How to dress like a Poiret

Oooh la la!

To dress like a Poiret, aim for a straight, column shape, with a high waist. Long, slim dresses, or long skirts worn under empire-length dresses are all great.

A Poiret design

Poiret models on parade

Layers are perfect for creating the Poiret look: throw a kimono over a simple dress and tie a scarf below the bust, wear a mid-length dress over a long skirt, or tack a piece of fabric to the bottom of a knee-length dress, to give the impression of one dress layered over another with a split train.

Draping and layers


A sleeveless kimono worn over a modern evening robe. Instant Poiret!

A long slim skirt, a modern blouse, a sash, some ribbons in the hair, and Art Nouveau a la Poiret is achieved!

A fancy scarf pinned to the front of a plain dress (bonus points if you have a matching one for the back of the dress) creates the 'tabard' look seen in Poiret's fashions.

A modern take on the Poiret style


An original Poiret design

Poiret was very influenced by 'exotic' textiles and garments, so add some Chinese, Russian, Japanese, Egyptian, or Arabic flair to your outfit. Exotic looks are a great way for gentlemen to add interest and period details to their costumes, instead of going for more formal suits.

Poiret shows off his collection of exotic textiles

Poiret does the Near East and the Caucasus


Poiret does Arabian nights

Poiret does exotic bird person (is this the original human chicken?)

Poiret also used the Ancient Greeks and Romans as an influence, so add a classical twist to your outfits for Art Nouveau Poiret chic.

Draping, tunics, and all white classicism.

Layers and Pompeiian fresco inspired colours.

Poiret's styles are the perfect excuse for non-girlie ladies to not wear skirts. Harem trousers! Poiret basically invented them (or at least popularised them in the West), and the versions he did are much more flattering than the ones that are currently stylish (though those would do in a pinch). Just pair them with a loose tunic dress, and perhaps a turban in your hair.

Denise Poiret in harem pants

If you are feeling really ambitious, you could try recreating one of Poiret's famous 'lampshade' tunics. Just take a dress with a moderately full knee length skirt, and make a circular hoop out of wire or black poly piping (very cheap at hardware stores) and sew it in to the bottom of your skirt.

Fur trim helps

In terms of fabrics and colours, go for whites and creams with strong accents, unusual colour combinations, bold prints, and metallics.

Dark red and nile green

Bold woodblock print.

Pink, lavender, lilac and black

Lots of this year's fashionable colours were used extensively by Poiret: burnt oranges, mustard yellows, grass greens, cobalt blue and silvers and bronzes all work.

Yellow, teal, coral and cobalt

For hair, headbands, turbans, scarfs and ribbons wrapped through the hair add a great Poiret touch, and a feather never goes amiss.

A turban with a jewel and feather plume.

An exotic hat

Accessories include long, dangling necklaces (though be aware that these can be a hassle for dancing in), bangles, bracelets worn high on the arm, and ankle bracelets if your ankles are visible.

Jade bangles and a bead necklace.

This has it all. Colours prints, turbans, feathers, tunics, wraps. Love it!

Art Nouveau designers: Poiret

Paul Poiret was the innovative and avant garde fashion designer of the first few decades of the 20th century. His influence and innovations have often been overlooked or credited to other fashion designers (like Chanel), but recent years have seen a resurgence of interest in Poiret and the way he revolutionised fashion.

Two variants on Poiret's famous 'Sorbet' design.

Poiret believed in simple, comfortable styles, and a relaxed, unfettered female silhouette. From 1893 to 1903 he worked for the fashion houses of Doucet and Worth, but his style was seen as too modern and brazen, and he left to establish his own fashion house.

An early, more formal Poiret design.

Poiret is noted for his invention of the kimono coat, a cocoon-like garment inspired by the Japanese kimono, his championing of a simple, uncorseted silhouette, and his use of layers, harem pants and straight and lampshade tunics. He pioneered garments cut from simple rectangles of fabric, and draping designs rather than pattern-making.



