Category: 1880-1889

Overview

1880-1889

1880-1889, 19th century, decade overview

All Entries

1880

Basque bodices with lace trimming were highly fashionable for women in the year 1880. Polka-dotted textiles appeared frequently in fashion plates, and the color purple was considered stylish.

1883 – Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Dance at Bougival

1880-1889, 19th century, artwork analysis

Dance at Bougival captures a dance in progress, with a casually dressed man whirling around a woman in a simple but fashionable pink cotton ensemble.

1881 – James Abbott McNeill Whistler, Harmony in Pink and Gray: Portrait of Lady Meux

1880-1889, 19th century, artwork analysis

Lady Meux relied on Whistler’s careful hand and international regard when crafting a new image for herself as an elegant woman who belonged to the elite class into which she had recently married.

1880 – Red corset

1880-1889, 19th century, garment analysis

This brightly colored corset with steel boning and a front-opening spoon busk was a highly fashionable foundation garment for a woman’s wardrobe in the 1880s.

Grand Opening of the Museum of Historical Costume in Poznan, Poland

1880-1889, 19th century, blog

In the fashion world everything has already happened. The inaugural exhibition, “Fashion Repeats Itself. The revival styles in 19th-century ladies fashion,” opening March 29th at the new Museum of Historical Costume in Poznan, Poland explores just that theme.

1883 – Pierre Auguste Renoir, City Dance (Danse à la ville)

1880-1889, 19th century, artwork analysis

In City Dance, Renoir paints a fashionable Parisienne, waltzing with her dance partner, in a winter ball. Dressed in the latest neoclassically draped evening dress style for young women, the dancer’s simple, draped gown is tasteful and classic in the lack of heavy ornamentation and frills.

cuirass bodice

1870-1879, 1880-1889, 19th century, B, C, term definition

A form-fitting, long-waisted, boned bodice worn in the 1870s and 1880s–almost gives the appearance of armor as the name suggests.

1884-1886 – Mme Grapanche, Red Silk Dinner Dress

1880-1889, 19th century, garment analysis

A pinnacle of 1880s fashion, this bustled gown’s many intricate style details, full silhouette, and bright red color make it a dress to be admired now and envied then.

1888 – William Merritt Chase, Lady in Black

1880-1889, 19th century, artwork analysis

William Merritt Chase captures the style and youth of his art student, Mariette Benedict Cotton, in this portrait. She wears a black day dress made in the traditional bustle silhouette of the period with puffed sleeves that were rising in popularity at the time. Chase’s use of light adds depth to the piece, emphasizing folds in the fabric and the glittering of Cotton’s eyes and jewelry.

1886

1880-1889, 19th century, year overview

Extreme bustles, striped patterns, and elaborate embellishments were all staples of the year 1886, characterizing it as a time of highly exaggerated and decorative fashion.

1884 – Edgar Degas, The Singer in Green

1880-1889, 19th century, artwork analysis

Although dressed in theatrical costume, Degas’ Singer in Green contains details that were fashionable for women’s evening wear at the time, including an off-the-shoulder neckline, a downward-pointing bodice, a diagonal-striped pattern, and a choker-style necklace. What is less fashionable is its lack of applied florals and the bold color palette, which signals the fact that it is a costume.

1880 – Mary Cassatt, Lydia Crocheting in the Garden at Marly

1880-1889, 19th century, artwork analysis

Mary Cassatt’s 1880 portrait of Lydia Crocheting in the Garden at Marly features the artist’s ailing sister, Lydia Cassatt, wearing a large white bonnet and a blue day dress accented with a plaid print and white lace–a common dress style of the time.