#fashion in fiction

[professorpski]

The black frock fitted her like a glove. It was made with the small square yoke and long, close sleeves, softened by a wrist-frill falling nearly to the knuckles. It outlined her figure to the waist and fell full- skirted to the ground, with a suggestion of the medieval robe. Its dull surface effaced itself not outshining the dull gleam of the academic poplin.

Yes, I want this dress, an urge I often feel when reading of fashion in fiction.

This one was described in 1936 by Dorothy L. Sayers in her novel Gaudy Night, a book in which Sayers made clear that she believed a woman of sense knew how to dress appropriately for every occasion. The occasion here was Gaudy Night when the alums of the women’s college set at Oxford University in England came back for a celebration. Her heroine, Harriet Vane, herself a writer of mysteries wears the dress. The dress is not only quietly magnificent, Vane also knows just how to wear it with the academic robe, the “academic poplin” mentioned, which she must wear over the dress, a tradition of the college.

Vane has come back as an alum and ends up trying to solve two mysteries: who is harassing the women of the college with threats and vandalism? and should she marry Lord Peter Wimsey, the impossibly charming, erudite and wealthy investigator who save her from a murder conviction? The answer to the second question seems obvious to me--yes, go marry the man!-- but Sayers takes just as long to explore the question of marriage for a woman with a professional career in 1936 as she does to uncover the mystery.

[notafashionpage]

These photos were originally posted on the Instagram account of Tania Tyatambo Couper, and were meant to be part of Alicent Hightower’s wedding sequence to King Viserys I on “House Of The Dragon”. 

Now that they’ve been revealed as being left on the cutting room floor as stated by the original site, I hope that it’s not too much of a stretch to add them to the ‘Fantasy Fashion’ tag.

[ayilings]

himemiya

[nonolithic]

Euphoria

[scifi-fantasy-horror]

by  Zhuopeng Zhu

[eirene]

Shot in the Dark, 1943 Tom Lovell

[marzipanandminutiae]

in view of Netflix and a few other networks apparently announcing that they are no longer requiring actors to wear corsets/stays, but framing it as the ultimate in feminist allyship against an Oppressive Historical Torture-Garment (and presumably typing their press releases one-handed, if you catch my drift), I have a few things to say:

1. I presume they will also be condemning Spanx, dieting, weight loss surgery, obsessive exercise, breast or pectoral or ab implants, Flat Tummy Tea, editing actors’ bodies in post, etc. since this is all about promoting healthy body image. ...right?

2. Okay, this one is not tongue-in-cheek: if a costume designer forces you to wear massively uncomfortable stays or corsets and tells you your discomfort is an inherent feature of that garment type, they are lying. All the articles on this cited reports from actresses saying they threw up because of Regency stays or couldn’t eat in Edwardian corsets. And while  I’m sure some of that is giving interview audiences the sensationalism they want to hear, I believe them in general. 

Someone needs to tell them that that’s not normal.

I have worn corsets and stays a lot in my life. I know people who wear them as everyday support garments. And neither I nor anyone I know has been seriously hindered in normal activities by them. There are even photos and videos of women from corset-intensive eras climbing glaciers, playing sports, having snowball fights, doing manual labor...living their lives

 Sure, there have always been and will always be people who find corsets or stays inherently uncomfortable- that’s why it’s good to have many support garment options available for people who need them. And there have always been and will always be ill-made, ill-fitting, or extreme examples of the type- I’m not  saying corsets are always The Most Comfortable Thing Ever For Everyone, because that’s not universally true of any garment.

But these production companies have been hurting actresses under the guise of “historical accuracy,” and this latest pronouncement is just another attempt to shift the blame. 

Don’t let them get away with it.

EDIT: Apparently the Official nature of the source for this announcement is in question, but the gist of the post still stands, so I’m leaving it up. Will edit further if new developments arise.

