FANCY COSTUME OF VARIOUS PERIODS.
"The dome, where pleasure holds her midnight reign,
Here richly decked, admits the gorgeous train;
Tumultuous grandeur crowds the blazing square,
The rattling chariots clash, the torches glare."
During the Roman occupation of Britain, many sports and pastimes, with
their appropriate costumes, were introduced into this country from
Southern Europe and the East, and at a very early period mummings were
popular with the people. These were primitive masquerades, where the
actors, if we may judge from antique illuminations, generally mimicked
the brute creation rather than human beings. They often appeared between
the courses at banquets, and on important occasions elaborate pageants
were arranged. Ships filled with mariners were sometimes introduced, or
towers garrisoned with armed men, while the actors portrayed some
allegorical lesson or historical incident.
A well-known event intimately connected with masking was the narrow
escape from death by fire of Charles VI. of France, on January 29th,
1392. The king, with eleven of his knights, for the amusement of the
Court, dressed like savages, in tight-fitting garments of linen covered
with flax, and were dancing before the Queen and the Duchess de Berri,
when the Duc d'Orleans with a torch accidentally ignited the inflammable
costume of a masker, who was chained to four others. The Duchess
protected the King by wrapping him in the train of her mantle, but four
persons died in great agony.
Edward III. issued an ordinance against vagrants who exhibited
scandalous masquerades in low ale-houses, and directed that such persons
should be whipped out of London. The Feast of Fools was one of the most
singular of these exhibitions. It somewhat resembled the Roman
Saturnalia, and was enacted at Christmas. In England the celebration of
this festival does not appear to have been attended with the same
excesses as were commonly practised on the Continent, but it was
nevertheless a season of licence, in which order and discipline were
reversed. The churl was elected to represent the Pope; the buffoon was
made a cardinal; and the lowest of the mob assumed for the time being
the garb of the priesthood, and took possession of churches, where they
parodied every part of the sacred service, and sang masses composed of
obscene songs.
Dramatic representations were so tainted by the grossness and
licentiousness of the age, that priests were prohibited from attending
them, till the Church introduced religious plays, founded on scriptural
incidents, and which were known as miracles and mysteries. For these the
actors were trained by the clergy, and sacred edifices and vestments
were placed at their disposal, to give truth and lustre to the
representations.
There were frequent tournaments after the Norman Invasion, and these
were patronized and encouraged by Richard C[oe]ur de Lion. From this era
they occupied a prominent place in the national institutions and
history, and afforded many opportunities for the display of picturesque
costume. Ladies on these occasions were conspicuous, and sometimes rode
in parti-coloured tunics with short hoods and tippets wrapped about
their heads. Their girdles were decorated with gold and silver, and they
carried small swords. The space marked out for the combat was surrounded
by raised seats for high-born dames, princes, and the judges of the
conflict. Knights wore their ladies' colours on their helmets,
emblazoned on their clothing, and on the trappings of their horses; and
throngs of troubadours, heralds, and minstrels dressed in gorgeous
attire, were present to discharge their duties, and to give importance
to the spectacle.
The ancient English Morris Dance, performed with other quaint usages on
the 1st of May, is supposed to be of Moorish origin. It is depicted on
an antique stained glass window at Betley, in Staffordshire. The
May-pole and the Man with the Hobby Horse (who represents a Moorish
King, and is the consort of the May Queen), occupy a prominent position.
The other characters are the Fool, the Lesser Fool, Tom the Piper, a
Spaniard, the Franklin or private gentleman, a Churl or peasant, the May
Queen, a Nobleman, and a Friar. The dresses were adorned with bells,
intended to sound the measure of the dancers. They were of different
sizes, and were called the fore bell, the second bell, the treble, the
tenor, and the great bell.
Planche, in his valuable work, the "Cyclopaedia of Costume," states the
earliest illustration of a _bal costume_ is in a MS. of the fifteenth
century, in the Ambrosian Library at Milan, and he gives a reproduction
from an old painting on wood dating from 1463, representing a dance by
torchlight at the Court of Burgundy. Each person holds a long lighted
taper, and this dance, up to the sixteenth century, was usually reserved
for wedding festivities. In England masked balls were rare before the
reign of William III., and in France they first took place during the
regency of Philip, Duke of Orleans, when the Opera House was converted
into a ball-room. Father Sebastian, a Carmelite friar, devised a means
of elevating the floor of the pit to the level of the stage, and of
lowering it at pleasure.
