Just Married in Brussels

1945

 JUST MARRIED

Costume and Lace Museum

Brussels March 2017

A favourite museum in one of my favourite cities.

The current exhibition is ‘A History Of Marriage’

There are cases full of dresses from someone’s dream day. At least I hope so.

I began my visit gazing at a rare white 1830s gown that looked so tiny yet had such big sleeves. The scalloped skirt frill and hem were lovely. This is the hardest kind of dress for me to actually imagine someone wearing. It reminds me of the doll in Coppélia.1875 and the ruching, ruffles, frills and lace on show exactly matched  the description of ‘excessive ornamentation’ (designed to mimic the style of upholstery of the time).Wax flowers worn as a corsage on the shoulder sat well above a lot of draping and swathing from 1890. A blizzard of ivory and white, satin, tulle and chiffon took me through 1895 with its high necked, tiny waisted, tight sleeved confection with a long train would have meant movement was at best minimal and at worst impossible.

As this is the lace museum the wedding hankie on shown was perfection. These hankies were a very important accessory for an elegant bride in the 19th century, often decorated with the husband to be and the brides initials. There was a dress from c1910 that reminded me of the style of the late Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother. It looked fragile and lovely in ivory damask silk with chiffon sleeves and embroidered pearls. The treats just kept on coming. Irish lace and braiding on  an ivory woollen 1910 dress.

Then ivory satin from 1949, quite like a riding outfit from the 18th century. More ivory satin from 1957, this one sparkling in strass and pearls. A dress inspired by Schiaparelli and made in ivory silk satin by the bride and her sister in 1948 had the most dramatic slash of fabric falling from right to left on the skirt. It worked perfectly as the rest of the dress was so stark. Declaring an interest here. I got married in the 1970s. My choice of medieval sleeves seemed spot on then and if Game of Thrones ever need an extra, I’m there. Representing this era, (one that has come into such criticism,mainly from people who have no memory of what the 1980s were like)…were huge bishop sleeves on a flowing white creation from 1973. It had a few random daises strewn across it. Very simplistic but a little bare I thought, as it looked as if they only had a few daises to spare. As I say, The Eighties. 19 not 18. Well. The example of high fashion for that era was in the style of a pair of hair salon curtains in bright white nylon. A long ruched neck to hip top, then two big flounces. Plus some puffy long sleeves. I can’t rule out shoulder pads. I rest my case.

1830s

1875

1895

1890

c1910

1910

1910

1948

     

1957

1973 & 1980s

John Galliano s/s 2010

1775-1760

1907

1907

The centrepiece gown was a Galliano s/s 2010 HC gown composed of a long sleeved corset style top with attached suspenders and a skirt of feathers over a crinoline shape. The top was white and that was about the only thing weddingy about it in my opinion. Definitely JG in his other worldly dramatic phase. Tucked away in a corner was a blue 1755-1760 Mantua style gown in silk lampas. The notes report that it was difficult to say whether a dress was specifically a wedding dress from this period, but as the whole underskirt is rich fabric and not merely the bits that show, it seems probable that it was. The mannequin was wearing a lace cap with lappets and the notes said that some people were of the opinion that veils had originated from this cap style. I do see what they mean. There was a black dress chosen by an 1858 bride for its practicality post wedding. And a red shot silk taffeta and organza dress from 2000 that looked straight out of a gothic novel. My favourite was a dress that was part of a trousseau, not an actual wedding dress. Borrowing heavily from the First Empire this perfectly lovely dress in white crêpe de chine glittered and sparkled with pearls, silver thread and beads. It belonged to Princess Marie Bonaparte who married her Prince in 1907. The creation of Parisian House Drecoll, it was part of a trousseau that featured 108 pairs of shoes and eighty, yes eighty evening dresses.

Brussels must have a great store of the artefacts that give us a back story and dress the cases to perfection. Each exhibition, whatever the theme, has exquisite pieces. Their collection of contemporary documents and background literature must be huge.

One case had a Bridal Set from the 1880s. This consisted of a box with one large and one small flounce and a matching hanky, all in Point de Gaze lace. The names of all the brides who had worn the lace were embroidered on the ribbon that held the lace in the box. Anne 1885. Ghislaine 1909. Marguerite Daisy 1938. ( As any fule kno, Marguerite is the French for daisy. I wonder why she had both names?)

Several aphorisms on the subject of marriage were written on the walls of the ladies cloakroom. Sadly my nerve failed me from venturing into the Gents to see if they had anything similar.

So the last word shall go to Oscar Wilde.

‘Le Mariage est la cause principale du divorce’

All photographs from Brussels Museum.

Bridal Set