‘Fashion repeats itself’…’Dollie’ or ‘Jane’?
On a recent visit to a Town nearby, whilst I was browsing an ‘antique-style’ stall (style as it was old ‘n’ new, odds and ends etc) I came across an arresting image entitled ‘Fashion Repeats Itself’ from a sheet of The Illustrated London News dating from 1872, and I knew I just had to buy it!
The caption said ‘see next page’, which I did very eagerly to see what the article contained – namely it was about the fashion sensation of Dolly Varden that was making a ‘fashion storm’ at the time, with it’s wave hitting the ‘young and old’ (the article stressed the old rather unfavourably I might add…).
The character of Dollie is from Dicken’s Barnaby Rudge novel set in the 1780’s, hence the repeat of fashion with the 1780’s coming back in the guise of Dolly V! (as pictured above), and well also in this image I was most impressed that the dog was allowed in the gallery! (Can’t see that happening now unfortunately…oh how I wish so…). Of course we all know that fashion not only cycles but ‘recycles’ so I thought I’d better consult my own Young Englishwoman’s Journal from 1871 to see what took ‘my fancy’, and what may also make a return. The first item that caught my eye was the muff, I have fond memories of having these as a child. I loved the cosy feeling as my hands remained warm yet in a very fashionable way for a 7 year old! I know it’s Spring right now, but I have to anticipate what may ‘repeat itself’ in the up-and-coming season of A/W. I was also taken with the veiled hat pictured alongside, perfectly elegant and a very coquettish item for ‘Promenading’! (I like the option of maintaining some ‘cover’ which could hide a ‘multitude of sins’ to be quite honest…).
A number of bags caught my ‘fashion eye’ from the large roomy bowler number, to a more delicate ‘lady chic’ style and a rectangular ‘folder’, all look very current! In this illustration the Lady is very appropriate for April showers. The ‘sensible day dress’ from a exhibition display, encapsulates the current trend of frills, lace trimming + a bow! I don’t see an actual return of this exact style, but all the elements are there in what is fashionable now. Maybe if the bottom layer was cut off and the top was made more open at the neckline, I think I can come up with a new ‘fashion revelation’ with just getting ‘scissor happy’…! I picked the corset (also from an exhibition display) as the one style I would not like to see a return or a ‘repeat’ of…(well not that narrow anyway).
Finally I end here with a picture I took a long while back at the Bath Costume Museum, which makes me think of the Bronte’s and the character Jane Eyre. This month celebrates the bicentenary of Charlotte Bronte’s birth, so it is a fitting remembrance of the great writer. Pictured here are Charlotte’s shoes, which I photographed at the present (though, small) National Gallery exhibition celebrating her life and work. These shoes accentuate her tiny feet, could these shoes have a ‘revival’? I’m only a size 4, but I definitely could not squeeze into these ‘neat feet’! (at least not without ‘bursting the seams) not sure if that would be a ‘good’ look or not??
