Gilded Age Fashion

Transport yourself to the exuberance and glamour of elite American society in the 1870s, '80s, and '90s, when influential families like the Vanderbilts, Astors and Rockefellers hosted, attended, and dressed exquisitely for the grandest events in the United States and Europe. Author Elizabeth Block details the social etiquette and customs that guided the sartorial choices of the fabulously wealthy. Each sumptuous gown featured tells a story about its creator and the woman who wore it, and the opulent balls, opera nights, charity benefits, and society weddings she might have attended. Three illustrated sections are organized by the times of day when the finest quality clothing was worn, from an afternoon dress by Emile Pingat to a custom-made silk ball gown by Charles Frederick Worth.