Bows, crinolines, hats… Chatelain, carnet and portbouquet…
We girls really love beautiful outfits. Try it on. . . Touch it. . . Well, at least admire it from afar. . . ; ))
We pay attention to the silhouette, details, fabric... To the best of our desires and possibilities, we follow fashion.
By the way, about fashion. I once read that the period of return of fashion trends is somewhere around 22-25 years. Those. many of us, having lived a certain number of years, probably once said: "I have already worn this before. " : )
However, some silhouettes, details and accessories are unlikely to ever return - how do you now squeeze into a trolleybus or subway car, or even into the interior of your own car in a crinoline? Or with a bustle on your back? : )) And when you hear the word "chatelain", I'm sure you won't be able to say what it is. Well, unless, of course, you have studied the history of fashion.
But you can see all these items in the museum.
Such a museum was opened here in Kyiv several years ago. It's called "Victoria Museum. Wprivate museum of Victorian era costume and style".
I've been wanting to go there for a long time, and finally got there. Just in time for the opening of the new "season". And she was not only the first visitor, but also the only one at that moment. And with pleasure I wandered through the halls, listened to the audio guide (included in the ticket price) and, without any interference, photographed everything that attracted my attention. I was even allowed not to wear a protective mask over my face. : )) The only obstacle was the glass covering the exhibits, I had to dodge so that my reflection in the glass did not fall into the picture. And glass joints, which most often could not be avoided when photographing.
It's a pity that the museum is small, only 7 rooms. And I want to walk, watch and admire.
The museum has a permanent exhibition, which is periodically updated, plus thematic exhibitions are held. I got to the thematic exhibition "Aesthetics in details: fashion and canes. "
Entrance ticket costs 130 UAH. If you came as a couple / together - 190 UAH for two. If you save your entrance ticket, next time you can visit the museum with a very (! ) substantial discount.
Saturdays art historians and fashion historians sometimes give lectures.
The museum is located a block from the Arsenalnaya metro station, next to the Park of Glory.
Museum website - https://victoriamuseum. com. ua.
So let's go…
«In the private collectionand of the museum there are about 100 authentic men's and women's costumes and over 350 other exhibits that convey the atmosphere 1840-1910. These are ball, wedding and casual shoes, brooches, hats, umbrellas, gloves, canes, theater binoculars, handbags and other accessories".
The beginning of the collection was a dress for walks in the Balmó ral style (1850-1865) (in the right picture - a checkered dress).
Til got its name fromfrom a castle in the Aberdeenshire region, the private residence of the English kings in Scotland. < em> This dressof silk taffeta is dated approximately 1865.
On the left picture is a visiting dress made of silk taffeta (1880).
«In the 1870s and 1880s, bustle dresses appeared. This element of clothing in the form of a pillow, wire or wicker frame was placed under the skirt at the back to add splendor to the figure. For the same purpose, the skirt was decorated with ruffles, drapery, pleats».
Dresses for walks and visits:
Silk dresses for visits (1860s). Decorated with fringes, ribbons and silk appliqué s. At the back, the skirt ends with a train characteristic of those times.
On the right is the wedding dress of Martha Yokum (1913) made of brocard, duchesse and lace, embellished with pearls (pearl butterfly).
«This dress was found in one of the attics in New York, in a chest that also contained silk wedding shoes, a photo and a newspaper article detailing the dress and the wedding itself. "
The collection of underwear delights with magnificent embroidery, lace and the finest fabric from which it is sewn.
Homemade silk peignoirs and dressing gowns (1899-1900):
And, of course, a luxurious corset (1880):
It didn't matter that it was almost impossible to breathe in them, the main thing was that the waist looked incredibly thin.
Behind the photograph is a fragment of a bustle made of wire and muslin (1870s).
In addition to decorating dresses with bows, lace, frills and draperies, the fashion of the 19th - early 20th centuries is characterized by all kinds of brooches, pendants, lace collars, hats, handbags, gloves and umbrellas - they not only completed the image of the lady, but influenced its perception other people.
The wedding dress of House of Worth (1903-1904) is called the pearl of the museum.
