This Halloween season, Trystan is indulging her gothy love of black garb in frock flicks fashion by looking at some of the most fabulous black dresses in historical costume movies and TV shows. Black wasn’t just worn for mourning, after all!
Last Friday, I gave you my favorite black frocks in 16th-century historical costume movies and TV shows. While, of course black clothing was still worn during the 17th and 18th centuries, on screen, the frocks get iffy. For the 17th century, most of what’s shown in movies and TV in black is Puritans (snore), and for the 18th century’s frock flicks, everything goes pastel. Thus, I’m combining them into one post!
Here are some of my favorite 17th and 18th-century historical frocks in black. What are yours?
The Three Musketeers & The Four Musketeers (1974)
The Girl King (2015)
Orlando (1992)
Salem (2014)
The Draughtsman’s Contract (1982)
Plunkett & Macleane (1999)
The Brotherhood of the Wolf (2001)
Marie Antoinette (2006)
Sleepy Hollow (1999)
What’s your favorite black outfit in these historical costume movies and TV shows?
Sleepy hollow all the way grrrr-owl!
I tried to appreciate all the lovely and interesting things but I’m kind of still stuck on what the frock is that first set of “stays”? I feel like things would start to dig in… winces
This is a sort-of copy of an iron 16th-century corset from a museum in Paris, only done in soft fabric. The similarity is too close to be accidental.
I believe that (just like chastity belts!) many iron corsets are reckoned to be 19th-century or later fakes. There’s doubt also whether the few genuine examples weren’t corrective devices for people with spinal abnormalities, rather than fashion items.
I’m going with 3: Plunkett and Macleane, Marie Antoinette and Sleepy Hollow
It’s hard to choose a favorite. I’ll definitely say no to the boob-star stays though.
As noted in other posts, Puritans did NOT wear black; it was too costly a colour and would have been considered too extreme by them. They wore greys, greens, browns and a colour called “murrey,’ which was probably a mulberry shade.
Yup, that’s such a sloppy Hollywood-ism.
That last gown, and the striped one, from Sleepy Hollow are among my all-time favorite costume drama gowns.
I confess to loving Plunkett and Macleane in all its terribleness.
I can’t help it either ;)
Monica Bellucci in brotherhood of the wolves FTW! We don’t see her that much in the movie, but every time it makes an impression. First because she’s fabulously (un)dressed, but also the Vatican spy/assassin gives it quite a vibe.
You missed my favourite in Marie Antoinette: the black dress with white fur.
http://bohemianrhapsodyclub.weebly.com/uploads/7/0/0/4/7004357/4963888_orig.jpg
https://scontent-ort2-1.cdninstagram.com/vp/bdcf3b6396cb485d28aec862d1739171/5C352410/t51.2885-15/e35/c140.0.360.360/40760053_172813050285424_5200006331138032045_n.jpg
There never seem to be any decent photos of this costume, only a few screen grabs, I’d love to see more! Well, it’s black AND white, maybe not gothic enough, but looks beautiful!
You missed the black dress with white ermine collar in Marie Antoinette ;'( It’s black AND white, but there aren’t many photos of it, mostly a few screen grabs, but it looks gorgeous, and I’d like to see more of it.
Yeah, when there aren’t any good photos / screencaps, it’s hard to feature a costume!
But you know which costume I’m talking about, right? I was hoping you had some exhibit photos of it ^_^