Karl Lagerfeld Gives us More Versailles for 2014 Fashion

First Dior created this makeup 'Trianon' line which instantly drained my bank account  Now Karl Lagerfeld is photographing his new spring season on models with the most divine poufs.  I can't help but be behind this marketing move 100%.

Is anyone else being distracted from the clothes due to coiffure-envy?  Well you can buy those too!  Let's hope someone sports a pouf on the red carpet this season.  Not you, Gaga.

Check out the whole series of photos here.

Upcoming Exhibition - Georgians: 18th-Century Dress for Polite Society

Bath's Fashion Museum has announced their exhibition for this year and luckily for us it's one in which they have, once again, dusted off their wonderful Georgian dress collection that has been hiding behind closed doors, to give it the proper attention it deserves.*  Georgians: 18th-Century Dress for Polite Society opens this Saturday and knowing this collection, it is sure to be a gorgeous display of eighteenth-century finery.

GEORGIANS will include over 30 original 18^th century outfits and ensembles from the museum’s world-class collection, including gowns made of colourful and richly patterned woven silks, as well as embroidered coats and waistcoats worn by Georgian gentlemen of fashion.

 A highlight of the exhibition will be a trio of wide-skirted Court dresses dating from the 1750s and 1760s (held out by cane supports known as panniers, from the French word for baskets), the early years of the reign of King George III.

The Grand Finale of GEORGIANS will include 18^th century-inspired fashions by five top fashion designers: Anna Sui, Meadham Kirchhoff, Vivienne Westwood, Stephen Jones, and AlexanderMcQueen. All are influenced by the 18^th century aesthetic, and all (in different ways) show how the elegance and grace of Georgian dress continues to inspire fashion today.

All we need now is an excuse to get to Bath!  I'm devising mine right now.


*Fangirls and boys pressed up against the glass drooling over it.

Forbidden feathers

On June 1, 1785 Eliza Sheridan wrote of a visit to the theatre where, as usual, eyes were mostly on those off the stage:

'The King, Queen, and the Three Princesses with two of the younger childred occupied two Boxes fronting the Orchestra. The Duchess of Devonshire and all the women of Fashion in a gallery near them...With regard to the company the Women appeared to disadvantage as being forbid Hats and Feathers they had almost uniformly put on the most disfiguring head-dress I ever saw — A Mob of a most immense size, simply illustrated with blue or yellow ribbons — this over friz'd Heads and sallow complexions had a very bad effect — a few with fair skins and clear brown hair bore the disguise tollerably.'

The Butcher Kissing Duchess of...Gordon?

The Tory Queen, Jane Gordon was known for doing as she damn-well pleased as a little girl and marrying into the aristocracy and becoming a duchess didn't change that at all.  One of the things Jane would never compromise on was her love of Scotland.  She spoke in a brogue, encouraged social events in the Highlands, and encouraged her children to share her love for their country as well.  When her son, the Marquess of Huntly raised a company for the Black Watch, a regiment of Highland soldiers, Jane could have died of pride. 

Like a soccer mom on a mission, Jane wanted to help her wee one with his big project.  She appeared at public events and offered to men willing to join the regiment a King's Shilling from between her teeth for enlisting.  That way they got paid and got to say they kissed a duchess.  Funnily, eight years prior, her rival, Georgiana was accused of both bribing and kissing butchers in exchange for votes for Charles James Fox.  The Tories created the rumors in order to curtail Georgiana's success and force her to hide in shame and yet here was Jane obstinately doing exactly what her rival was only rumored to do.  Ballsy!  But Jane wasn't quite done with her parade yet.

At a London Ball in 1792 Jane barged in dressed head to foot in Black Watch tartan taffeta, which I can only imagine looking absolutely amazing.  Well, it must have looked amazing, because Jane started a trend for tartan with her bold look.  Soon it was reported that 'scarce a respectable female but wore a tartan waist to her gown at least, and there was hardly a waiter at any inn in London but appeared in his tartan waistcoat.' Hmm, perhaps that was an exaggeration, but as a life-long fan of plaid, I can't blame the fad!  Not bad to be a trend-setter in your 40s!

Museum Exhibition: Panniers, Stays and Jabots

I was lucky enough to be in Brussels this weekend, and even luckier still that their costume museum happened to be holding an exhibition on 18th-century clothing called, Panniers, Stays, and Jabots.  I was even luckier still when they told me I could take pictures (without flash, of course).  This naturally meant I went crazy taking as many pictures as I could for your viewing pleasure.  The quality isn't amazing but the clothing and their condition certainly is!