His use of artists such as Paul Iribe to advertise his designs created many memorable illustrations.

A Paul Iribe design.

Poiret believed that the overall effect that an ensemble created was more important than the finishing details of a garment, so his style can be easily replicated in a simple and rough manner.



Poiret's styles can be worn by most figures, but were created with the slim, tall figure of his ideal, his wife Denise, in mind.

A Poiret model in an ensemble.

Poiret's fashions were easy and comfortable to wear, but often had an exotic, fantastical twist, so are perfect for dancing the night away at an Art Nouveau Masquerade Ball (and coincidentally, Poiret loved to throw elaborate costume balls with exotic themes).

Harem pants.

Coming on Sunday: dressing like a Poiret!

Art Nouveau Mardi Gras Masquerade Ball

Rewind the clock one hundred years and join us for an Art Nouveau themed Masquerade Ball to celebrate Mardi Gras in New Orleans circa 1910.

Join us at St Michael's Church Hall, Kelburn at 6.30 pm on Saturday 6 Feb 2010

There will be vintage dancing, including the polka, vintage waltz, galop, schottische and country dances, as well as swing (because it is too awesome not to have).

All dances except swing will be briefly taught at 6.45 pm. Country dances will be taught and called before they are danced.

Light refreshments will be served throughout the evening.

Costumes: Formal evening attire from the height of Art Nouveau's popularity: 1890-1915, with masks and other costume-y flair benefiting the Mardi Gras theme.



Be inspired by artists such as Mucha, Klimt, Burne-Jones, Toulouse-Lautrec and Beardsley as well as Mardi Gras costumes.*

Follow the blog for more about Art Nouveau and costume inspiration and suggestions.

Tickets: $12 in advance, $15 at the door.

E-mail WellyHCS at gmail dot com for more information and to purchase tickets.

*Please remember that your costumes need to be safe and comfortable for you to dance in.

Please nothing too risque: yes the art nouveau artists painted a lot of nudes, but that doesn't count as a costume!

We had a ball!

Zombie attack!




Gentlemen admire the lady zombies too...




Jane slays a zombie


It doesn't look like the gentlemen are doing much to protect our fair damsel in distress.



Hmmm...who shall I eat first?


And then she stepped out of the TV screen, just like this...


This spring's hottest zombie slaying fashions...


Swing zombies!

Cheater Regency costumes for the ladies

Oh dear! Have you suddenly realised that the ball of the season is less than a week away, and you have nothing to wear?

Never fear, we are here to the rescue with some suggestions for fabulous cheater Regency costumes for ladies!

First off, have a raid of your closet, the linen cupboard, and any fabric stash you may have. The unlikeliest things can become great Regency ballgowns.

In one closet and stash we found: a green satin ball dress, a fab vintage 1960s cocktail dress, a little eyelet lace jacket with puffed sleeves, an orange Grecian inspired top by NZ label Blak, some lengths of white fabric, an old curtain, an orange silk Veronika Maine shirt, a puffed sleeve summer dress, a kimono, and a pile of ribbons and a pile of jewellery.



By adapting and combining these things, we are able to come up with a dozen different Regency looks, each more fabulous than the last.

First off, hair. The right hair do instantly says 'Regency'.

For shorter hair, ruffle up the hair and channel the classical grecian look that was so in in 1800 with a ribbon wound through the mussed locks.

For longer hair, part the hair in the centre, free a few curls at the temples, wind the back hair into a little French twist and form a bun or a loose arrangement of curls at the top of the twist. A ribbon or a necklace as a tiara adds period charm.









For your costume, let's start with the green satin ball dress. A great garment on its own, and the empire line is very period, but the bias-cut skirt and tiny straps just don't say 'Jane Austen'.



Solution? Downplay the skirt and give the illusion of sleeves with an evening robe made from an old kimono (you can buy them at the Asia Gallery from $5).

