costume nerd

[jennylafleur]

Is it just me or are some of the embroidery motifs on this dress of Pauline Bonaparte really similar to the embroidery motifs on the pearl dress of Princess Charlotte?

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ekAm4Aquyj8/SeUofLxnlqI/AAAAAAAAFgs/9Frp_JhG7Ww/s1600-h/pauline1.jpg

http://www.jennylafleur.com/diary/em07/charlotte1817_01.jpg

Seriously, how much fun is that?!

Comments

[unclrashid.livejournal.com]

They both have tassels as a motif, but on the one they are hanging from sheaves or bundles and on the other they are hanging from what appear to be prawns. (although I doubt they are really prawns, probably some kind of leaf)

The other similar motif appears to be lily of the valley on the one dress and branches of olives on the other dress, so I don't think it's the same motif, just superficially similar.

But I am now curious as to the iconography of tassels. Do they mean something specific in this context? Or do they appear on some royal coat of arms?

[jennylafleur.livejournal.com]

LOL! I'm sorry but your post made me laugh so hard... the prawn dress! Personally I still don't see any prawns but then again I have close-ups of the design so my imagination had no reason to wonder.

Perhaps I didn't word things well in my post, I didn't mean to say they were the same (they obviously are not), but similar. The thing that struck me was the similarity of scale, placement and shape. I always thought the Charlotte dress was more of a "one-off" so I was excited to see another contemporary dress in the same vein.

[tailordrews.livejournal.com]

Hi,
I dont see that they look the same either, they are differently, i think you are just tricked in your mind, because the empire embriodery style is very significant in style.

Bjarne

[jennylafleur.livejournal.com]

I guess I didn't word things well in my post, I didn't mean to say they were the same (they obviously are not), but similar. The thing that struck me was the similarity of scale, placement and shape. I always thought the Charlotte dress was more of a "one-off" so I was excited to see another contemporary dress in the same vein.

[fancyfrocks.livejournal.com]

NEAT!

[jennylafleur.livejournal.com]

Good I'm not crazy then 'cause I thought so too!

[s0mmer.livejournal.com]

Speaking as a non-costumer I think they're remarkably similar. Very cool. I guess tassels were all the rage with royalty ;)

[jennylafleur.livejournal.com]

Thanks, I was beginning to think I'd lost my head. Yeah, it's a cool design idea. Perhaps I just haven't had access to them like other but I haven't seen a lot of tassel designs like this so it was fun to see another one, in different kind of thread this time. :>

[koshka-the-cat.livejournal.com]

Every French court dress I could find had tassels somewhere. It was rather interesting, and convinced me to put them on mine :)

[koshka-the-cat.livejournal.com]

Oh, and the two dresses do have a similar feel!

[jennylafleur.livejournal.com]

Yes I think I think I need more tassels in my life! :>

[mlsdesigns.livejournal.com]

Yes, they do look very similar, don't they? And a similarly stupid amount of handwork went into both I imagine!!!

[jennylafleur.livejournal.com]

Yay, I'm glad you think so! Yes indeedy! :>

[jehanni.livejournal.com]

I want tasseled prawns--though I think the dress should be shrimp pink with a blush/cream underdress, lol! And that makes me think of trysbat's sushi bustle dress, and that just makes me laugh harder.

I think tassels were any easy and effective embellishment, but it'd be interesting if there were more symbolism to them than that.

[jennylafleur.livejournal.com]

So hysterical... in a disturbing kind of way! :P

[sewaddicted.livejournal.com]

oooh, such a good idea. I love my lobster batik print bustle dress.

[girliegirl32786.livejournal.com]

Very interesting! I love little finds like this. It makes one absurdly excited.

[jennylafleur.livejournal.com]

Ahh the thrill of the costuming discovery! :>