fingerless gloves, not the modern sort of mitten.)

It is uncomfortable to dance without gloves, so consistency yields to convenience.  For most Peasant dresses mittens are best; but when gloves are worn they should be as little conspicuous as possible.  For the Poudré costumes, long mittens and long embroidered gloves are admissible.  Gloves were never heard of till the 10th and 11th centuries, and not much worn till the 14th; still, what can pretty Berengaria do if she wishes to dance and does not care to appear ungloved?

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

Rough Rider

(Fancy dress balls for children were very popular, and the patriotic early twentieth-century mother could dress her son in the style of Teddy Roosevelt's unit from the Spanish-American War.)

Costume of khaki cloth, duck or canvas, with leggings to match.   The trimmings may be of red, blue or yellow, with brass buttons.  Tan felt hat with crossed sabres.

Queen of Beetles

(The Victorian fascination with the natural world...Angels & Insects was not as far off as you'd think.  I love the "ever-moving" toy beetles.  Keep in mind that "short skirt" in this case means mid-calf length, not a miniskirt, and the whole thing would probably be built over a bustle.)

Short black skirt with horizontal stripes of red and yellow; the same combination carried round the top of the black bodice; a black pointed cap, the whole covered with ever-moving toy beetles.  A sceptre in the hand, surmounted by a beetle.

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

Rosalind

(Yes, women cross-dressed for fancy dress balls!  And how could the costume of the heroine from As You Like It be anything but respectable?  Note that the pink lining of the cloak is not a "girly" thing; pink was considered a masculine color in the early 20th century,  Click to enlarge the image.)

Doublet and hose of light-gray wool, the former trimmed with gray fur.  Green velvet bodice, chemisette and puffs of Nile-green silk.  Long gray cloak lined with pink.

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

How to apply a patch

(Useful information for a late nineteenth-century Ball Poudré, as described here, or for 18th-century-style costumes.)

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Powder and patches are so often adopted at fancy balls and private theatricals that a few hints as to how to apply them may not be out of place in a work like the present...

...The complexion must be made up in the following way: -- Cover the face with the finest glycerine or cold cream; now rub in the rouge with a piece of cotton-wool, commencing at the cheek-bone and working gradually downwards.  Next, cover the face with the fine pearl-powder, and outline the eye-brows with an eye-brow pencil, which may be purchased in any shade at most chemists.  Finally, powder lightly all over, to soften the effect of the rouge.

The patches should be cut out of black sticking-plaster, the sticking side moistened and applied to the cheek.  They may be round or cruciform, or any fanciful shape.  Georgian belles used to adorn their cheeks with bows and arrows, or ships in full sail.

There is quite a science to putting on a patch: it must never be placed on a line of the face, as it appears to extend it.  If you place a patch on the line which goes from the nostril to the lip, it will appear to draw down the mouth, and give you a sullen appearance.  A patch should be placed so as to call attention to a favourite feature, like a signpost for the stupid or unobservant.  The blackness of the patch accentuates the brilliancy of the complexion, whilst its position calls attention to the rounded cheek or sweetly curling lip.  The coquettes of old times used to hve a patch which went by the name of the "Assassin," so deadly and rapid was its effect.  Perhaps it will be better not to reveal where it was placed, as we do not wish to destroy the peace of mind of the youths of the nineteenth century.

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

Queen of Mirth

(Another lovely costume description with no illustration to accompany it.  This is a great one for people who want to fuss around with accessories and little decorations on a relatively simple gown.)

Rose-coloured skirt, white satin front, and low square bodice, trimmed with bells, crocuses, shamrocks, and butterflies (emblems of mirth); coronet and veil; a sceptre surmounted by a butterfly; rose-coloured shoes.

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

Faust

(Yes, men wore fancy dress as well.  Especially men who wanted to wear tights!  Click the illustration to enlarge.)

Tight-fitting waistcoat and skirt of white satin embroidered with silver; pale-blue tights, with trunks and sleeves of blue and white striped silk; lace collar and cuffs; cloak of white and blue hat with white plumes.

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

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.

A Ball Poudré (Powdered Ball)

(Here are a quartet of descriptions of an odd but apparently popular ball theme in which the only costuming done is that the ladies powder the hair.)

Occasionally the hostess elects that her guests shall apear in costumes of a particular period, and Poudré Balls find many patrons.  Under these circumstances the lady guests only wear powder with ordinary evening dress, the gentlemen making no change from their usual attire, save perhaps that white waistcoats and button-holes are enjoined.

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

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Yet another kind of fancy ball is a bal poudré.  Here the guests are free to appear in ordinary evening dress but with powdered hair.  The ladies arrange their hair in imitation of some old picture, and there is plenty of variety to be obtained in this way.  One wears the long locks pertaining to one of Reynolds' beauties, another wears the piled up coiffure indulged in by the Court ladies in the reign of Louis XVI.  A piquante beauty does her hair à la Watteau, and a more serious one adopts the style of Marie Antoinette.  Powder and patches are allowable with this style of coiffure, and the powdered hair is so universally becoming that all the ladies look their best.

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

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A Ball Poudré

A ball of this description is conducted upon the same basis as an ordinary ball, so far as the programme and general details are concerned.  The guests attire themselves as for a full-dress ball, except that th ladies are required to powder their hair white and wear fancy black patches upon their face; and the gentlemen to wear white vests and small button-hole bouquets.  The effect is very pretty, especially with the present artistic style of dressing which closely copies antique fashions.

        Masquerade and Carnival: Their Customs and Costumes.  London and New York: The Butterick Publishing Co., 1892.

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A Bal Poudré

A ball of this description is conducted upon the same basis as an ordinary ball, so far as the program and the general details are concerned.  The guests attire themselves in evening dress as is the custom for a ball, the only difference being that the ladies are required to powder their hair white and wear fancy black patches upon their faces; and the gentlemen to wear white vests and small buttonhole bouquets.  The effect is very pretty, especially with the present artistic style of dressing.  The minuet should be danced, also those dances which have a slow, graceful movement.

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

Song

(This is a great costume typical of many of the more abstract fancy dress themes.  It's taken from an Edwardian era manual but has draping at the hips much like that of the bustle era, though with hints of the Edwardian silhouette in the corsetry.  Click the illustration to enlarge for the details.)

Skirt and bodice of cerise satin.  Draperies of pale-gray gauze, with laurel leaves, etc. for ornamentation.  Staff and notes painted on the skirt.

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

Water Spirit

(Unfortunately, a couple of my books contain hundreds of descriptions that have no accompanying illustrations.  Lots of room for imagination thinking about this description combined with the bustle silhouette!)

Dress of sea-green tulle, trimmed with seaweeds, pearl shells, and coral.  Hair loose and flowing, crowned with a wreath of sea-weed and coral.  Ornaments of pearl shells.

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

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.

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