Showing posts with label levity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label levity. Show all posts

Friday, July 12, 2019

Godey's Lady's Book: Editor's Notes

Sometimes, the editor's messages in Godey's are the best part of the magazine. Yes,  mostly it's just shipping confirmations to various initials, but the January 1865 issue is practically a novel:

Clara.— Rubber gloves are used for whitening the hands, price $2.50 per pair.
Mr. B. Clinton, New York.— We know nothing of the whereabouts of the lady.
Maud N. — Perhaps you are growing older. We cannot judge from your description.
I. L. E. — The authoress yon mention died some time since. She was an admirable writer, and her Incognita was well preserved.
Mary. — A frock-coat is an admissible garment for a gentleman to wear when he nuptializes.
L. E. R. — The photographers will "pose" you, as they call it, but they sometimes pose you out of all likeness. A plaid or striped dress is best.
Miss D. H. — We know of no method of making blue eyes look expressive. If they are "naturally melancholy in their expression," we presume it is natural.
E. H. — Tell him at once that you have lost the ring. He must have little faith In you if he cannot believe you.
Miss Q. A. O. — Under the circumstance that you were engaged, you should wear mourning.

Sunday, December 30, 2018

Silly Moments in Historic Costuming

The author giving a quizzical look, her hair twisted back into a basic 1850s style.
Would I do something weird?
Yes. Especially in this hairdo.

Happy sixth day of Christmas. Apropos of nothing, some of my more surreal moments of the year:

1. Headphones under a coif

2. A backpack full of human hair

3. Knitting on two-handed swords

4. Re-tying garters on a sidewalk full of normally-dressed people

5. Headphones under big 1850s hair

6. Sewing underwear by hand on the way to an event

7. Holding an apron over the friend attempting to light a fire in the rain


Honorable mentions from years past:

7. The 'hoodie and petticoats' look

8. Climbing trees/fences/vehicles while wearing a hoopskirt

Friday, June 23, 2017

Fancy Dress

I really need to attend a fancy dress ball (or three), if only to use some of these awesome costume ideas:
Fashion plate excerpt: two women in late 1860s "fancy dress" as the harvest and a ship.
Yes, I want the dress on the right:
a ship with open gun ports and an anchor necklace.
Though the little hat should probably be a wheel...

Or maybe I just need to make all my Halloween costumes period fancy dress...

Tuesday, May 30, 2017

Crinoline Cartoons

"Why do women like stays?" "Because they feel so-laced by them." 
Just for fun, here are a few favorite mid-nineteenth century cartoons about crinolines. Some funny, some casually classist, some intended seriously:

1859 carton, crinoline struck by lighting
1858. "The Dangers of Crinoline"
Not intended as a humor, but
perhaps the 2-in-1 hoop lightning rod won't catch on.

"Song of the Crinoline" 1857 Harper's New Monthly Magazine
"Song of the Hoop"
Harper's New Monthly Magazine 1857
This needs to be performed at Conference next year.
Ideally with choreography.
"Dress and the Lady", satire from Punch Aug 23, 1856
Punch Aug 23, 1856. Other than the exaggerated
circumference of hoop and skirt, this one isn't too bizarre.
I like that you can see an under-hoop petticoat in use.

"The 'Skirt Movement' Illustrated", 1856 satire from Peterson's Magazine
"The 'Skirt Movement' Illustrated." Peterson's 1856.
Text: "Little Boy--Ma! call to Bridget! She's gone and put my hoop under her dress."

"Servantgalism" hoopskirt satire from Punch, Nov 21, 1863
Punch, Nov 21, 1863
Servantgalism. 
Mary: "Did you call, Mum?" 
Lady: "Yes, Mary! I thought I told you not to wear your hoop  before you had done your rooms, because you broke the jugs and basins with it!" 
Mary: "Oh, Mum! You see the sweeps were coming this morning, and, really, I could 
not think of opening the door to them such a figger as I should ha' been without my crinoline!

"The Convenience of Crinoline" hoop parody, Graham's Magazine 1856
Graham's Magazine, 1856
The Convenience of Crinoline. A Warning to Mothers.
Troublesome Parent.--"Who was making that noise, Clara?"
Clara.--"Only me and Moustache, Mamma!"

"Under the Mistletoe" crinoline satire, in 'Punch' January 1857
Punch. January 1857.
When crinolines aren't hiding illicit beaux,
they're apparently quite adept at fending them off.

Frank Leslie's, 1857


Inflatable crinoline satire, Punch, Jan 17, 1857
Punch. Jan 17, 1857
I'd love to see an inflatable crinoline at some point.
Emily. "Madame Bonton says 'the Circuference of the Crinoline should be Thirty-Six Feet!"
Caroline. "Dear me! --I'm only Thirty-Two--I must Inflate a little!"

Punch December 12, 1857. Two boys using a covered crinoline as a tent.
Punch, December 12, 1857. Playing "Crimea"
with sister's crinoline for a tent.



Saturday, December 26, 2015

Holiday Humor

"The Crinoline Christmas Tree" cartoon from Frank Leslie's New York Journal (1857)
From Frank Leslie's New York Journal (1857)
Some Victorian humor for the Second Day of Christmas, which is also St. Stephen's Day and Boxing Day.  So, tip your servants and enjoy the theater.

For my part, in honor of the Twelve Days of Christmas, I shall attempt to post on this blog for twelve consecutive days.


Tuesday, August 11, 2015

Parting the Hair in 1856

In which the French raise hair-dressing from an art to a science.

Le Moniteur de la Mode, 1856

Le Moniteur de la Mode, 1856, page 4.


Friday, July 31, 2015

Attitude of an Era

"There was a great deal of fun about it all, and a great many ludicrous situations, which served to enhance the pleasure of the evening."
--From a description of a 'calico ball' in Atchinson, Kansas, as reported by the Atchinson Daily Champion, February 15, 1887.  Reproduced in America's Printed Fabrics.

Thus, parlor games.  Certain figures in the cotillion or "German". And all the humor in Dickens.

Fancy dress costumes from La Mode Parisiennes, 1866
Hat tip to Stormi