CG Learn Article #16: The Fashion of the Day

Camellia Grace Learn Article #16

Rational Dress Society

Victorian-era fashion could be burdensome for the female body. It featured large hoop skirts, cumbersome crinolines, impractical bustles and tight corsets to create what society thought the female shape should look like. During the mid-to-late 1800s, there was a large reform movement to change the standards of dress for women to make fashions more comfortable and practical.

A black net ball dress from an 1874 catalogue. Public Domain

The Victorian Dress Reform movement was spurred to action at a time when other progressive movements were taking place, such as the push for women’s suffrage, education reform, and temperance. Emerging from this was the Rational Dress Society. The Rational Dress Society was founded in London in 1881, aiming to move fashions away from the constricting to the practical. Another consideration was the health of the wearer. Doctors and specialists were coming to declare that restricting corsets and overly heavy clothing caused shallow breathing, crushed organs, digestive issues and more. The Society declared the ideal women’s dress would allow for freedom of movement, have an absence of pressure on any one part of the body, have no more weight than is necessary for warmth, combine beauty with comfort and convenience and not depart too wildly from the current fashions of the day.

The leading ladies of the Rational Dress Society were Lady Harberton, Constance Wilde and Mary Eliza Haweis. Harberton was an avid cyclist and was a big supporter of a reformed dress style of large pantaloons worn underneath a shortened skirt, making it easier to ride a bicycle. She was even thrown out of a coffee room for her attire while out riding with a cycling group. Constance Wilde, along with her husband Oscar Wilde, was a fierce proponent of the dress reform movement. In 1888, Constance gave a lecture for the Rational Dress Society about the divided skirt dress, which she wore for the occasion. In the address, she spoke out against the movement’s opponents who claimed bifurcated, or split, skirts were immoral and indecent. Mary Eliza Haweis was a writer, scholar, illustrator and painter. In her writings, Haweis expressed how harmful some types of dress could be for a woman’s health.

Frances Heron-Maxwell, secretary of the Rational Dress Society, and Viscountess Harberton, founder of RDS, 1903. Public Domain

Under the direction of women like this, the society sought to educate women through pamphlets, lectures, and by providing dress patterns to the home sewer. The silhouettes they campaigned for featured higher, looser waistlines, more volume in the sleeves to allow for movement and shorter hem lengths. And reform of women’s clothing wouldn’t be complete without an overhaul of the undergarments, such as the corset. The aim at the time was not to get rid of the corset, but to redesign it to make it healthier, less restrictive and more practical. Corsets started to have straighter silhouettes, flexible construction, shorter length and even added shoulder straps for added support.

Examples of Rational Dress from the 1883 Rational Dress Exhibition. Public Domain

With the indefatigable efforts of the Rational Dress Society, the perceptions around women and their clothing started to change, however, the fashions were not universally adopted. The 20th century changes we saw in women’s fashion came after the First World War, when women’s roles started to change. Rather than social mores or values driving the shift, it was practicality and affordability.

Fashion Houses

The explosive economic growth of the Gilded Age created a class of wealthy elites referred to as “new money” who often felt the need to prove their worth to those families whose wealth predated industrialization. This was seen through lavish purchases, buying or building grand mansions and throwing large parties. Another way this visibly played out was in fashion.

Where the established elite feigned interest in clothes to avoid vanity, the new elite wanted to make themselves appear as rich as possible and they turned to Europe to do so. Paris was the undisputed center of fashion at the time, where the top couture houses and styles could be found. The wealthy from New York, Newport and other elite circles would travel to France to purchase their clothing or would employ designers and dressmakers who copied the Parisian styles. These Parisian fashion houses defined the styles of the era.

House of Worth

Evening Dress, 1898-1900, The MET

Ball Gown, 1898, The MET

Evening Dress, 1898-1900, The MET

The House of Worth was started by English-born designer Charles Fredrick Worth. Worth, whose early training and experience was in textiles, moved to Paris at the age of 21 in 1854 and eventually picked up the skill of dressmaking at a large textile firm. In 1858, he opened his own Fashion House and quickly gained success when he became the official court designer for Empress Eugénie of France. Often regarded as the "father of haute couture," Worth revolutionized fashion by presenting seasonal collections, sewing labels into his garments, and encouraging wealthy clients to select from his original designs rather than dictate them. His luxurious gowns featured rich silks, velvet, elaborate embroidery, lace, and intricate beadwork. Not only did Worth dress European royalty, but he also dressed many prominent American socialites such as the Vanderbilts and Astors.

House of Doucet

Day Dress, 1880, The MET

Ball Gown, 1902, The MET

Afternoon Dress, 1900-1903, The MET

Another prestigious couture house was the House of Doucet, established by Jacques Doucet. Doucet became renowned for creating graceful, feminine gowns adorned with delicate lace, chiffon, and pastel-colored fabrics. His romantic designs appealed to women seeking refined elegance rather than the more dramatic styles favored by Worth. Doucet also amassed one of the world's finest collections of eighteenth-century art and furnishings, which heavily influenced his aesthetic.

House of Paquin

Evening Suit, 1890s, The MET

Ball Gown, 1895, The MET

Afternoon Dress, 1901, The MET

The House of Paquin was founded in 1891 by Jeanne Paquin, one of the first female designers to open her own fashion house. Paquin became well known for her tailored day dresses, use of color, trimmings, fur, and her unique marketing. Paquin would send “models” out to public events such as the opera or a race to display her clothes in situ. She recognized the importance of establishing client relationships and organized “fashion shows” to promote her designs. She designed for many from the royalty of Europe to Americans such as the Astors, Rockefellers and Vanderbilts. By the end of the 19th century, Paquin had opened an additional showroom in London and eventually opened a shop in New York in 1914.

