I Simply Don't Have A Thing To Wear!

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Alva Vanderbilt as a Venetian princess in 1883 (Messy Nessy Chic)
In March of 1883, Alva Vanderbilt hosted one of the most lavish costume parties of the Gilded Age. New York Society members on her exclusive guest list dreamed up eccentric garb. Alva came dressed as a Venetian princess and a number of men dressed as Louis XVI (slightly odd since the king lost his head due to such extravagance).

Alice Vanderbilt wore an “Electric Light” dress that incorporated a working light bulb and Lila O. Vanderbilt dressed as a hornet. Perhaps Miss Kate Fearing Strong topped them all with her cat costume. She wore a ribbon tied around her neck reading “Puss,” and her cat dress was “complete with an actual (dead) white feline as a head piece and a gown sewn with the body parts of real kitties.” The New York Times reported that the “overskirt was made entirely of white cats’ tails sewed on a dark background.”

vanderbilt3.jpg

Alice Vanderbilt’s dress lit up from a battery-powered torch hidden under her skirt, representing
an “Electric Light”. (Messy Nessy Chic)

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Lila O. Vanderbilt as a hornet, probably the earliest version you’ll find of the common kid’s bumble bee costume today. (Messy Nessy Chic)

vanderbiltball.jpg

Miss Strong, fondly known amongst her circle as “Puss.” (Messy Nessy Chic)

The 1883 ball was deemed the social event of the year, and Alva Vanderbilt was propelled to the heights of the city’s most elite.​

Of course Alva wasn’t the only socialite who knew how to throw a great party. Many more fancy dress balls were hosted in the months and years to come providing ladies with abundant opportunities to adorn their luxurious dresses complete with dead animals. To help ladies think of new and novel costume ideas, Ardern Holt authored “Fancy Dresses Described: or, What to Wear at Fancy Balls.” The Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising Museum states on their blog that the book was so popular it went through multiple printings between the 1880s and 1890s. Mr. Holt also wrote a complementing publication called “Gentlemen’s Fancy Dress: How to Choose It.” The Internet Archive hosts a digitized version of “Fancy Dresses…” that describes the collections.

Arden Holt opened his book for the ladies with the age old question, “But, what are we to wear?” His suggested options, with detailed directions on crafting the costumes, included historical figures, mythical goddesses and fictional characters. He also offered ideas for conceptual costumes. Windmill, glowworm, carrier pigeon, mist, postage, twilight, cherry pie and air are just a few that Holt’s book proposed.

More elaborate costume pictures to follow.
 

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alvavanderbilt1.jpg

Alva Vanderbilt as a Venetian princess in 1883 (Messy Nessy Chic)
In March of 1883, Alva Vanderbilt hosted one of the most lavish costume parties of the Gilded Age. New York Society members on her exclusive guest list dreamed up eccentric garb. Alva came dressed as a Venetian princess and a number of men dressed as Louis XVI (slightly odd since the king lost his head due to such extravagance).

Alice Vanderbilt wore an “Electric Light” dress that incorporated a working light bulb and Lila O. Vanderbilt dressed as a hornet. Perhaps Miss Kate Fearing Strong topped them all with her cat costume. She wore a ribbon tied around her neck reading “Puss,” and her cat dress was “complete with an actual (dead) white feline as a head piece and a gown sewn with the body parts of real kitties.” The New York Times reported that the “overskirt was made entirely of white cats’ tails sewed on a dark background.”

vanderbilt3.jpg

Alice Vanderbilt’s dress lit up from a battery-powered torch hidden under her skirt, representing
an “Electric Light”. (Messy Nessy Chic)

vanderbilt81.jpg
Lila O. Vanderbilt as a hornet, probably the earliest version you’ll find of the common kid’s bumble bee costume today. (Messy Nessy Chic)

vanderbiltball.jpg

Miss Strong, fondly known amongst her circle as “Puss.” (Messy Nessy Chic)

The 1883 ball was deemed the social event of the year, and Alva Vanderbilt was propelled to the heights of the city’s most elite.​

Of course Alva wasn’t the only socialite who knew how to throw a great party. Many more fancy dress balls were hosted in the months and years to come providing ladies with abundant opportunities to adorn their luxurious dresses complete with dead animals. To help ladies think of new and novel costume ideas, Ardern Holt authored “Fancy Dresses Described: or, What to Wear at Fancy Balls.” The Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising Museum states on their blog that the book was so popular it went through multiple printings between the 1880s and 1890s. Mr. Holt also wrote a complementing publication called “Gentlemen’s Fancy Dress: How to Choose It.” The Internet Archive hosts a digitized version of “Fancy Dresses…” that describes the collections.

Arden Holt opened his book for the ladies with the age old question, “But, what are we to wear?” His suggested options, with detailed directions on crafting the costumes, included historical figures, mythical goddesses and fictional characters. He also offered ideas for conceptual costumes. Windmill, glowworm, carrier pigeon, mist, postage, twilight, cherry pie, and air are a just a few that Holt’s book proposed.

More elaborate costume pictures to follow.
I can't remember exactly where i read it but in N.Y. the most promminent family were the Astor's.between a brother and sister they were always trying to outdo each other with their affairs and parties wbich resulted in each build bigger and better mansions.the sister built one which she called the Waldorf.the brother not to be outdone built a huge 6 story mansion and hotel and he called it the Astor.well the two of them mended their ways and had to move out of their mansions due to construction of the New York City subway system,so they built together an even bigger mansion which they called the "Waldorf Astoria"...truth is stranger then fiction.
 