Ranelagh and Vauxhall Gardens, and Belsize House, Hampstead, were also
places of popular resort, and scenes of many entertainments during the
eighteenth century. There were pyrotechnic displays, bands of music,
frequent balls, and facilities for dinner and supper parties. The lawns
were dotted with arbours, lakes, and artificial cascades; the trees were
festooned with coloured lamps, and the costumes of those who frequented
these gatherings were elaborate and costly.
From the writings of Horace Walpole and others, we learn that private
open-air galas were of common occurrence among the aristocracy, and he
gives a description of a _festino_ at Northumberland House in honour of
the Marquess of Tavistock and his bride; when arches and pyramids of
lights alternately surrounded the enclosure, and festoons of lamps edged
the railings. In 1761 Her Majesty Queen Charlotte surprised her husband
on his birthday with a splendid garden party, followed by fireworks, a
cold supper of a hundred dishes, and an illuminated dessert. The Duke of
Richmond celebrated a similar occasion with a masked ball and music--the
vocal parts performed by many of the nobility, in fancy dress. Here,
too, there was a display of fireworks in the garden and from the river.
Almack's new Subscription and Assembly Room was opened in February,
1765, under distinguished patronage; and Gibbon mentions a masquerade at
a rival establishment, the Pantheon, which he states was above par in
magnificence, and below par in humour, and cost L5000.
Five o'clock was the dinner hour of fashionable people during the
eighteenth century, and three for those of lower rank. At eleven p.m.
supper was usually served, and breakfast was from nine to eleven a.m.
The House of Commons commenced sitting at two, and the Opera began at
seven.
At this period the domino (evolved from the priestly cowl) was in great
request, and was used in the boxes of theatres for purposes of
concealment, and by those of questionable morals. Though the large hoop
towards the close of the eighteenth century was only worn at Court, or
in full dress, the pocket hoop for distending the panniers was still in
vogue. For the abolition of the Court hoop, we are indebted to George
IV., whose taste in dress was unimpeachable. Powder and patches
maintained their ground till 1793, when they were discarded by Queen
Charlotte and the Princesses. Aprons were regarded as a necessary item
of a fashionable costume up to 1750, and the watch and etui adorned the
waist, necklaces sparkled on the bosom, and bracelets were worn over
long gloves.
The French Revolution affected masculine costume; and in 1789 were
introduced into this country the muslin cravat, in which the chin was
partially concealed, stand-up collars, Hessian boots, and round hats of
beaver. Scarlet coats were much in vogue about 1784, and an anecdote in
"The Life of Sir Astley Cooper" represents him as returning from a
dancing academy in a scarlet coat, a three-cocked hat, a black glazed
stock, nankeen knee-breeches, and silk stockings. This may be regarded
as the ordinary costume of a gentleman at that period.
Wigs had begun to go out of fashion as early as 1763, in which year the
wigmakers petitioned King George III. to support the trade by his
example. "The hair," says Malcolm, "was dressed high on the head,
whitened with powder, and alternately plaited and turned up or queued
behind." When the hair powder tax--one guinea per annum--was enforced in
1795, thousands of heads reverted to their natural colour.
Some brilliant fancy dress balls (with a view to encouraging home trade)
have taken place during the Victorian era. Of the first, which was given
by the Queen and Prince Consort at Buckingham Palace in 1842, a
permanent memorial exists in two handsome volumes compiled by J. R.
Planche, containing carefully coloured illustrations of the various
dresses, and autograph portraits of the wearers. They form an invaluable
book of reference for those desiring accurate representations of the
costume of the period of Edward III. (1327-1377). A special feature of
this ball was a series of costume quadrilles, arranged by ladies of the
Court and others of high rank. They were danced in the following
order:--
French quadrille, led by H. R. H. the Duchess of Cambridge.
Spanish quadrille, led by the Duchess of Buccleuch.
German quadrille, led by the Duchess of Sutherland.
Crusaders' quadrille, led by the Marchioness of Londonderry.
Waverley quadrille, led by the Countess de la Warr.
Scotch quadrille, led by the Duchess of Buccleuch.
Cossack quadrille, led by Baroness Bremon.
Greek quadrille, led by the Duchess of Leinster.
[Illustration: PRINCE ALBERT AS EDWARD III.]
Prince Albert, as Edward III., wore a costume copied from the effigy of
that king in Westminster Abbey. It consisted of a long tunic of gold and
blue brocade, reaching to the ankles. The collar, which fitted close
round the neck, was bordered with purple velvet, thickly studded with
jewels. The tunic, which had an opening up the centre to the height of
the knee, was bordered and enriched with jewels to correspond with the
collar, as were the wristbands. The hose were scarlet, also the shoes,
which were embroidered with gold. Over the tunic, His Royal Highness
wore a mantle reaching to the heels, composed of the richest scarlet
velvet, bordered by a broad gold figured lace, set on each side with
large pearls. It was lined with ermine, and connected across the breast
by a band of purple velvet, studded with diamonds, rubies, and emeralds,
and in the centre was a turquoise of immense size and perfect colour.
