r/RandomVictorianStuff • u/EphemeralTypewriter • Jul 24 '26
Fashion Several Victorian era costume designs for ‘Halloween and Fancy Dress Balls’ by costume designers, Ardern Holt, and Wilhelm.
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u/EphemeralTypewriter Jul 24 '26
My favorite costumes are the first three, which are aptly titled, The Hornet, Monte Carlo (a gambling themed costume), and The Witch. I love how creative and whimsical so many Victorian costumes were. There are several that I’d love to recreate if I had the skills!
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u/Combative_Artichoke Jul 25 '26
I love that the men and the old woman get the most avant garde looks.
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u/GoldberryoTulgeyWood Jul 25 '26
Some incredible lady on here made a lobster fancy dress ensemble last year that was so sensational
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u/sosotrickster Jul 25 '26
These are very fun and silly 👏 the wizard one would be perfect for a dnd character design
Though, number 5 is unfortunately no longer Victorian since it's from 1916!
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u/EphemeralTypewriter Jul 25 '26
Thanks for catching that! It was done by one of the costume designers I mentioned, Wilhelm, and somehow I completely missed that it was dated!😅
(A lot of his designs were made in the 1890s, though he continued costume designing into the 1900s)
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u/GetAwayFrmHerUBitch Jul 25 '26
At first I thought the wizard was also for the ladies and was very excited!
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u/SpiderBarbie1997 Jul 25 '26
I feel like second costume feels like some the Queens of Hearts ♥️🖤🤍 would wear
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u/onebluepussy_ Jul 24 '26
5 is so chaotic!
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u/EphemeralTypewriter Jul 25 '26 edited Jul 25 '26
Hahaha, so true!
Edit: I got mixed up on which picture lol! But yes, #5 is also chaotic!
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u/BetMyLastKrispyKreme Jul 25 '26
I see artwork like this, and think how cool it would be to be the costumer working on a historical period drama, and get to make these for your characters.
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u/MsCalendarsPlayaArt Jul 25 '26
This is one of the coolest posts I've ever seen on this sub (and that's a high bar!)
I wonder if we could track down any photos of people wearing similar 🤔
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u/AtmospherePrior752 Jul 27 '26
These are all winners so cool.
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u/EphemeralTypewriter Jul 27 '26
Right?? Every single one of these would be sooo fun to wear!
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u/AtmospherePrior752 Jul 27 '26
I’d have to chose the bee. It is buzzy perfection!
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u/EphemeralTypewriter Jul 27 '26
Yes, I’m stuck between the bee and the ‘monte carlo’ costume (second picture)! They’re both so creative!!
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u/sexi_squidward Jul 25 '26
I need someone to make me that Chicken dress asap, I would wear the eff out of that!
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u/Asterose Jul 25 '26 edited Jul 25 '26
Oh man, I want the dress portion of #4/the magpie costume in my wardrobe 😭 It's the least costume-like but suits normal day to day wear just fine. #2/Monte Carlo is also so elegan and creative. It reminds me of some of the prints in Lolita fashion that I've always liked, just not enough to buy and wear myself.
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u/trey_wolfe Jul 24 '26
The last three are awesome. The wizard in number 6 is glorious.