The Corseted Beauty

Always a treat to see an extant garment from the 17th century... A lovely silk golden-yellow ceremonial dress with gold and silver lace, golden embroidery, teardrop-shaped silver sequins, and taffeta bows (ca. 1610-1620).

Worn by Electress Magdalena Sibylla of Saxony✨
From the collection of Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden.

Evening dress of striped woven silk with pearl satin piping and appliqué silk chiffon chevrons trim at the hem (ca. 1820-25) 💖

From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum.

Brocade and lace evening gown (ca. 1913).
Worn by Queen Maud of Norway 🧡

From the collection of The National Museum, Oslo.

A beautifully beaded silk and lace gown with a butterfly bodice (ca. 1890) 🦋

From the collection of Bunka Gakuen Costume Museum, Tokyo.

A ball gown of silk satin and tulle confection in a vivid shade of pink, trimmed with box-pleated satin ribbons and satin rosettes (ca. 1865) 🎀
From Cora Ginsburg.

Striking evening dress featuring a memorable textile of black velvet scrolls on an ivory satin ground, creating the illusion of ironwork. This gown fully reflects the influence of the Art Nouveau aesthetic at the very end of the century ⚜️ An eternal favorite.

From the House of Worth (1898-1900) and in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Elegant designs by Italian-American designer Girolamo Giuseffi (1864-1934). A native of Naples, Italy, he settled in St. Louis in 1900 when the city’s clothing industry was strong and active.
Giuseffi ran a well-known and successful fashion house in the early part of the century under the name G.
Giuseffi Ladies’ Tailoring Company. His residence/ business in 3900 Westminster Place was described as
“a lavishly appointed, elite salon.” 💙

Garments from the collection of

Evening dress (ca. 1912)
Day dress (ca. 1906)
Evening dress (1910-14)
Evening dress (1915)
Evening dress (1910-14)

The American painter William McGregor Paxton (1869-1941) is best known as a portrait painter and co-founder of the The Guild of Boston Artists. Portraits of elegant women in handsome interiors, engaged in leisurely activities, were among some of his most sought-after works. Paxton’s subjects were often depicted in lush clothing, bathed in subtle golden light, reminiscent of Johannes Vermeer’s oeuvre.

In this collection of paintings, Paxton makes use of two lovely pieces of clothing repeatedly: a beautifully embroidered chinoiserie jacket and a pink silk gown 🩷

"The New Necklace" (1910, from the collection of )

"The Blue Book" (1914, in private collection)

"Rose and Blue" (1913, in private collection)

"The Other Door" (ca. 1917, in private collection)

"Bellissima" (1912, in private collection)

"The Embroidered Jacket" (1916, )

Silk evening dress with oakleaf motif embroidered in cream silk cord and chenille by House of Worth (ca. 1903) 💛

Worn by Lady Curzon. From the collection of Fashion Museum Bath.

Silk, satin, and velvet evening dress with jeweled butterfly appliques by the House of Worth (ca. 1910) 💜

Sold by Whitaker Auctions.