The band was fastened to the mantle on either side by a massive gold
ornament enriched with precious stones.
[Illustration: QUEEN VICTORIA AS PHILIPPA, WIFE OF EDWARD III.]
Her Majesty the Queen as Philippa of Hainault, wife of Edward III., was
attired in a demi-trained skirt of crimson velvet, edged with miniver.
Over this was worn a surcoat of blue and gold brocade, trimmed with fur
to match, and embellished with a stomacher of jewels valued at L60,000.
The other portions of the costume were also studded with jewels. The
mantle was of gold brocade, with a floral design in silver. The hair was
encased in a gold net, enriched with precious stones, and was surmounted
by a crown.
Princess Augusta of Cambridge personated Princess Claude, daughter of
Anne of Bretagne, Queen of France. Her dress of silver tissue was
bordered with ermine, and the tunic was of light blue velvet, worked
with the fleur-de-lis in silver. The low bodice was bordered with
diamonds. The sleeves of silver tissue reached to the wrist, and were
trimmed with rows of pearls. The gloves were jewelled, and a white tulle
veil with silver embroideries depended from a turquoise and pearl
diadem. By Her Majesty's command, her own dress, that of Prince Consort,
and most of the costumes worn at this ball, were manufactured by the
silk-weavers of Spitalfields.
For the second royal ball in June, 1845, the period of George II.
(1727-1760) was selected, and 1200 guests were invited. The Queen looked
extremely well in powder, and her dress is described as of cloth of gold
and cloth of silver, with daisies and poppies worked in silk, and shaded
in natural colours. The trimmings and ruffles of exquisite point
lace--had belonged to Queen Charlotte--and the stomacher was trimmed
with lace and jewels. The sacque was ornamented with ribbons, caught
with diamonds. On the powdered coiffure was a diamond crown; Her
Majesty's white shoes had red rosettes with diamond centres, and she
wore the star and ribbon of the Order of the Garter. Prince Albert had a
costume of the same period, with the Star of the Garter, and the Order
of the Golden Fleece in brilliants. The Marchioness of Douro, the Duke
of Wellington's daughter-in-law, was the acknowledged belle of this
ball, and wore L60,000 worth of diamonds. Miss--now the
Baroness--Burdett Coutts was also present, her dress trimmed with jewels
once the property of Marie Antoinette.
In 1871 the Princess of Wales attended the Waverley Ball at Willis'
Rooms, with several other members of the Royal Family, and was much
admired in the character of the ill-fated Mary Stuart. On July 22nd,
1874, a fancy dress ball was given by their Royal Highnesses the Prince
and Princess of Wales at Marlborough House, for which some beautiful
costumes were prepared. The Princess wore a handsome Venetian dress, and
danced in the first quadrille with the present Duke of Devonshire. The
Prince in a Cavalier costume opened the ball with the late Duchess of
Sutherland. The chief costume quadrilles on this occasion were the
Venetian, the Vandyck, Characters in Fairy Tales, and a Pack of Cards.
Another historic _bal costume_ was given in February, 1895, at Warwick
Castle, by the Earl and Countess of Warwick. No more fitting background
for such a function can be imagined than this stately mansion, which has
been a centre of hospitality for countless generations, but has never
been presided over by no more gracious and popular chatelaine than the
present Countess. Lady Warwick looked very beautiful as Marie Antoinette
(the consort of Louis XVI. of France) in a petticoat and corsage of
exquisite English brocade, with a design of shaded roses, enriched with
gold thread on a pearl-coloured ground. The train of royal blue velvet,
embroidered in gold thread with the fleur-de-lis, was attached to the
shoulders by a band of diamonds; and the Warwick jewels, diamond stars,
were arranged on the corsage veiled with gold flecked gauze, which was
also employed for the puffed sleeves. Her elaborate white coiffure was
surmounted by a white muslin cap edged with blue velvet and adorned with
diamond aigrettes and plumes of pink, white, and blue feathers. Lady
Marjorie Greville (the only daughter of Lord and Lady Warwick) with Miss
Hamilton acted as train-bearers. They wore the daintiest white costumes
of the period, composed of broche silk, with fichus of white chiffon,
and silk hats trimmed with feathers. Each carried a long crook tied with
