Fashion Historian Fact Checks HBO's The Gilded Age | Glamour

this is Agnes van rein this is Bertha Russell you know them from the Gilded Age you may remember this elegant Ensemble and who could forget this iconic look but are they accurate we asked this fashion historian hi I'm rice Britannia and I'm a fashion historian to walk us through what the Gilded Age God writes and what they got mostly right about these looks the Gilded Age is an HBO original series that Chronicles the drama that follows New York Society at the end of the 19th century you may have heard of the famous time period coined by Mark Twain in 1873 but what exactly is the Gilded Age the Gilded Age refers to a period in American history that stretched from the end of the Civil War to the turn of the 20th century this era was defined by rapid urbanization technological advancement and economic growth but it was also marked by incredible wealth disparity the opening title card places Us in the year 1882. the show is set in New York City on the show the fictional van rein and Russell families live across the street from each other on the corner of Fifth Avenue and East 61st Street welcome to East 61st Street Miss Marion this sets the scene for the long-standing feud between old and new money we only receive the old people in this house nothing new never the new costume designer Kasia velitska maimon heightened this social divide by creating a dramatic visual contrast between these two groups the designer took advantage of the rich visual culture from the period and Drew inspiration from this variety of primary sources like paintings photographs fashion plates and surviving garments what are fashion plates fashion plates were the illustrations that were included in fashion magazines during the 19th century it's very clear that Kasha researched fashion plates from the period because there are many costumes throughout the series that look like exact duplicates of styles that appeared in magazines if you're a fashion Enthusiast like me you might have also recognized some of the costumes as replicas of existing garments from Museum collections old money style was all about refinement and respectability so how well did the show showcase these differences let's get into the looks first up Mrs Van reyne's afternoon look this look appears in episode 1 and would be considered an afternoon Ensemble Christine baransky plays Agnes van reyne who is an imposing matriarch that represents the values of old New York you belong to Old New York my dear and don't let anyone tell you different Agnes along with her sister Ada and their niece Marion is descended from the highly regarded Livingston line but she does marry into the van rein family for Financial Security you were allowed the pure and tranquil life of a spinster I was not I'm very grateful as a member of the highest Echelon of society she would have adhered to a strict code of dress that governed a woman of her position this included changing up to five times a day hardly you need four outfits a day at the minimum decent jewels and a full dance card throughout the series she's seen wearing a variety of ensembles whether in the home or out for social Gatherings let's get into the layers shall we first up the undergarments women were required to wear several layers of undergarments during this period we get a glimpse of Agnes's undergarments when she goes to visit her dressmaker for a fitting the first layer would be the chemise and this was the layer that was worn closest to the skin underneath she would be wearing drawers or pantolettes which were bloomer-like undergarments that were worn on the lower half of the body as they had for centuries women in this era were required to wear stockings up next the corset corsets were structured Foundation garments that sculpted the Torso into the fashionable silhouette of the period I'm going up to change I want to get out of this courses up next it's all about the bustle when it came to Fashion in the 1870s and 1880s it was all about the bustle the bustle was a steel Foundation garment that gave skirts of this period their unique shape during this period it was very fashionable to have a narrow waistline and a voluminous posterior the bustle defined fashion during the 1870s and 1880s but there was a brief period in the very late 70s and early 80s where it diminished in favor of a more streamlined silhouette we see Agnes debating the evolution of bustle size with her dressmaker in her fitting I should point out that bustles are getting smaller for most people I am not most people talk about iconic next up petticoat yup we're still on underwear the Petticoat was a cotton skirt-like undergarment that provided an additional layer for warmth volume and modesty which was a priority for ladies during this era and now afternoon dress there were certain design features that would make a dress appropriate for morning afternoon or evening such as neckline or sleeve length for the afternoon the sleeves could be shortened to reveal the forearm but the chest had to remain covered which would make this open neckline inaccurate this is a rule not often adhered to in Period costuming and we see many characters throughout the series with exposed chests during the day this would not have been acceptable especially at this Echelon of society dresses in the fashionable silhouette featured a sculpted bodice that dipped low in front and was fitted over the hips the skirt would have fullness to accommodate the protruding bustle and additional decorations to emphasize the backside fashionable dress of the late 19th century is notable for its heavy ornamentation in 1882 skirts for indoor wear tended to have a bit of a train and we see Agnes drag hers through the dirt as she dramatically storms across the street to barge into the Russell's house thank you dressing well was such an important part of society life that as soon