It’s FRIDAY FASHION FACT! If you have been
reading this blog for a while, you’ll know that one of my favorite
aspects of fashion history is the influence of society on dress. I can’t
believe I haven’t written about today’s topic yet, since it is one of
the best examples of this! We’re talking tea gowns!
Tea
gowns rose to popularity in the late 1870s, reaching widespread
popularity throughout the late 19th to early 20th centuries. To put it
simply, a tea gown is an informal garment worn in the house- you guessed
it- at tea time, though later they were worn at dinnertime as well.
What is so interesting about tea gowns is that their creation was a
direct result of the rapidly changing society of the time.
The
Industrial Revolution led to a dramatic rise in urbanization.
Naturally, this congested setting shifted social customs. Increased
social circles meant increased social obligations. Visiting a friend or
acquaintance for tea quickly became one of the most popular social
calls, namely because it was the shortest. Custom dictated that one
would not stay for more than half an hour for tea. The short time frame
meant a less formal atmosphere.
On a different note, during this same time, there
was a strong Asian influence on design. Due to the 1868 Meiji Restoration, trade lines between Japan and Europe opened up, bringing a steady stream of Japanese goods to the Western world. Using these pieces, homes were decorated in the
exotic style. Kimonos also held a fascination among the Victorians,
many adopting them as dressing gowns. Women would commonly host members of their wide social circles in their homes (particularly the parlors) to show off their
creative interpretation of Asian and exotic inspired design. So how does this all connect to the
tea gown?
To begin with, women desired a specific garment for these new abridged social calls- something relatively informal, yet still fashionable. Tea gowns have been described as a blend between a dressing gown and an evening gown. They were a far more relaxed style
than the majority of fashions at the time. They were often loose
fitting, and were often worn without the usual restrictive shapewear-
namely bustles and (gasp!) corsets. Naturally, this meant that tea gowns
were a very controversial garment, with many condemning them as lewd
and immoral. Of course, many women who were so accustomed to wearing
corsets still wore them with tea gowns, but disguised it with a loose
bodice. Since they were so relaxed, though, a lady would never leave the
house in a tea gown. As a result, only the hostess would wear one,
while guests would wear afternoon or visiting gowns.
One of the
biggest appeals of the loose tea gown was that they were so easy to put
on, and a lady could dress herself without the help of a lady’s maid.
While the structure of tea gowns were simple, though, their design was
anything but. Women pulled inspiration from the exotic into their gowns,
often aiming to match the design of their parlors. There was also a
strong historical influence in many tea gowns. Watteau pleats, the
cape/train-like pleats used in 18th century robes a la française, were a
popular design element. Some tea gowns would be made to look like two
garments, a faux-robe over a dress. As with all fashions of the day,
ladies would show of their wealth through their tea gowns, using rich
fabrics, lace trims, ruffles, and other embellishments.
As
fashion developed, so did the tea gown. By the Edwardian Age, they
became difficult to distinguish from other styles of dress. As society
changed through the 1920s and 30s, the tea dress slowly faded from
popularity, vanishing altogether by World War II. It just goes to show
how the life and death of a fashion can all be directly related to
shifts in society!
Have a question about fashion
history that you want answered in the next FRIDAY FASHION FACT? Just
click the ASK button at the top of the page!
5 Times Pie Would Have Saved the Day in Classic Literature
It is a truth universally acknowledged that pie is beautiful and delicious, and classic novels are full of characters gritting through their complicated, difficult lives. But what if these characters had a heartwarming slice of pie? Things could have been very different…
1. Captain Ahab. Was ever a man more in need of a slice of coconut cream pie? Like the giant whale Moby Dick, coconut cream pie is large and white, but far less likely to induce unholy fury and a life-shattering revenge spree. Plus, Ahab would have to sail to some beautiful tropic isle to obtain the requisite coconuts, and a balmy tropic vacation could only do good things for his chilly temper.
2. Scarlett O’Hara. This feisty Southern belle has demonstrated time and again that she won’t give her heart away easily. The only solution to her inevitable loneliness is a cherry pie as bold, classic, and all-American as Scarlett herself.
3. Dorian Gray. Rich, dreamy, and devilishly smooth. Are we describing Dorian Gray or a chocolate silk pie? You don’t know, and that’s why they’re the perfect match. Perhaps if Dorian had been able to channel the passions of his youth into eating chocolate pies, he wouldn’t have turned out as dark and bitter as a Ghiradelli 86% cacao bar. Just sayin’.
4. Miss Havisham. Jilted at the altar. Left alone with her misery in a rotting home. Surrounded for years by reminders of her thwarted romance. This woman needs some SUNSHINE in her life, for goodness’ sake! No pie is better suited to the task than a cheery lemon meringue. Its pillowy meringue, sunny yellow curd, and buttery crust are enough to make anyone clear out the cobwebs and start spring cleaning.
5. Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy. Look, man. We know you tried. But heading into a proposal with the general game plan of “Insult family, point out her inferiority, bring up class difference, overwhelm her with ardent love” was a pretty poor strategy, all things considered. Imagine how things might have gone over with Elizabeth B. if you had shown up, casually, with a steaming rhubarb pie. You could have told her her that the bold tartness of the rhubarb reminds you of her stinging wit, but that you believe she could also be subtly sweet. Things could have gone so much better for you, Darcy.
But, since you botched the first proposal attempt, maybe you should go practice swimming in the lake at Pemberley. Don’t ask us why.
Made a video drawing expressions with Bayonetta! Never done expressions on my channel and thought I’d give it a try. This was so much fun to make and turned out to be one of my favorite videos. Enjoy ✨💜