Evening robes are very Regency - check out the Regency Costume Companion for a discussion on them, and have a browse of some of the gorgeous robes that costumers such as American Duchess have made.



For your robe, rip out the sleeves of the kimono, and sew up most of the sleeve hole to leave a small armsceye. Using a wide ribbon or a length of fabric from one of the sleeves, fashion a sash just under the bust. Pin into place at the sides, and arrange the extra fabric in pleats at the back of the kimono.





Ta da!

Can't be bothered sewing or don't like the look of the robe? Combine the green dress with the little eyelet jacket for instant Regency chic.



What about the 1960s cocktail dress? The pleated bodice and sleeves are perfect, the colours are to-die-for but the short skirt is a total no-no.

Solution? Make a quick drawstring under-the-bust skirt out of a length of fabric sewn in a tube and gathered at the top with a ribbon. Arrange most of the fullness at the back of the skirt. You could even cut it longer in back to make a train, just make sure you have a way to pin up the train so you can dance.

Put the skirt over the short dress, pin in place so it won't slip, and then wrap a ribbon under your bust to hide the join.



Perfect!

The drawstring skirt can be used in a number of other costumes:

With the Blak shirt and a gold ribbon sash for an exotic look



Or over the Veronika Maine shirts for a simpler look.

The ruffle around the neck is a lot like this painting:



To dress up the purple satin ball dress, wear the kimono robe or try another variant on the robe.

Take your old curtain and fold it in half. Cut out an oval 5" long and 4" wide 9" away from the centre fold and 4" away from the side of the curtain.





Slide your arms through the ovals, wrap a sash around your waist, straighten the hem if you wish and there you are!



Knee length summer dresses or longer tunic shirts over the drawstring skirt or any long skirt are another great way to recreate the tunic look that was so popular in Jane Austen's time:

The Grecian look was also extremely popular, and extremely easy to replicate with two pieces of fabric pinned at the shoulders:

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies ball

Please join us for a Regency themed Halloween ball.

Everyone who is anyone in Mereton, including the Misses Bennet, Mr Darcy, Mr Bingley and the hoards of the living dead will come together for a night of dancing, feasting and frightful fun.

Where: St Michael's Church Hall, Kelburn

When: Saturday, 31 October

Doors open at 7, lesson at 7.30, dancing to begin at 8.

Tickets are $12 in advance, $15 at the door, and include entry to the dance and a late supper. 

Buy tickets at Full Swing dance classes in the city on Mon and Wed nights, or email thedreamstress at yahoo dot com to arrange a time to meet up.

The neighbourhood is abuzz with questions about the night:

Will Mr Darcy ask Elizabeth Bennet to dance? Will she agree?

Will Mr Bingley fall in love with Jane Bennet?

Will the zombies kill us all and feast on our brains?

The dancing will include simple Regency and Victorian ballroom dances, such as the vintage waltz, the gallop, and the polka, all of which will be taught at a lesson at the beginning of the evening and briefly demonstrated before each dance; Regency country dances, which will be demonstrated before each dance; and 20th century swing dancing (just because it is too awesome not to have).

Attire: Regency (1790-1820s) evening clothes, or zombie rags.

The well dressed Regency lady should be attired in a long simple dress with a high waist, and various accessories such as shawls, gloves, jewellery and fans (very important for keeping oneself cool whilst dancing!).

The well dressed Regency gentleman should be attired in knee breeches, a loose shirt, a waistcoat, a jacket, and a cravat. Gloves, monocles, and fans are all optional.

The well dressed zombie should be attired in…hey wait!?! There is no such thing as a well dressed zombie! Zombies can wear whatever they get their rotting fingers on, though semblances of historical costume under all the gore is encouraged (and some semblance of modesty is mandatory!).

The various costume shops in Wellington carry an impressive, and impressively cheap, range of garments suitable for Regency evening wear if your own wardrobe has nothing suitable.