Lot Essay
The silhouette of this 'Dressed to Scale' gown is unmistakably 18th-century in inspiration, with its wide, low neckline, cinched bodice waist and vast skirts. The ruched peplum recalls the robe à la polonaise, a court dress that was popular in Europe by the 1770s. Initially it was formed from an over gown whose skirts were pulled up and tucked into side pockets, which revealed the skirts of another dress beneath. The result added yet more volume to the already ample skirts and divided it into three draped sections. It was this effect that lent the gown its name – Poland had been divided into three-part rule by Austria, Prussia and Russia in 1772, just as the fashion was rising. As the fashion took off, over skirts were permanently raised, hoisted with a system of internal tapes to keep them in place.
The choice of taupe taffeta for the voluminous Dressed to Scale gown also seems rooted in history. While tailoring in the 18th century was relatively inexpensive, the fabrics themselves were costly. Flowing skirts with long trains, deep flounces and multiple layers of cloth were an effective way of displaying one's wealth and status. Laundering precious textiles was in itself a difficult task, so wearing expanses of unblemished, pale silks was something of a statement: not only could you afford the cloth in vast quantities in the first place, you had the means to replace it when it was inevitably soiled.
J.O.
The choice of taupe taffeta for the voluminous Dressed to Scale gown also seems rooted in history. While tailoring in the 18th century was relatively inexpensive, the fabrics themselves were costly. Flowing skirts with long trains, deep flounces and multiple layers of cloth were an effective way of displaying one's wealth and status. Laundering precious textiles was in itself a difficult task, so wearing expanses of unblemished, pale silks was something of a statement: not only could you afford the cloth in vast quantities in the first place, you had the means to replace it when it was inevitably soiled.
J.O.