If you were wondering how to stand out in the party season, might I suggest an incredibly labour-intensive Victorian approximation of something worn by the French Revolutionary-era reactionary scenesters known as Incroyables? Thanks, once more, to the Public Domain Review I’ve discovered Fancy Dresses Described, Or What to Wear to Fancy Balls, a book published in 1887 which is full of great costume ideas and highly detailed instructions for achieving them. Even better are the coloured illustrations which are indeed in-freakin’-croyable. I mean, that hornet? It’s…I…just…words fail me.
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Love. Love. Love. I’ve got my eye on the “bumble bee” number, along with the “playing cards” and “reptile” garb. Is that an owl or a cat sitting on top of her broom? Brilliant touch! Theadora
Aren’t they great? I’m fairly sure it’s an owl. Animal cruelty standards being what they were back then it probably was just a live owl tethered to a broom.
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