Just check out that gorgeous bow on the back!

Sparkly-edge sleeves

A purse, a familiar face, and a fan

The detail on some of the gentleman's clothing was fantastic

Polonaise

I had to wonder if the edging was original because of its pristine condition

Late 18th C shoes

Embroidered flower detail on the heel

These would slip on a delicate pair of heels to avoid muddying them

Perhaps my favorite garment in the show

A calash bonnet- a rare sight!

Ivory fan

I would buy a blouse like this now!

The back of said favorite dress

These fans needed labels so badly! A fan made entirely of feathers

Ostrich feather fan- again I need a date of origin so badly!

Yinka Shonibare

I'm long overdue in a post on the amazing contemporary artist Yinka Shonibare whose work is as breathtaking as it is thought-provoking.  Shonibare is a London sculptural and instillation artist who deals with the theme of class and globalization, more specifically the complicated relationship between Africa and Europe.  So you will often seen African-style textiles on his sculptures which take the form of something commonly European. 

Long before he had his giant Ship in a Bottle sculpture in Trafalgar Square, Shonibare was playing with eighteenth century imagery, with astonishing results:

Here are some of his work that reference eighteenth century paintings.  Can you recognize all of them?

Others are just plain fantastic:

18th Century Fashion on the Streets: Muffs

 I have been very pleased that every since the north wind began blowing this season that I began to see the resurrection of the muff both in shops and on the street.  Not only does this allow many cleverly crass puns on your part but also another means of exhibiting an 18th century fashion trend.

In the beginning of the 18th century muffs were rather small and cozy, allowing for efficient hand-warming.  Mary Robinson sports one of the smaller muffs in her 1782 Romney portrait which is similar to muffs I've seen for sale at John Lewis and Top Shop (the later of which I own and love!).  Toward the end of the century muffs became bigger and bigger, escalating in size until they nearly hung to the wearers knees, turning practical hand warmers into a quite cumbersome fashion accessory.  I've noticed these in the shops as well (not knee-length, thank goodness) in the form of the "snood."  Snoods are circular scarves meant for your neck but it wasn't until I saw my friend using her faux fur snood as a muff on a night out that I realized furry snoods are ideal late-18th/early-19th century muffs.  Check out my finds below!  Not only are muffs fashionable, but they're also quite handy for texting on cold winter walks- no pulling off gloves to respond to texts anymore!

Muffs for Winter '12 by georgianagossip featuring John Lewis Women

Aso, $27
John Lewis women, £13
French connection, £18
Asos Faux Fur Muffler, $11

Remember Darlings, just because it is cold outside doesn't mean you have to sacrifice fashion! Keep those dainty fingers covered.

Fat George, Fashion Icon

 "Who is your fat friend?"
-Beau Brummel


George Prince of Wales was not a prince to be taken very seriously and then he became king, he wasn't much of a king to be taken seriously either.  Perhaps the saddest part of this recollection was that he was regent for a mad king, making a hedonistic and incompetent young man the backup for ruling an Empire.  Ah, monarchy!

Surprisingly enough the Prince's hedonism led to some of the famous fashion trends of the time period that was named after him, the Regency era.  The foppish prince was never slender but always enjoyed being rather fashionable.  By the 1790s George's waistline was in serious trouble, earning him the affection nickname, The Prince of Whales.  It was challenging for a egotistical prince to continue in his role as a fashionista with his stomach spilling over his trousers so like the cartoon character that he was, he began wearing a corset.  At one point the corset had to reach around fifty inches of waist and required some strong servants to string him into it.  The corset may have given George a slightly daintier shape but it couldn't cover up the double and triple chins he was sporting so George began wearing high collars -- extremely high collars.  The collars caught on and began to be part of every fashionable male's outfit. 

Overall, George did pretty well in disguising his girth with dark colors, corsets, high collars and whatever else.  Looking back on his portraits from the time you wouldn't exactly call him obese, although flattering portrait painters like Lawrence, could probably be credited for that.  However when the sovereign's head appeared on currency in the traditional roman motif, there was no disguising the king's weight from his subjects....or the fact that they had been dressing in weight-disguising fashions the whole time!