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A few more partygoers...

This is Miss Bessie Webb. The New York Times described her costume as “a red satin dress with a black velvet demon embroidered on it… trimmed with demon fringe, ornamented with the heads and horns of little demons.”

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(Messy Nessy Chic)
An entire group of socialites arrived made up as living porcelain dolls. Others came in their best themed costumes. The lady below is not identified by name, but appears to be channeling an Egyptian queen.

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(Messy Nessy Chic)
 

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Now for a few party details...

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The Vanderbilt home on Fifth Avenue, site of Alva's soiree. (Messy Nessy Chic)

It was surely a debaucherous party. It cost an estimated $6 million in today’s money, with roughly a million of that being spent on the champagne alone. Dinner for the Vanderbilt ball wasn’t served until 2am by an army of servants and the dancing continued until sunrise. The festivities kicked off at the stroke of ten with approximately 1200 New York socialites arriving in carriages. Crowds gathered outside the Vanderbilt home to witness the arrival of the "It girls" in their elaborate costumes.

This "It girl" is unidentified, but you can tell she is rather proud of herself...

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(Messy Nessy Chic)
 

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Oh those kids! You wonder what some of their war veteran fathers had to say? You just know compared to the ankles-to-chin and 5 yard wide fashions of the previous generation, some of these were shocking.

Wonder when this kind of costume ball went out of vogue, anyone know?

The uber wealthy holding outrageously decedent balls and parties wasn't new although why the human race continually tolerated it is another story. OK the French kicked over gilt, aristocratic traces at one point- no caution learned there! Not a photo, taken from a French image on NYPL, a costume ball around mid century. Who would do that to a small boy?

MASQ PREWAR.jpg
 
alvavanderbilt1.jpg

Alva Vanderbilt as a Venetian princess in 1883 (Messy Nessy Chic)
In March of 1883, Alva Vanderbilt hosted one of the most lavish costume parties of the Gilded Age. New York Society members on her exclusive guest list dreamed up eccentric garb. Alva came dressed as a Venetian princess and a number of men dressed as Louis XVI (slightly odd since the king lost his head due to such extravagance).

Alice Vanderbilt wore an “Electric Light” dress that incorporated a working light bulb and Lila O. Vanderbilt dressed as a hornet. Perhaps Miss Kate Fearing Strong topped them all with her cat costume. She wore a ribbon tied around her neck reading “Puss,” and her cat dress was “complete with an actual (dead) white feline as a head piece and a gown sewn with the body parts of real kitties.” The New York Times reported that the “overskirt was made entirely of white cats’ tails sewed on a dark background.”

vanderbilt3.jpg

Alice Vanderbilt’s dress lit up from a battery-powered torch hidden under her skirt, representing
an “Electric Light”. (Messy Nessy Chic)

vanderbilt81.jpg
Lila O. Vanderbilt as a hornet, probably the earliest version you’ll find of the common kid’s bumble bee costume today. (Messy Nessy Chic)

vanderbiltball.jpg

Miss Strong, fondly known amongst her circle as “Puss.” (Messy Nessy Chic)

The 1883 ball was deemed the social event of the year, and Alva Vanderbilt was propelled to the heights of the city’s most elite.​

Of course Alva wasn’t the only socialite who knew how to throw a great party. Many more fancy dress balls were hosted in the months and years to come providing ladies with abundant opportunities to adorn their luxurious dresses complete with dead animals. To help ladies think of new and novel costume ideas, Ardern Holt authored “Fancy Dresses Described: or, What to Wear at Fancy Balls.” The Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising Museum states on their blog that the book was so popular it went through multiple printings between the 1880s and 1890s. Mr. Holt also wrote a complementing publication called “Gentlemen’s Fancy Dress: How to Choose It.” The Internet Archive hosts a digitized version of “Fancy Dresses…” that describes the collections.

Arden Holt opened his book for the ladies with the age old question, “But, what are we to wear?” His suggested options, with detailed directions on crafting the costumes, included historical figures, mythical goddesses and fictional characters. He also offered ideas for conceptual costumes. Windmill, glowworm, carrier pigeon, mist, postage, twilight, cherry pie and air are just a few that Holt’s book proposed.

More elaborate costume pictures to follow.
I was hoping there would not be a picture of "Puss" and her dress, but nope, you had to go there,didn't you. Can you imagine spending an evening with a DEAD STUFFED CAT on your head? How dreadfully disgusting!! I think I am having a fit of the vapours!!!!!:cat: Mrrreowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!!!!!!!
 

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I prefer the word "particular" meaning they are very careful about the details of their costumes as opposed to the oddity of them. David.
I actually meant that to be humorous, David. :giggle: I agree, they are very particular about their costumes, but I bet that cat head headpiece scared the excrement out of her maid every time she opened the dressing closet. I don't even want to think about how it was procured, along with the kitten skins and the cat tails.
Just because you have enough money that you CAN doesn't mean that you SHOULD!
I am guessing her dancing partners were limited that night. Can you imagine looking down to speak to your dancing partner and seeing instead the glassy eyes of a stuffed feline?:eek:
I hope she got flees from the experience.
 
The guy on the right is my personal favourite so far!
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The guy on the left seems to be channelling Zouaves!
 

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