The Violet
Fancy Dress Costume
1915-1920 (made)
1915-1920 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Children’s fancy-dress parties rose to popularity around the middle years of the 19th century. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert popularised the idea for children as well as for adults in Britain. One of the best-known of these occasions is the Lord Mayor of London’s annual fancy-dress party, for children of employees of the Corporation of the City of London, which dates back in an unbroken tradition from 1883 to the present day. Flowers have always been one of the more popular subjects for fancy dress, as here. A best-selling book of the Victorian era, Fancy Dresses Described; or What to Wear at Fancy Balls by Ardern Holt, describes many of them in detail.
The dress is of mauve net over a mauve satinised cotton bodice and matching tarlatan petticoat. The neck, shoulders, cuffs and hem are trimmed with artificial violets, and the neck, shoulders and waist with large leaves made of moss green sateen.
The dress is of mauve net over a mauve satinised cotton bodice and matching tarlatan petticoat. The neck, shoulders, cuffs and hem are trimmed with artificial violets, and the neck, shoulders and waist with large leaves made of moss green sateen.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | The Violet (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Net, satinised cotton, tarlatan and sateen |
| Brief description | Girl's fancy dress costume, 'The Violet', made in the UK between.1915 and 1920 |
| Physical description | Girl's fancy dress costume representing 'The Violet'. The dress is of mauve net, over a mauve satinised cotton bodice and matching tarlatan petticoat. It has a rounded neck frilled with pleated lisse, puffed sleeves, and a gathered skirt. The neck, shoulders, cuffs and hem are trimmed with artificial violets, and the neck, shoulders and waist with large leaves made of moss green sateen. The garment fastens at the back with hooks and loops. |
| Dimensions |
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| Object history | Worn by a girl of the Monro family |
| Subject depicted | |
| Summary | Children’s fancy-dress parties rose to popularity around the middle years of the 19th century. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert popularised the idea for children as well as for adults in Britain. One of the best-known of these occasions is the Lord Mayor of London’s annual fancy-dress party, for children of employees of the Corporation of the City of London, which dates back in an unbroken tradition from 1883 to the present day. Flowers have always been one of the more popular subjects for fancy dress, as here. A best-selling book of the Victorian era, Fancy Dresses Described; or What to Wear at Fancy Balls by Ardern Holt, describes many of them in detail. The dress is of mauve net over a mauve satinised cotton bodice and matching tarlatan petticoat. The neck, shoulders, cuffs and hem are trimmed with artificial violets, and the neck, shoulders and waist with large leaves made of moss green sateen. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | MISC.97-1984 |
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| Record created | February 23, 2004 |
| Record URL |
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