«This wedding dress is from House of Worth, the couture house created by Charles Frederick Worth in 1858 in Paris. This exquisite outfit is crafted from duchesse silk satin and silk tulle. The skirt is decorated with handmade wax bouquets. This dress weighs about 20 kilos.
Former owner of the outfit is the Museum of Modern Art in New York".
Without a hat, as well as without gloves, the lady did not leave the house and could not appear in society. The manufacture of the hat was given no less attention than the dress - they were decorated with artificial flowers, bird feathers, beads and lace. Long descent ribbons were in harmony with the train of the dress.
To prevent kid gloves from shrinking and losing their shape, special spacers in the form of tongs were used.
And, of course, handbags and umbrellas, without which no walk can do.
With a small bag, they went for a walk, hiding there bottles of perfume and smelling salt, a coin box, a pillbox, a box for pins. And they protected themselves from the sun with beautiful umbrellas - after all, the skin of noble ladies should remain pale.
Men also decorated their camisoles with embroidery (the collection has a ceremonial uniform embroidered with gold) or all sorts of badges and pendants.
If a woman could not go for a walk without a hat and an umbrella, then for a man on horseback 100 years ago it was considered obscene to go outside without a cane. This item spoke of both the status and the style of its owner.
«This exhibition presents 27 unique canes made of silver, gold, ivory, rare woods ".
Oh, what beautiful fans in the museum! Once upon a time, an elegant accessory served not only its intended purpose of “cooling” and effectively complemented the costume, but was also an instrument of flirting and coquetry - depending on its position and gesture, the ladies’ hands informed the gentlemen about their passion: jealousy, love, they could appoint date or express contempt.
And finally, the châ telaine, carnet and portbouquet, which I put in the headline, hoping - I will not hide - a little intriguing. ; )
T. since it was not customary to go to balls with handbags, then everything you needed was attached to the belt of the dress with the help of a special device - a châ telain (from French châ telain - the owner of the castle). This decoration was a clip with chains, on which various things needed at the ball were hung: a bottle of smelling salt (suddenly the young lady would faint due to the heat and a very tight corset), a fan, a port-bouquet, a carnet, a mirror.
We remember from classical novels how young ladies, arriving at the ball, wrote down in their little books all the dances and the names of the gentlemen who invited the lady to a certain dance. This miniature book with pages made of paper or ivory was called carne (French carnet - notebook, notepad). Bone pages lasted forever - the text was easily erased with an elastic band or a damp cloth.
A very curious accessory of ballroom fashion is a port bouquet (French porte-bouquet - holder for flowers). This item was made in the form of a small openwork conical case, and most often attached to a dress, but sometimes a lady wore it on a chain around her wrist.
“His true purpose will at least surprise us: not to decorate, but to save from the unpleasant smell emanating from hotemen dancing. And this, alas, was inevitable, since they danced in woolen tailcoats, and the smell of sweat, mixed with the smell of wet wool, could easily cause an attack of dizziness. In such cases, fragrant violets or other flowers inserted in a port bouquet came to the rescue. ”.
Portbouquets were often real pieces of jewelry art - made of silver, decorated with enamels, mother-of-pearl and precious stones.
Another item that the ladies actively used in their attire was special page fasteners, with which they lifted the hem of the skirt in bad weather (the item in the center of the picture). They were attached to the belt and simultaneously with the main function were an element of clothing decoration.
Ah, yes, well, what outfit would be considered complete without shoes!
The museum's collection includes both everyday shoes and those designed for special occasions.
One pair of wedding shoes (the one next to the wedding dress) - made of champagne leather and silk - was made by B. Altman and Company, founded in 1865 by Benjamin Altman, owner of one of the largest department stores on Fifth Avenue in New York.
About the middle of the 19th century, more practical and strict leather shoes came into fashion. Models with a clasp and lacing have come into fashion.
But since the buttons were often very small, and the loops very tight, fastening them with your fingers became even more of a problem. The problem was solved by special shoe hooks (pictured with glove spacers), which, starting from the middle of the 19th century, were in almost every home.
That's it now. It seems like she didn't forget anything. ; )
P. S. In the "gallery" under the story all the photos.