Fancy Dress Balls

During the Gilded Age fancy dress balls, or masquerades, were among the most extravagant social events hosted by America's wealthy elite. These events required guests to wear historically inspired, literary, mythological, or allegorical costumes made from the finest fabrics and adorned with costly jewels. Hosting or attending a successful fancy dress ball was an opportunity for affluent families to display their immense wealth, refined taste, and social standing.

Many of the grandest fancy dress balls were held in New York City and Newport, Rhode Island, where prominent families such as the Astors and Vanderbilts entertained society. Invitations were highly coveted, and only those considered members of high society were included. Guests often spent months planning their costumes, consulting Parisian fashion houses or renowned costume designers to create elaborate ensembles that could cost thousands of dollars—a fortune at the time.

Popular costume themes included medieval queens and knights, Renaissance nobles, characters from Shakespeare, Greek and Roman gods and goddesses, figures from European royalty, and symbolic representations such as the Seasons, Liberty, or the Stars. Historical accuracy was admired, but spectacle was equally important. Costumes were embellished with embroidered silks, velvet, brocade, lace, pearls, feathers, and precious gemstones. Many women also wore valuable family heirlooms as part of their attire, while men carried authentic-looking swords, armor, or ceremonial accessories.

One of the most famous events of the era was the 1883 Vanderbilt Fancy Dress Ball hosted by Alva Vanderbilt to celebrate the completion of her Fifth Avenue mansion. Alva, being of the nouveau riche, or the newly rich, never received invitations to balls and parties hosted by the old money set, such as those hosted by Caroline Astor. The Astors hosted an annual ball meant for 400 of the most elite of New York where a lavish dinner was served and guests danced into the night. To outdo Mrs. Astor, Alva Vanderbilt invited 1,200 new and old money guests to dress in extravagant costumes and to dine and drink into the wee hours of the morning.

Alice Vanderbilt, Electric Light Dress. 1883. Photograph. Public Domain

Kate “Puss” Strong. 1883. Photograph. Public Domain

Guests of the Vanderbilt ball spared no expense. Alva’s own sister-in-law Alice came dressed as “electric light” in a ball gown designed by Charles Fredrick Worth that lit up thanks to hidden batteries. Another startling costume was that of New York socialite Miss Kate Fearing Strong. Miss Strong’s nickname was “Puss”, and she decided to dress as her nickname with a taxidermy cat on her head, cat tails adorning her gown and a cat collar bedazzled with “Puss.” Guests' portraits were taken by photographer Jose Maria Mora and were widely distributed, elevating the attendees’ prestige. The event raised the bar of what was to be expected when attending an exclusive event and solidified the Vanderbilts as high society elite.

Other Words, People and Phrases:

Passementerie: the art of making decorative trimmings such as fringes, tassels and braids

Down in the doldrums: feeling depressed, gloomy, or bored

Staid beau monde: conservative, uptight upper-class social circle

Smelling salts: also known as ammonia inhalants, were often mixed with perfumes and carried in decorative containers to revive individuals from fainting. When inhaled, they force an involuntary inhalation reflex and trigger a burst of adrenaline.

Dance Card: a booklet or card carried most often by women at balls to record the names of their partners for the scheduled dances

Puck: a character in Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. A mischievous fairy and jester serving King Oberon.

Hoodwinked: deceived or tricked

Nick Bottom: a character in Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, a weaver whose head is transformed into that of a donkey by Puck.

Waves of Danube: a famous Romanian waltz composed by Iosif Ivanovici

Moke: historically used to mean a donkey or foolish person (NOTE: this could also be used as an offensive and disparaging term for a black person; however, Daniel was using it in reference to himself in an effort to avoid swearing in front of a lady.)

Oberon: a king of the fairies in medieval and Renaissance literature

Theseus: a Greek mythological hero famous for slaying the Minotaur

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rational_Dress_Society
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florence_Wallace_Pomeroy,_Viscountess_Harberton
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Eliza_Haweis
https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/oscar-wilde-dress-reform-pants-trousers-women
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victorian_dress_reform
https://overdressedforlife.com/2016/09/15/fashionable-history-lesson-the-rational-dress-society/
https://blog.newspapers.com/the-rational-dress-society-and-victorian-dress-reform/
https://helenrappaport.com/footnotes/rational-dress/
https://cogpunksteamscribe.wordpress.com/2015/08/12/rational-dress-victorian-dress-reform-from-the-perspective-of-a-steampunk-feminist/
https://the-toast.net/2014/08/25/dont-think-ill-venture-dual-garmenture-rational-dress-politics-biking/
https://vaela.cc/blogs/blog/the-rational-dress-society
https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=hj8CAAAAQAAJ&pg=GBS.PP4&hl=en
https://editions.covecollective.org/content/exhibition-rational-dress-society
https://www.vogue.co.uk/arts-and-lifestyle/article/gilded-age-fashion
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_of_Worth
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Frederick_Worth
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_of_Paquin
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacques_Doucet_(fashion_designer)
https://www.vam.ac.uk/blog/caring-for-our-collections/paquin-parisian-fashion-designs-1897-1954
https://www.mdhistory.org/jacques-doucet-the-collector-in-the-collections/
https://www.blissfrombygonedays.com/post/jeanne-paquin-the-forgotten-seamstress
https://iandrummondvintage.com/blogs/fashion-history/gilded-age-costume-balls
https://www.mcny.org/story/vanderbilt-ball
https://lahistorygirl.com/the-most-lavish-ball-of-the-gilded-age/
https://collections.mcny.org/CS.aspx?VP3=SearchResult&VBID=24UAYWE6BUJY&PN=1&WS=SearchResults
https://lithub.com/gilded-age-parties-were-even-wilder-than-you-can-imagine/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_Light_dress

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