History's Runway: Christmas and New Year's Party Fashion Plate, 1875

 

Fashion plates such as this one from the V&A often formed the centerpiece of publications for women—rather, they still do.  This landscape format plate from 1875 is set in a ballroom draped with garlands, and depicts twelve women and 8 small children.  Nine of the women are in party dresses with one small boy in a brown suit.

Two women in the background wear the long-sleeved day dresses which were fashionable at the time, and a third woman wears a formal reception gown with elbow-length sleeves. The others, in their party dresses, show the elaborately bustled and embellished evening gowns with low necklines and short sleeves that dominated the fashions of the 1870s.

One female child in the centre foreground holds a fashionably dressed doll, and another to the far left holds a doll dressed as a Polichinelle (the French version of Mr. Punch).

While the artwork was created in Paris, the piece was published in London, in December 1875, in “The Young Ladies' Journal.”  A descriptive line states:  “Christmas and New Year's Party Fashion Plate December 1875. The Young Ladies' Journal.” 

Print of the Day: Men's Evening Dress, 1920

Men's Fashion Plate
France, 1920
The Victoria & Albert Museum

We’re accustomed to seeing fashion plates for women’s clothing—especially from the Victorian era. However, this fashion plate, from 1920, by Georges Gorvel shows men’s fashions. It is from the journal Gazette du Bon Ton (1912-1915, 1920-1925)—a journal which featured articles about theatre, travel and other pursuits of interest to the leisured wealthy man, but with a main emphasis which was always on fashion. The journal was intended for the Parisian élite, and was famed for introducing men’s fashions in color plates such as this one which anticipated the Art Deco style. The illustrations typically were stenciled by hand with watercolor in a technique known as pochoir.

This fashion plate from 1920 shows a smoking man in evening dress. He is elegantly dressed with tails and a top hat. The only hint of color in the glamorous image is his yellow glove.

Print of the Day: Men's Evening Dress, 1920

Men's Fashion Plate
France, 1920
The Victoria & Albert Museum

We’re accustomed to seeing fashion plates for women’s clothing—especially from the Victorian era. However, this fashion plate, from 1920, by Georges Gorvel shows men’s fashions. It is from the journal Gazette du Bon Ton (1912-1915, 1920-1925)—a journal which featured articles about theatre, travel and other pursuits of interest to the leisured wealthy man, but with a main emphasis which was always on fashion. The journal was intended for the Parisian élite, and was famed for introducing men’s fashions in color plates such as this one which anticipated the Art Deco style. The illustrations typically were stenciled by hand with watercolor in a technique known as pochoir.

This fashion plate from 1920 shows a smoking man in evening dress. He is elegantly dressed with tails and a top hat. The only hint of color in the glamorous image is his yellow glove.