as Marion arrives in New York Agnes sends her straight to her dressmaker to get new clothes made first we must attend to your clothes my dear you will go tomorrow with Ada to my dressmaker at this rate I shall have more clothes than the Princess of Wales but if Mrs Van Ryan insists who am I to object that brings us to hair and makeup Agnes wears her hair in a braided updo which is totally accurate but comes across as a little more severe especially in comparison with the softer Styles we see on the other characters an upper class woman was expected to wear her hair up every time she was seen in public after being formally presented to society Gladys Russell is the only character we see have her hair regularly down throughout the season but that's because she has not yet formally out in society otherwise the only time we see characters with her hair down or in a loose braid is when they're in their private quarters and what about makeup Agnes would not likely be wearing any visible makeup because there were negative moral connotations linked to women who did a woman of Agnes's character and social standing did not welcome those associations that is no excuse for risking the reputation of every lady in the room coming up we have jewelry Mrs Van rein wears a pair of dangling earrings which would have been very fashionable for the period in other scenes she also wears a brooch many of the characters wear neck brooches with their daytime attire there was a range of styles that featured carved cameos seed pearls inlaid enamel and even human hair you heard me human hair morning jewelry was a common way to commemorate the dearly departed often a lock of hair would be encased in a piece of jewelry like approach and worn as an act of remembrance such a piece of jewelry would be appropriate for a widow like Agnes if she had any affection for her late husband ouch me with the van rein money which was not achieved at no cost to myself on to our next layer boots High button leather boots were the standard for daytime wear the style prevailed throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries as the everyday Footwear choice for the working class and upper class alike These Boots extended up over the ankle and provided modesty and coverage for those perilous moments when skirts may need to be lifted for example when walking about the city or getting in and out of a carriage who could forget the accessories Agnes wears this look in the comfort of her own home but if she were to go out there would be a few necessary accessories to complete her Ensemble first she would need a pair of gloves and these could be purchased at department stores we see Marion purchase two pairs at Bloomingdale's which in 1882 was located close to the van rein home on third Avenue and East 56th Street a hat was required whenever a lady left the house we see a wide array of fashionable hat Styles during the charity bizarre scene some were shaped more like bonnets with ribbons that tied underneath the chin and others featured more of a tall crown with a shorter upturned brim but almost all were lavishly embellished with trimmings like ribbons and lace and Feathers when Outdoors women often carried parasols which provided protection from the Sun every lady loves a good purse right purses serve as important plot devices at several points throughout the series during this time women became more autonomous and got to move around the city on their own and without male companions so they needed purses so they could hold their own money and their other personal effects purses were also necessary for carrying calling cards these would have have been used when Society women made social visits to each other's homes but you'll give her my card and this envelope you'll say I called of course man this was all part of a very strict set of etiquette that governed the upper class faster is in the hole what she wonders if you have time to see her so here's what Agnes would have looked like compared to what she wore in the series overall this look is mostly accurate and a great representation of Fashions from the period so now that we've taken a look at the customs of old money let's step into the fashion and Flair of a new money Ensemble next up Bertha Russell's ball gown Bertha Russell is a wife and mother who will stop at nothing to be accepted into New York Society she is portrayed by actress Carrie was that from the Palazzo buggies no the hotel de soubise in the Marine we finished the building in the ballroom Mr Russell no you think you have finished the gilding Mr Kowalski but nothing is finished till I decide I don't want my old friends I want new friends the Russell family Bears similarities to the famous Vanderbilt's family who also made their fortune in the railroad industry Bertha is desperate to break into high society and tries to make connections with the leading members by any means necessary so now they know we're here Bertha Russell's character is Loosely based on Alva Vanderbilt who had a real-life Face-Off with Mrs Astor in 1883 over the attendance of her ball this is the incident that would Inspire the season finale I gather my daughter Caroline will not now damn such a ball tonight indeed she is no longer invited it is for the big event in the season finale Bertha wears a ball gown which was the most formal category of evening attire and therefore commanded the highest sum women spent a lot of money on clothing during the Gilded Age because appearances were Everything upwardly Mobile Nouveau rich women like Bertha Russell had a taste for the dramatic and for the avant-garde she would have patronized the most highly regarded European fashion houses these were the same fashion houses patronized by the old money set however those women were in the habit of buying the latest Styles but then keeping them in their closets for a year or two so as to not appear to fashion forward