white ribbons and bunches of flowers, and the effect was charming. The
Earl of Warwick wore a French Court costume, the coat of ruby velvet
profusely trimmed with gold lace, white cloth cuffs, and revers. The
long white kerseymere waistcoat was braided in gold, and the white
knee-breeches and low shoes were ornamented with diamond buckles. The
Earl's wig, _a la mousquetaire_, was tied with a bow of black ribbon,
and he carried a tricorne hat with white ostrich plumes, and white
gauntlet gloves. Lady Warwick's two sisters, the Duchess of Sutherland
and Lady Angela Forbes, represented Marie Letzinka, consort of Louis
XV., and Lady Mary Campbell. The former wore a magnificent gown of white
satin de Lyon. The skirt embroidered with a flight of swallows in silver
and crystals, a deep bertha of Point de Flandre, with ruffles of the
same on the short sleeves. The train of crimson velvet was embroidered
with the French emblem, and Her Grace had a stomacher of splendid
diamonds. Lady Angela Forbes' dress was of white muslin, with a blue
sash, and picturesque hat of turquoise silk, trimmed with feathers and
roses. Princess Henry of Pless, as la Duchesse de Polignac, had a dress
of rich white satin, the skirt embroidered 18in. deep, with turquoises
and brilliants, a powdered wig, and the same jewels in her hair. Lady
Eva Dugdale, sister to the Earl of Warwick, and lady-in-waiting to Her
Royal Highness the Duchess of York, wore a Louis Quinze white satin
dress, covered with pink roses, corsage _en suite_ fastened with large
diamond ornaments. A silver trellis pattern was worked round the hem of
the skirt, and white silk mittens and shoes completed the costume. Lady
Rosslyn chose a white embroidered muslin petticoat, the overdress of
pink and red striped silk, fichu and ruches of black lisse, and a
picturesque hat. Lady Flo Sturt, as Madame la Marquise de Pompadour, was
in rich cream satin, with bodice and sleeves of antique lace, and
stomacher of diamonds. A black satin toque, with aigrette of diamonds,
contrasted well with the white wig. Count Deym, the Austrian Ambassador,
was in English Court dress. Prince Henry of Pless, in mousquetaire
costume, represented the Vicomte de Bragelonne. The Duke of Manchester
was in white satin breeches, waistcoat to match, bordered with gold, and
coat of white and silver brocade with moss roses and foliage.
The scene inside the Castle was one of unparalleled brilliancy, while
those who glanced from the mullioned windows saw by bright moonlight the
Avon frozen, the ancient cedars glistening with frost, and the
surrounding country wrapped in a snowy mantle. The entire ground floor
of the Castle was thrown open, and no pains were spared to give as
complete a representation as possible of the gorgeous fetes which made
the Court of Marie Antoinette famous throughout Europe. The finest
spectacle presented itself when the guests assembled at supper in the
oak-lined hall, where the light of a thousand candles was reflected in
the bright steel armour which surrounded the walls. Several high
screens, hung with Beauvais tapestry and shaded by huge palms, filled
the angles of the hall, and the stone walls were partially concealed by
yellow and silver embroideries. In the huge fireplace logs crackled, and
on small round tables were placed silver candelabra with crimson shades
and floral decorations, consisting of scarlet geraniums and maiden-hair
fern. The centre table was reserved for Marie Antoinette and her Court,
and here was the choicest display of family plate, including, amongst
other valuable specimens of the goldsmith's art, a golden cup modelled
by Benvenuto Cellini. From the hall you entered the Red Drawing room,
which contains a marble table, inlaid with flowers and fruit, and
formerly the property of Marie Antoinette. Next is the Cedar
Drawing-room, used as the ball-room, on whose walls are many family
portraits and other paintings by Vandyck; the remainder of the suite of
State apartments were used as withdrawing-rooms between the dances; and
at the opposite end of the Castle is the Library, the Billiard-room, and
the Countess's lovely Louis Seize Boudoir, in ivory tints, with festoons
of delicately-shaded flowers.
Dancing was carried on with great spirit till early morning, and the
tardy winter sun had risen ere the last carriage drove away from one of
the most successful balls of the nineteenth century.
