Ghost
Portrait of a Woman by Apollon Mokritsky, 1841, Kaluga Art Museum EDIT: Had to include this response by there-is-no-box because I thought it was great. I almost scrolled past this, but something about it caught me off guard. I think it’s her eyes. They’re looking straight at you and they’re not coy or modest or deferential. She’s looking straight at you; you, personally. And she looks like she’s thinking about something, something other than “here you may gaze at my beauty.” She just seems so active when women are so often portrayed as passive

Portrait of a Woman by Apollon Mokritsky, 1841, Kaluga Art Museum

EDIT: Had to include this response by there-is-no-box because I thought it was great.

I almost scrolled past this, but something about it caught me off guard.

I think it’s her eyes. They’re looking straight at you and they’re not coy or modest or deferential. She’s looking straight at you; you, personally. And she looks like she’s thinking about something, something other than “here you may gaze at my beauty.” She just seems so active when women are so often portrayed as passive

Evening dresses, 1928 UK, Woman’s Journal

Evening dresses, 1928 UK, Woman’s Journal

Day and sport dresses, 1916 US, the Delineator

Day and sport dresses, 1916 US, the Delineator

Walking and day dresses, 1916 US, the Delineator Look at these fabulous ladies

Walking and day dresses, 1916 US, the Delineator

Look at these fabulous ladies

inspiringdresses: Evening dress, 1805-10 UK (probably), the Met Museum Click for more

inspiringdresses:

Evening dress, 1805-10 UK (probably), the Met Museum

Click for more

The Fortune Teller, or Beware of a Dark Lady by Frank Cadogan Cowper, 1940 England, Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum

The Fortune Teller, or Beware of a Dark Lady by Frank Cadogan Cowper, 1940 England, Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum

Stays and busk, 1660’s England, the V&A Museum Stays (a stiff corset) were essential garments in the fashionable woman’s wardrobe throughout the 17th century. Some sort of stiffening of a woman’s gown had been part of dress construction since the early 16th century. Sometimes it was added to the outer bodice; sometimes it was in the form of separate stays worn under the gown. Originally the stiffening served the purpose of preventing the expensive and elaborately decorated fabric of the gown from wrinkling. However, because stays could mould the female torso, they became essential for producing whatever shape was considered fashionable.

Stays and busk, 1660’s England, the V&A Museum

Stays (a stiff corset) were essential garments in the fashionable woman’s wardrobe throughout the 17th century. Some sort of stiffening of a woman’s gown had been part of dress construction since the early 16th century. Sometimes it was added to the outer bodice; sometimes it was in the form of separate stays worn under the gown. Originally the stiffening served the purpose of preventing the expensive and elaborately decorated fabric of the gown from wrinkling. However, because stays could mould the female torso, they became essential for producing whatever shape was considered fashionable.

Scuffs, 1850’s England, the V&A Museum

Scuffs, 1850’s England, the V&A Museum

Costume designed by Norman Wilkinson, worn by “Helena” (Lilliah McCarthy) in Harley Granville Barker’s 1914 production ofA Midsummer Night’s Dream, 1914 UK, the V&A Museum

Costume designed by Norman Wilkinson, worn by “Helena” (Lilliah McCarthy) in Harley Granville Barker’s 1914 production ofA Midsummer Night’s Dream, 1914 UK, the V&A Museum

“Wedding” ensemble, ca 1930 The auction website says that this is a wedding dress, but I doubt that.  Maybe it was worn by a bridesmaid or guest?  Oh, and I would probably wear this every day if not for the lace.

“Wedding” ensemble, ca 1930

The auction website says that this is a wedding dress, but I doubt that.  Maybe it was worn by a bridesmaid or guest?  Oh, and I would probably wear this every day if not for the lace.

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