Evening dress, The John Shillito Co., Cincinnati ca. 1896, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Laurence M. Williams, Worn by Eunice Swift Johnson, grandmother of Mrs. Williams. Louisiana State Museums 1972.011.22a-b
Evening dress
The John Shillito Co., Cincinnati ca. 1896,
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Laurence M. Williams
Worn by Eunice Swift Johnson, grandmother of Mrs. Williams
Louisiana State Museums 1972.011.22a-b

This gown has all the features characteristic of the end of the nineteenth century: leg-of-mutton sleeves, an S-shaped silhouette achieved with a tightly corseted bodice, a wide skirt, pastel colors, and elaborate trimmings of lace, beads, and velvet ribbon.

The "demitoilette," with its enclosed neckline and covered upper arms, was appropriate for evening gatherings that did not include dancing. Ball gowns, as opposed to evening dresses, were generally décolleté, with a low neckline and bare shoulders.

Ball gown, Unknown maker, ca. 1899–1900, Gift of Mrs. John W. Mackay, Worn by Mrs. George Rose, née Josephine Maginnis, the donor's mother, Louisiana State Museums 1967.029.04a. Tailcoat and trousers, Revol, New Orleans, 1929, Gift of Mrs. George Mayer, Louisiana State Museums 1965.019.3.01.2a-b.
Ball gown
Unknown maker, ca. 1899–1900
Gift of Mrs. John W. Mackay
Worn by Mrs. George Rose, née Josephine Maginnis, the donor's mother
Louisiana State Museums 1967.029.04a

Formal evening balls required a "full toilette," including décolleté gowns with bare arms. Popularly known in New Orleans as costume de rigueur, these gowns were accessorized with long gloves extending above the elbows. Opulent jewelry was worn above the low neckline and over the gloves. Movement and manners were affected by the constrictive undergarments that were worn under the gowns, which helped achieve the idealized figure of this era.

Tailcoat and trousers
Revol, New Orleans, 1929
Gift of Mrs. George Mayer
Louisiana State Museums 1965.019.3.01.2a-b

Throughout the twentieth century and still today, 'costume de rigueur' for men's formal evening attire consisted of a black tailcoat and trousers, white dress shirt with a stiff front, wing collar, white piqué bowtie and vest, white gloves, and black patent leather pumps or loafers.

Beau Brummel introduced black as the preferred color for men's evening wear in England in 1810. Changes since that time have been made gradually and through small details. For example, a front crease did not appear on trousers until the 1880s. After 1900, trousers had creases on the front and back.
This image illustrates the "pouter pigeon" styles that were popular at the beginning of the twentieth century. While the "S" curve remained popular, this fashion plate shows some softening of the shape. Fashion plate, The Delineator, January 1905, Gift of the Fashion Group of New Orleans, Louisiana State Museums 1973.008.66
Fashion plate
"The Delineator," January 1905
Gift of the Fashion Group of New Orleans
Louisiana State Museums 1973.008.66

This image illustrates the "pouter pigeon" styles that were popular at the beginning of the twentieth century. While the "S" curve remained popular, this fashion plate shows some softening of the shape.

The Belle Epoque, 1895–1919

Evening Wear in Louisiana, 1896–1996

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The period from 1895 to 1919 marked a transitional era in style and manners. Although Louisiana women still clung to established modes of dress, they also followed trends that reflected women's changing roles. At the turn of the twentieth century, women favored evening gowns with full, "leg-of-mutton" sleeves and flared skirts. By 1919 they had already moved toward shorter hemlines. In the process, they discarded rigid, steel-boned corsets, bobbed their hair, and embraced the more relaxed style of the New Woman.

These changes in part followed the prescriptions of dress reformers who sought less cumbersome forms of dress. In 1896 New Orleans activist Florence Huberwald, head of the local dress-reform movement, ventured out onto Canal Street in an ankle-length skirt and shirtwaist blouse. The Daily Picayune found it "reformed enough, in comparison with the voluminous and back-breaking skirts...with which women afflict themselves at present" and welcomed it as "a modest, conservative dress that might be worn anywhere without attracting undue attention." Proponents of dress reform differed in their specific recommendations, but most agreed on abandoning tight corsets, bustles, and trailing skirts.

Even as dress became simpler, societal events in New Orleans, especially Carnival balls, reflected opulence. Carnival queens wore satin and silk gowns embellished with beads and heirloom lace, along with ermine-trimmed mantles. In the late 1890s, the ideal silhouette for a woman was an "S" curve. A corset was worn to push the chest forward, nip in the waist, and accentuate the posterior. Emphasis of this shape was achieved through gored construction of the bodice, ornamentation of the front, and a train in the back. In 1911, Paul Poiret introduced a revolutionary change with his tunic and hobble skirt. The new ideal favored youthful figures with flat hips and chests. The look was feminine nonetheless. Bodices consisted of layers of luxurious soft fabrics and lace, and beaded trim was used frequently. An open robe style with flowing sleeves was very popular. Many Louisiana dressmakers, such as Mme Olympe Boisse of New Orleans, traveled to France to examine and purchase the latest fashions for their clients. Publications such as Godey's Ladies BookHarper's Bazaar, and The Delineator, as well as patterns developed by Mme Demorest's Emporium of Fashion in New York, also made contemporary fashion immediately accessible.

 

Evening Gown. House of Worth, ca. 1912. Gift of the Museum of the City of New York. Louisiana State Museums 1957.059.
Evening Gown
House of Worth, ca. 1912
Gift of the Museum of the City of New York
Louisiana State Museums 1957.059

Note the absence of the severe corseted "S" shape and the way this gown, with its columnar form, falls softly from the shoulders.

Englishman Charles Frederick Worth established his dressmaking business in Paris in the middle of the nineteenth century. His designs were favored by Empress Eugenie of France and other European royals. He is credited with establishing the foundations and conventions of the couture business and placing Paris at its forefront. Following his death in 1895, his business was carried on by his sons Gaston-Lucien and Jean-Philippe.
Evening dress. Raudnitz & Co., Paris, ca. 1915. Gift of Miss Anne Strachan. Worn by Mrs. William Forsyth, the donor's grandmother. Louisiana State Museums 1976.010.3.
Evening dress
Raudnitz & Co., Paris, ca. 1915
Gift of Miss Anne Strachan
Worn by Mrs. William Forsyth, the donor's grandmother
Louisiana State Museums 1976.010.3

This gown is an example of the complex assemblage of materials and trimmings and the rising hemline that was characteristic of this period's garments.
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Evening Wear in Louisiana, 1896–1996
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The Belle Epoque, 1896–1919

The Belle Epoque, 1895–1919

The Jazz Age, 1920–1930

The Jazz Age, 1920–1930

Hollywood Goes to War, 1930–1946

Hollywood Goes to War, 1930–1946

The Modern Century, 1946–1964

The Modern Century, 1946–1964

Anything Goes

Anything Goes

Power and Opulence, 1980–1996

Power and Opulence, 1980–1996