[soberrsoon]

going to the beach with tom ☔︎︎

☔︎︎☔︎︎☔︎︎☔︎︎☔︎︎☔︎︎☔︎︎☔︎︎☔︎︎☔︎︎☔︎︎☔︎︎☔︎︎☔︎︎☔︎︎☔︎︎☔︎︎☔︎︎☔︎︎☔︎︎☔︎︎☔︎︎☔︎︎☔︎︎☔︎︎☔︎︎☔︎︎☔︎︎☔︎︎☔︎︎☔︎︎☔︎︎☔︎︎☔︎︎☔︎︎

- on the way to the beach, you guys sing your favorite song at the top of your lungs together

- he could NOT take his eyes off you when he saw your swimsuit

- he kept smacking your ass and cat calling you

- this man couldn’t stop flirting with you

- he begged to put sunscreen on your back

- he showed off his swimming skills

- if you can’t swim or are afraid of the ocean he would piggyback ride you into the water

- you tried surfing but fell off the board and he started laughing

- he fell too though 💀

- you play fought in the water leading you to almost drown and he felt so bad 😭

- you guys had a cute picnic

- he made sure to pack all your favorite foods

- when ur started getting dark you guys started watching the sunset

- it was so romantic

- you guys held hands and he rubbed his thumb on your hand

- when it was night you guys had a beach bonfire and cuddled with each other around the fire

- you fell asleep and he carried you to the car <3

[yellow-yellow-jacket]

avid historical fashion enthusiast here to remind you that corsets and stays were not created as ancient methods of torture.

sure, i am not going to deny that some women did tightlace their corsets — however, not everyone was struggling to breathe and fainting everywhere like fucking goats. part of a corset’s purpose was aesthetic and fashion, but it was also for support. most women still lived their lives, they weren’t just lying around being damsels in distress with itty bitty waists and zero lung capacity.

i just think it’s scary how hollywood has popularized the misconception that corsets are made to be tightlaced — for example, if someone who isn't well educated about historical fashions buys a corset for a costume, they might think it’s normal if they can’t breathe, and that’s dangerous. i cannot emphasize that enough.

when i was performing in a production of beauty and the beast earlier this year, some of the girls — my friends — were tightening their corsets to seriously dangerous extents, and that fucking scared me. i felt like a broken record telling them to loosen their corsets, but all they knew was pirates of the caribbean (that one scene pisses me off sO BAD) and bridgerton (i am NOT gonna start on the corset tightening scene in bridgerton s1, i do not need to get on that soap box).

if you read nothing else in this little rant of mine, read this:

if you cannot breathe while you are wearing a corset, something is wrong.

[seraphinitegames]

Hi!!

We know about A's three shirt wardrobe, but what about the others? Do they have to carry all their clothes from facility to facility?

Thank you so much ^-^

N has a huge wardrobe that they've kept in storage and finally is getting to pull out...even though they stick with their usual outfit, lol! It's more about sentiment for them keeping the outfits, though.

F tends to buy clothes as they go and wear them then forget about the outfit and get something new. The only character I need to make sure I remember to think of new outfits for in most books, hehe! :D

M is all about The Aesthetic, so they have a specific look. So much like A they have a small capsule wardrobe they wear over and over and only add new pieces as fashion changes and it's really needed.

Thank you so much for the ask! :)

[professorpski]

Harriet observed with irritation that most of them wore their caps badly, and one had had the folly to put on a pale lemon frock and muslin frills, which looked incongruous beneath a gown.... 'At any rate, the women are no worse than the men. I once saw old Hammond walk in the Encaenia Procession in a Mus. Doc. gown, a grey flannel suit, brown boots and a blue spotted tie, and nobody said anything to him.

It is true that women’s clothing, having a far greater range of color and cut, has a far greater likelihood of producing a disharmony than men’s clothing. It is also true that our standards for women’s dress is higher which may be simply oppressive or may be because that greater range can also produce extraordinary beauty when done right.

These quotations are about the character Harriet Vane was noticing in the novel Gaudy Night, a mystery written by Dorothy L. Sayers in 1936 about a mystery writer, Vane. Sayers had her writer visiting her old women’s college at Oxford University in England and noticing what people wore with their academic gowns and caps en route to special ceremonies. The book centers on the prankish harassment of women at the college and Vane’s attempt to identify the perpetrator while she ponders the marriage proposal of the amateur sleuth Lord Peter Wimsey and what it would mean for her life and her career.