Bertha Russell would not do that while old money women tended to be more modest Nouveau riche women really wanted to show off their New Wealth let's draw this gown layer by layer to despite their differences women of the old money and new money sets basically wore the same undergarments Bertha would also be wearing a chemise pantallettes and a pair of stockings chemise's for evening wear tended to have thinner straps because more of the chest and arms would be exposed you know we can't forget the corset the silhouette of the 1880s corset featured a narrow waistline a rounded abdomen and fullness at the hips stitched channels encased strips of boning and this is what gave a corset its rigidity an upper-class woman like Bertha would have a ladies maid to dress her and to maintain her daily wardrobe will there be anything else ma'am you tell me will there it might be better without the brooch it's too much yes it's too much for the next layer we have the bustle again the bustle was a fashion staple that both Nouveau riche women and the old Society women deemed essential for a fashionable Ensemble there are a variety of bustle types that were used to achieve posterior fullness here comes the petticoat an evening Petticoat would be similar to a daytime one but could incorporate more Ruffles to support a heavier skirt evening dresses typically featured a tail-like train so a petticoat with extended length at the back would be appropriate and now for the main event the ball gown Bertha's ball gown is very closely based on a surviving garment in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art designed by the house of worth however that original dress dates to about 1898 about 15 years after the show is set so this costume is technically inaccurate in fact many of the paintings and fashion plates that served as inspiration for Bertha's costumes came from the years after 1882 and helps Bertha to stand out as the leading lady in the ballroom what is accurate about this look is where it came from the house of worth was founded in 1858 by Charles Frederick worth who is widely considered to be the founding father of oat Couture there is a famous gown by the house of worth from 1882 that also resides in the Metropolitan Museum of Arts collection so perhaps it would have been more appropriate to recreate that look perhaps let's get into the details it is festooned with extravagant silk flowers which is pretty consistent with the other gowns that Bertha wears throughout the season as for Bertha's hair and makeup like Agnes Bertha also only wears her hair down when in her private quarters for the ball she Sports an elaborate updo of stacked curls which would have been done by her ladies maid Turner when compared to the hairstyles worn by other women in the series berthas tend to be more sculptural and decidedly modern looking which is very fitting for her character because the use of Cosmetics was associated with women of ill-repute like performers and prostitutes Bertha would have wanted to go for a more natural look even for the evening Society women who wore a natural looking makeup like the infamous Madame X garnered scandalous reputations and Bertha would not have wanted to take that risk now on to jewelry chokers were very fashionable for evening attire however Bertha would want to wear her finest flashiest jewelry to impress her guests up next the shoes silk pumps were the standard for evening wear these could be dyed to match a dress or embroidered at the toe the heels were curved and an appropriate height for dancing at a ball well that's all for tomorrow the night for the bell of the ball and lastly the accessories we see Bertha and the other ladies at the ball wearing Opera length gloves that extend above the elbow these were typically light colored and made of silk or a Supple leather a fan was a very fashionable evening accessory we see Marion Express Envy over the one Bertha carries to the Academy of Music hi Envy or fan I wish I had one so I could cover my face and look fascinating Bertha later gifts her one of her very own so we could say this look is pretty accurate even though this costume isn't technically accurate for 1882 it does convey the essence of the character so any final thoughts the costumes of the Gilded Age offer a broader visual representation of the last quarter of the 19th century rather than a fixation on the exact year in which the show is set the design team accurately captured the vibrant colors Sumptuous textiles and asymmetry of the period at the end of the day the costume succeeded in conveying a sense of the era and they did their jobs in creating a clear visual distinction between these two parties within a very small slice of society costume designer Kasha velitzka maimon heightened this divide by putting the characters that belong to Old New York in Styles closer to the 1870s while putting the Nuvo reach in Styles closer to the 1890s she also took creative license with more are Fantastical designs but she did appropriately place them on characters that were deemed Outsiders within this Society there's a reason that films and television shows in this genre are called costume dramas and the costumes and the Gilded Age are the stuff of dreams when it comes to this genre everything is luscious and Sumptuous and you get this visual delight and a look into a more glamorous past [Music]

Channel: Glamour

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Keywords: agnes van rhijn, costume design glamour, costume designer the gilded age, fashion fact check, glamour, glamour magazine, glamour the gilded age, hbo the gilded age, old money, raissa bretaña, raissa bretaña fashion, the gilded age, the gilded age costume design, the gilded age costumes, the gilded age glamour, the gilded age hbo, the gilded age interview, would they wear that

Id: _OUFuXUKGm8

Length: 20min 1sec (1201 seconds)

Published: Thu Sep 29 2022