Evening Dress Ideas, c.1903

Another event-based deadline, so it's time to post some of the research and inspirations.

For this one, I need a fashionable evening dress for a c.1903 dinner.

Of course, I quite spoiled by all the specimens available at the Met. There's a number of sleeve options (elbow, short, very short length), of which I'm leaning towards the elbow-length sleeves of layered net.

Evening Dress, 1901-1905, from the Met.

 

There's also this dress with its more dramatic net sleeves:

Lucie Monnay Evening Dress, 1902-3. From the Met.

 

I like this dress's use of striped fabric to add color, texture, and contour along the skirt gores.

This next one is definitely worth clicking through for the full view: the embellishments are heavily layered on, adding more contrasting textures than colors. You can also see the train on the skirt, and the ruffles supporting it from the underside.

Evening dress, c.1900. From LACMA.

 

I wish VAM had more images to accompany this c.1902 evening dress, which has a very detailed description listing all the trims and decorative techniques used on it: self-fabric tucks, embroidered net, silver & pearl embroidery, and net insertion.

Backview of a c.1902 evening dress at VAM.

Though I think this one from c.1900-1905 is closer to what I might be able to attempt in the available time, given that there's apparently little trim on the bodice or skirt, with the embellishments largely confined to the net sleeves.

Taken all together, there are some key details I'll want to include to make my dress read as 1903:

• Gored skirts with a train, with minimal bulk through the hips
• Soft fullness at the front waist (hint of a pigeon-breast shape)
• Wide neckline out to the shoulder, fairly square
  
• Diaphanous mid-length sleeves
• Pastel palette, especially tending to pale yellows and pinks
  
• Fussy layering of trims, with different textures [especially with heavy beading/embroidery/sequins on very light fabrics like net and chiffon]