This is my grandmother's Mardi Gras gown from 1910. You can read more about it here. When I got it out of the box the colors seemed even more amazing. On the background of a vibrant orange is this dusky blue gray cut velvet pattern. It has rhinestone studded metal mesh straps and a fitted bodice. It's lined with a paler gold silk and has a long train with lead weights sewn inside the train.
Unfortunately it's also about size 5. My grandmother was much smaller than me.
You wonder what to do with family items like this. Just save it through the years? Supposedly it was a Worth gown from Paris. I have cousins who live in New Orleans and I told my brother I thought they should have it but he was against it. My niece lives a high style life and worked for Valentino for years. She might have an opportunity to wear a dress like this, but it wouldn't fit her either and she has three sons. It's in remarkably good condition.
9 comments:
Gasp!
But Sally! Can't you wear it?
Colors in your house are nice too.
Wow. That's held up well for a dress that's almost 100 years old.
Nice textures on the dress, both the outside and the inner lining. I think they're saying "make me into a seamless bitmap and import me as a Flash textrue!"
It's gorgeous. Maybe you could donate it to a museum? It's a shame to just fold it up and put it away, but I'm no expert.
Linda, it would probably fit you. Namowal, only you would know how to make a texture of it!
Mean Jean, that's a good idea. I researched a little this morning and it definitely helps if you know specifics about the dress, and so the dance card is signifigant. But New Orleans doesn't seem like a city that has money for curating vintage clothes, plus the humidity. I'll keep thinking about that. If I could just contact that secret society...
Lovely dress! Gosh, i wonder if it would fit me... ha! Probably not if it won't fit you.
Are you selling it?
Well that's the thing. I don't know what to do with it. Probably would fit you, stray.
Oh. I just saw that it's size 5. I've never been a size 5! not even when I was 5 yrs. old. People were much smaller back in those days...They weren't educated about nutrition like we are now, didn't know about dollar hot dogs, etc.
That's so gorgeous. You could inquire at the Textile Museum (http://www.textilemuseum.org/) and see if they are interested in displaying it, or have suggestions on what you should do with it. If it were me, I'd get one of those old store mannequins (I used to have a whole one, now I just have the torso) and I'd dress it and display it in my house.
It is nicer than gowns at the Oscars.
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