Among the many important entertainments given by members of the English
aristocracy in honour of the sixtieth year of the reign of Queen
Victoria, was a Costume Ball at Devonshire House, Piccadilly, on July
2nd, 1897, when the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire received nearly all
the members of the Royal Family, many distinguished guests from the
Colonies, and members of the Corps Diplomatique. This historic mansion
was built for the third Duke of Devonshire, and it was here that
Georgiana, the beautiful Duchess of Devonshire, held her Court. It
contains a fine suite of reception rooms on the first floor; a gallery
of pictures, in which the old masters are well represented; and
extensive grounds in the rear, which on this occasion were decorated
with thousands of Chinese lanterns and fairy lamps. The principal
feature of the ball was a grand procession of the guests, headed by the
Duke and Duchess of Devonshire, the former personating Charles V. of
Germany, and the latter attired with Oriental magnificence as Zenobia,
Queen of Palmyra, in a robe of silver tissue wrought with jewels. The
mantle was of cloth of gold similarly treated, and the bodice was also
studded with precious stones. The head-dress consisted of white ostrich
plumes and a golden and jewelled crown, from which depended chains of
pearls. H.R.H. the Princess of Wales, as Margaret of Valois, was
surrounded by the ladies of her Court, their Royal Highnesses Princess
Charles of Denmark, Princess Victoria of Wales, the Duchess of Fife, and
the Duchess of York. The Princess of Wales wore a gown of white satin
wrought with silver, and a train of cloth of gold lined with silver and
superbly jewelled. H.R.H. the Prince of Wales, as Grand Master of the
Knights Hospitallers of St. John of Jerusalem and Chevalier of Malta,
wore a rich Elizabethan costume carried out in black and silver, and
bearing the white cross of the Order on one shoulder. The Duke of York
represented the Earl of Cumberland, one of Queen Elizabeth's courtiers.
Prince Charles of Denmark was a Danish student. The Duke of Connaught
wore the uniform of a military commander during the reign of Elizabeth,
and the Duchess looked charming as Queen Anne of Austria in a
picturesque gown with puffed sleeves. The Eastern Queens were
magnificently arrayed and blazing with jewels. Lady de Trafford was
Semiramis, Empress of Assyria, in a dress copied from a vase in the
British Museum. Princess Henry of Pless was Queen of Sheba, in a robe
and train of shot purple and gold tissue, elaborately embroidered with
turquoises and other stones, and wore an Assyrian jewelled head-dress,
decorated with a diamond bird and aigrette. Another Queen of Sheba was
Lady Cynthia Graham, and there were two Cleopatras--Lady de Grey and
Mrs. Arthur Paget. The husband of the latter accompanied her as Mark
Antony. Lady Elcho was a Byzantine Queen, Miss Muriel Wilson was Queen
Vashti, and the Countess of Dudley, as Queen Esther, wore a dress of
white crepe, embroidered with gold and studded with amethysts,
turquoises, and pearls.
The Elizabethan Court was represented by Lady Tweedmouth as Queen
Elizabeth, in a gown copied from a picture in the National Portrait
Gallery. Her canopy was carried by four yeomen in uniforms of crimson,
black, and gold, copied from Holbein's picture of "The Field of the
Cloth of Gold," in the Hampton Court collection. Lord Tweedmouth was the
Earl of Leicester, in slashed doublet and hose of ruby velvet and satin,
enriched with gold embroidery. Lady Edmondstone, as Mary Queen of Scots,
wore a dress of pale blue velvet, and tulle veil head-dress and ruff
worked with pearls. She was attended by the Duchess of Hamilton, dressed
in the character of Mary Hamilton, the Queen's favourite maid of honour.
The Countess of Warwick, as Marie Antoinette, was beautifully dressed in
a petticoat of rich white satin and a Court gown of English brocade,
with a train of Royal blue velvet. The hair was powdered, and she was
attended by four pages in white satin suits and three-cornered hats,
bearing over her ladyship a canopy of blue velvet. This group included
the Duchess of Sutherland, as Charlotte Corday in a gown of red _crepe
de Chine_, a muslin fichu and cap, trimmed with point d'Alencon lace,
and dagger at waist. Lady Westmorland made a lovely Hebe, and Lady
Angela Forbes, as the Queen of Naples, wore an Empire gown of ivory
duchesse satin, embroidered with silver and diamonds, and a train of
lilac velvet, edged with jewelled embroidery and lined with satin. The
head-dress consisted of a small jewelled crown and two white feathers.
Among many other notable costumes should be mentioned the Marchioness of
Tweedale's, as the Empress Josephine, as she appears in the Coronation
picture at the Louvre, Paris; the Marchioness of Londonderry, as the
Empress Marie Therese, of Austria, and the Marchioness of Zetland's, as
Queen Henrietta Maria, wife of Charles I. of England; Viscountess
Raincliffe, as the Empress Catherine II. of Russia, wore white satin,
and her dress was an exact copy of the picture in the British Museum by
Lambi. The Court gown of the Duchess of Portland, as Duchesse de Savoia,
who headed the Venetian procession, was composed of white satin veiled,
with lisse wrought with silver, partially covered by a silver cloth
mantle, embroidered with pearls and diamonds, and diamonds and emeralds
were introduced in the coiffure.