Sunday, March 2, 2008

A Fevered Prettiness

French Bonnet

French Bonnet, 1830–35. Ivory silk satin, ivory gauze, ivory silk tulle with ivory silk filament embroidery, egret and duck feathers, and ivory linen petal appliqué. Isabel Shults Fund, 2004 (2004.343).

In the 1830s the fashionable coiffeur was hair pulled back in a high single- or double-looped chignon with dense grapelike bunches of curls at the temples. This hairstyle influenced the profile of hats of the period, which were characterized by narrow, deep, cylindrical crowns that were angled upward, and wide, face framing, halo-like brims. Hat trims were particularly lavish, with the interiors of the brims, because they were exposed, also treated decoratively. This example is particularly rich in ornamentation and rare for the survival of all its embellishments.

Comments (14)

  1. marina urbach Says:

    ‘In the 1830s the fashionable coiffeur was hair pulled back ‘

    You probably mean ‘coiffure’, not ‘coiffeur’.

    Coiffeur: hairdresser
    Coiffure: hairstyle

    The fashinable coiffure was hair pulled back…

  2. marina urbach Says:

    PS You have not corrected another ‘typo’:

    ‘Mrs. Newman’s Taitlin-like accessorization served to underscore Miyake’s affinities for early modernist design and art movements, among them Cubism, the Bauhaus, and perhaps most aptly with regard to this dress, Russian Constructivism.’
    Perhaps you mean ‘ Tatlin-like’ ?
    Vladimir Tatlin. (Russian, 1885-1953)

  3. Joe Jonas Says:

    I would buy this if I were a girl. It’s really cute… for a girl, I mean. I would buy it for my true love Emily Osment. She would love it! They did a great job on this hat, and I’m really taking this into consideration, by asking Emily, of course.

  4. mimi Says:

    A bonnet - now that is really fashion at its best! Over-the-top, beautifully made, and adorable.

  5. Lucienne Says:

    Why is “pretty” so hard to actually live in? This is just a lovely concoction, if you don’t mind feathers and froth in your eyes and on your neck. I wonder it the 19th Century woman who wore it thought like that? And it’s a blend of the apparently ephemeral with very well hidden construction.

  6. Richard Womack Says:

    Maybe the Celtic branch wore this lavish concoction to their victory parties?

  7. Jack Meehan Says:

    this dress is FAAAAABBBULOUSSSS!!!

  8. lo wall Says:

    if only bonnets were still socially acceptable…

  9. meimi1995529 Says:

    kind of sickly looking. i wouldnt wear it.

  10. fabio Says:

    these is a good colection and a good museum

  11. Manola Says:

    hello , nice collection!!!!

  12. Ally Warkenthien Says:

    This bonnet is beautiful with its intricate embellishments. It’s hard to believe bonnets like this one were once considered fashionable, I can’t imagine anyone today wearing something like this. From far away it looks like a simple white bonnet, but when you’re closer you can see all of the different materials used and the detailed design.

  13. marissa-and-scott-rock Says:

    o this is soo lovely!
    i work at a historic village and the year we portray is 1836. we have bonnetts there of course, but nothing quite as delicate and detailed– absolutely exquisite!!
    though our costumes are very beautiful, this puts our sewing guild to shame…

  14. kayla Says:

    the bonnot is very cute it would totally be in fashion 700 years ago

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