[inky-duchess]

Etiquette of the Edwardian Era and La Belle Époque: How to Dress

This is a new set of posts focusing on the period of time stretching from the late 19th century to the early 20th Century right up to the start of WWI.

I'll be going through different aspects of life. This series can be linked to my Great House series as well as my Season post and Debutant post.

Today will be focusing on the rules of clothes with this time period.

A Cut for Every Occasion

As you may know, the wealthy elite and their servants lived extremely regimented lives and every aspect was governed by careful rules. They would be expected to wear the right outfit at the right time, every minute of the day. Any misstep would be noticed at once and be subject to scruntiny.

In the circles of the elite, one would be expected to change for every occasion. One simply wouldn't wear the same outfit they've been lying around the house in to attend tea at somebody's house. Fashion in this era was dictated by the clock and by the event diary of the wearer.

Ladies

Women of the upperclass would be expected to change at least six times a day. When she would rise for a morning of repose around the house, she would simply wear a house gown or a simple blouse and skirt. If planning a morning stroll, she would change into a walking suit which is a combination of blouse, skirt and jacket along with her hat usually of tweed. If running errands or paying a visit to friends, she would wear another walking suit. If riding, she would wear a riding habit and a hat. If hosting tea or taking tea in her own home, she would change into a tea gown with is a lighter more airier gown more comfortable for chilling in. If attending a garden party, one wears a pastel or white formal day gown accompanied by a straw hat and gloves. For dinner, she would change into an evening gown which would be more elaborate and show off a little more skin than her day wear. After dinner and ready for bed, she would change into her nightgown.

Female servants had an easier time of it. A housekeeper and lady's maid would simply wear a solid black gown for the entire day. A cook and kitchen maids would wear a simple day dress for working with an apron. Housemaids would usually wear a print dress with an apron and cap, changing into the more formal black and white attire you would associate with a maid.

Gentlemen

The gentlemen had an easier time but they too were subject to changes throughout the day. Men were expected to wear a suit. The most popular day time suit was a sack suit. These were comprised of plain and loose fitting jackets, worn over a starched shirt with a high collar, waistcoat and straight trousers with ironed creases. These suits were exclusively wool with cheaper ones made of a wool and cotton blend. Grey, green, brown, navy were usual but sine younger men preferred louder colours such as purple which was a trend for a time in the 1910s. These suits were worn about the house or in the city accompanied by a coat. Men would change into tweed if shooting or walking. For garden parties, a gentleman would wear a light coloured suit, usually white and a straw hat. For dinner, a man had two choices: his tails or his dinner jacket. A dinner jacket was for less formal suppers say if dining at home. This was a collection of a jacket, trousers, waistcoat, a bow tie, a detachable wing-collar shirt and black shoes. Lapels of these jackets were edged with silk or satin. Tails were worn at a formal dinner party, at White Tie events. This was made up of a tailcoat, white piqué waistcoat, a starched dress shirt with a pique bib and standing wing collar with a white bow tie. Trousers were lined with trim to hide the seams.

Male servants were soared changing. Footmen would wear their livery around the clock which would resemble white tie to a certain extent or mimic court dress of palace servants. Butler's would wear a variation of a gentleman's evening suit throughout the day. When a male servant is dressed, he usually stays that way. However, a valet or a footman may be taken to pick up during shooting parties where they would wear tweed walking suits.

Jewellery

Jewellery was an important sign of status in society. Upperclass women of this time has access to untold caches of sparklers but there were rules concerning their use and meaning. Earrings were usually clip ons as women of high status would not pierce their ears. Simple, understated earrings were worn during the day with more ostentatious sets were worn in the evening time. Broaches were popular at this time, usually worn at the throat of a gown or blouse or walking suit or affixed on hats. Large stoned rings were worn over gloves while slender bands were worn under. Jewellery was intricate and understated amongst old money whole the nouveau riche went for chunkier stones and larger settings. Tiaras were only worn at White Tie events, held after six pm and almost never by unmarried girls. One would not wear a larger tiara than that most senior lady present. Men would wear tie pins, cufflinks and pocket watches to match any occasion be it for a jaunt on the town or at a formal evening party.

