Costume: Fanciful, Historical, and Theatrical

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Costume: Fanciful, Historical, and Theatrical (1906)
by Eliza Davis Aria

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3844381Costume: Fanciful, Historical, and Theatrical1906Eliza Davis Aria

COSTUME

FANCIFUL, HISTORICAL, AND THEATRICAL

COQUELIN, AS CYRANO DE BERGERAC,
FROM A WATER COLOUR DRAWING BY PERCY ANDERSON.

(Reproduced by special permission.)

COSTUME: FANCIFUL, HISTORICAL AND THEATRICAL

COMPILED BY Mrs. ARIA

ILLUSTRATED BY PERCY ANDERSON

London
MACMILLAN AND CO., Limited
NEW YORK: THE MACMILLAN COMPANY
1906

INTRODUCTORY NOTE

"It is merely a question of head" said Percy Anderson to me one day whilst we were discussing some easy method of solving a problem in fancy dress.

And he continued:

"Indeed, I would say that, broadly speaking, of all costume. The fashion of any period is distinguished primarily by the way its wearer dresses her hair."

"And chooses her sleeves," I suggested, and received his approval.

We agreed then that we were both most keenly interested in dress, regarding it as one of the fine and essential arts; and we decided that we would try to preach its best doctrines and traditions to the world at large, while we did not ignore the fact that many more worthy had previously enriched literature with the same object. Realising this most acutely, it came to pass that I found myself searching libraries for information which could serve to point my moral, while Mr. Anderson consented to adorn my tale and help me in my endeavour to present concisely, and with as little ceremony and as much simplicity as possible, the main facts of the fashions which have obtained through the centuries.

A few practical details and suggestions are included in the hope that they may obviate some difficulties of those who fret their hour on the stage or at the fancy-dress ball, while, for the benefit of the next generation, I have devoted a small space to personal reminiscences of theatrical heroes and heroines, and to some facts of theatrical dress, as it has been expressed in classic and popular dramas produced by the leading actors and actresses of our time.

E. ARIA.

CONTENTS

Chapter I
PAGE
In Classic Times . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .		1
Chapter II
In Early Mediæval Times . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .		10
Chapter III
In the Thirteenth Century . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .		19
Chapter IV
In the Fourteenth Century . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .		28
Chapter V
In the Fifteenth Century . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .		37
Chapter VI
In the Sixteenth Century . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .		49
Chapter VII
In the Seventeenth Century . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .		66
Chapter VIII
In the Eighteenth Century . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .		78
Chapter IX
In the Nineteenth Century . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .		92
Chapter X
Of British Peasants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .		106
Chapter XI
Of some Foreign Peasants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .		115
Chapter XII
Of some Foreign Peasants (continued) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .		130
Chapter XIII
Of Oriental Dress . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .		147
Chapter XIV
Of Oriental Dress (continued) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .		163
Chapter XV
Of Fancy Dress . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .		178
Chapter XVI
Of Dominoes and Masks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .		190
Chapter XVII
Of Materials, the Corset, and the Crinoline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .		201
Chapter XVIII
Of Ceremonial and Bridal Dress . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .		211
Chapter XIX
Of Dancing Dresses, European and Oriental, Ancient and Modern . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .		225
Chapter XX
Of Theatrical Dress . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .		236

ILLUSTRATIONS

COLOURED
		PAGE
Coquelin, as Cyrano dc Bergerac. (From Drawing by Percy Anderson)	Frontspeice
In Ancient Greece	To face	5
In the Twelfth Century	"	12
In the Thirteenth Century	"	22
The Queen of Richard II.	"	28
A German Student in the Fourteenth Century	"	32
Varieties of the Hennin	"	40
In the Eighteenth Century	"	78
Albanian Peasants	"	120
In Corfu To-day	"	126
In China of Old	"	147
The Seville Orange	"	180
An Egyptian Dancer	"	226
Isolde	"	240
Lewis Waller as Henry V.	"	250
Othello	"	254
IN THE TEXT
Two Hand-Mirrors		4
A Roman Head — A Greek Head		6
A Roman Lady		7
A Dress laced in the Front — A Dress laced at the Back		11
A Coronet — A Brooch		13
A Plain Wimple		14
A Shoe		15
Dagged Costume in the Twelfth Century		16
A Clasped and Jewelled Girdle—A Cloak-Fastener		18
Henry III.'s Queen		20
A Simple Buttoned Gown		21
A Quaint Wimple		34
The Head-dress of Henry IV.—A Head Drapery held with Plaited Hair		35
Embroidered Gloves		36
An Elaborate Head-dress in the Reign of Henry V		38
Elizabeth of Woodville		39
The Horned Head-dress		41
Head-dress of Jewelled Velvet and Lawn		42
The Houppelande		43
A Girdle—A Pointed Shoe		44
Elizabeth of York		45
In the Time of Henry VII.		52
A Trio of Ruffs		55
Queen Elizabeth in Full Dress		56
A Chemisette		58
An Italian Lady		59
Two Italian Coiffures—An Italian Gentleman		60
A Spaniard in the Sixteenth Century		61
A Shoulder-Jacket		62
The Cape with Buttoned Sleeve		63
Maximilian		64
A Feather and a Chicken-skin Fan		67
A Full Apron		68
The Lace Commode		70
Clogs and Chopines		71
A Mob-Cap		73
Glove with Jewelled Gauntlet		75
A Riding Costume		76
Madame de Pompadour		79
Marie Antoinette		82
A Peignoir		83
A Coiffure		84
A Variety of Head-dresses adopted in the Eighteenth Century		85
A Cap and Hood		87
Some Sticks		89
Some Quaint Examples of Nineteenth-Century Headgear		93
Lady Blessington		99
Lady Blessington — Lady Dalmeny		101
Two Coiffures — Early Victorian Styles		102
In the Nineteenth Century		103
The Austrian Peasant-Bride in Black		123
A Croatian Peasant		124
A Croatian Peasant		125
A Greek Peasant in Mediæval Days		127
A Greek Peasant—A Greek Peasant Woman—A Greek Priest—A Greek Brigand		128
A Westphalian Peasant		142
A Hungarian Peasant in the Seventeenth Century		144
A Chinese Actor		152
A Chinese Peasant		153
An Egyptian Peasant Woman		159
An Egyptian Water-Carrier		160
An Egyptian Peasant		161
An Old Indian Festival Dress		165
A Botticelli Dancing-Dress		181
An Eighteenth-Century Pierrot		183
A South Sea Islander		186
The Knave of Diamonds		187
Miss Ellen Terry as Mistress Page		239
George Alexander as Guy Domville		245
Julian L'Estrange as Hermes		247
Beerbohm Tree as Malvolio		249
Miss Constance Collier as Viola		251
Miss Gertrude Elliot as Desdemona		253
Véronique		255

This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published before January 1, 1929.

The longest-living author of this work died in 1931, so this work is in the public domain in countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 92 years or less. This work may be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works.

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