Evening dress, R.H White and Co (Boston), American, 1885. Photo: Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute, New York.
Behind the eighth window of my rather flamboyant advent calendar there lurks this rather gorgeous evening dress from 1885. I don’t know about you, but to my mind, this gown just SCREAMS Christmas – probably because of the oh so delightful combination of a fluffy feather trim and that elegantly draped wintry ice blue silk.
I can just imagine a fashionable young Boston lady venturing out in this to go ice skating or take a snowy carriage ride with one of her ardent admirers. Or perhaps it would be better suited to a Christmas party – it’s certainly guaranteed to stand out against all the rich, jewel like colours that have always tended to prevail at this time of year.
Speaking of advent calendars – what do you think of mine? It’s from the Historic Royal Palaces website and has a glittery pop up Kensington Palace, Tower of London and Hampton Court Palace. I’m a bit in love with it – and why yes, I do have a print warning about the poisonous effects of laudanum hanging in my kitchen! What else did you expect?!
I also love my Victoria and Albert Christmas decorations, also from the HRP site. Reunited at last after all those years apart. I keep getting an earworm of the Erasure song Stop! whenever I look at them – you know the one, it goes ‘We’ll be together again, I’ve been waiting for a long time…’ Anyway, they’re ace and I very much approve of the snazzy Adidas trainers that Albert seems to have picked up in the afterlife.
******
‘Frothy, light hearted, gorgeous. The perfect summer read.’ Minette, my young adult novel of 17th century posh doom and intrigue is now £2.02 from Amazon UK and $2.99 from Amazon US.
Blood Sisters, my novel of posh doom and iniquity during the French Revolution is just a fiver (offer is UK only sorry!) right now! Just use the clicky box on my blog sidebar to order your copy!
Follow me on Instagram.