Hats

Hats were a staple in this period. Anybody respectable from any class wouldn't venture out of the door without a hat.

Men would wear hats when heading out but always remove them when entering a building, and never wear one without removing it for the presence of a lady. The bowler was seen as more a servant's headwear while a top hat was reserved for gentlemen. Flat caps would be only seen on gentlemen at shooting gatherings or in the country, they were popular among the common class for any informal occasion.

Women had more stricter rules concern hats. Hats for women were more a day accessory worn while out and about. A woman would not wear a hat in her own home even when entertaining and nor would any of the other female occupants if joining the gathering. A woman would not remove her hat when attending a luncheon or tea or any activity. Hats were held in place by a ribbon or sash tied under the chin or by a hat pin, which is essentially a large needle thrust through the hair. This was the period where women's hats became more ornate and rather large, leading to some critisism. Among servants, housekeepers and lady's maids would not wear a hat while indoors and working but a housemaid or cook or kitchen maid would cover their hair with a cap with housemaids changing into a more elaborate one come evening time. Male servants would not wear hats unless travelling or outdoors.

Gloves

Gloves are a staple in this period and worn only at the opportune time. Among servants, only footmen would wear gloves and usually only when serving. Butlers would never wear gloves. Female servants did not wear gloves.

Men did wear gloves, usually woollen or leather while outside or riding gloves when out on horseback.

Women wore gloves whenever outside. Day gloves were usually wrist length, with evening gloves stretching to the elbow. During dinner, evening gloves would be removed at the first course and laid across the lap, replaced at the last course when the ladies leave for tea and coffee after where the gloves are then removed again. Gloves are always worn when dancing and at the theatre or opera. If one is sitting in ones box and sampling some chocolate, one can remove their gloves for that.

Hair and Makeup

Make up was a no-no amongst the upper crust and for their servants in England and America, as it was seen as licentious but in France, the use of rouge was accepted. Perfume and cologne were acceptable but excessive use was frowned upon.

Hair was dressed by one's lady's maid. Bouffant updos were popular in this time period for married women. During the last years of this period, women began adopting the 'bob' but this was seen as radical and sometimes scandalous. Unmarried girls could wear their hair down, often with accessories like a bow to adorn their tresses. Servants would always tie up their hair and never be seen with it down or uncovered (though this depended on their job).

Men would comb their hair, slicking it back for dinner. Most men were clean shaven but if they wore beards, they were usually well groomed. Hair was kept short for grown men and teenagers but young boys may wear their hair longer whilst in the nursery.

[brunosaderogatory]

Gays just love to do this huh.

[artist-ellen]

The one, the only, Jaime Lannister

Confession time... I'm a big redemption-arc Jaime apologist. Season 8 was a betrayal on every level and I reject D&D's decisions with Jaime. In a hilarious/devestating twist season 8 episode 2 was the second episode I'd ever watched (the first was the Sand-Snake vs Greyjoy episode with my cousins, and s8ep2 I watched when it came out with my friend) and it hooked me enough to give the rest of season 8 a fighting chance (guess how that went). So... I was already a Braime stan via the books and 8x02... there's a reason I'm still raging all these years later. I was already set up for failure with my Beauty and the Beast retellings obsession... I have to stop or I'll never stop. Anyway, Jaime apologist, I've decided he and Brienne have a happy ending. Who is your problematic asoiaf fave?

I am the artist! Do not post without permission & credit! Thank you! Come visit me through my link tree on: instagram, tiktok or check out my coloring book available now \ („• ֊ •„) /

[hanfugallery]

hanfu fashion matched with miao fashion by chinese designers

[justdavina]

Stunning transgender goddess of the month for me! Perfect everything about her amazing fashion statement.