Taylor's Arguments About The Mourning Dress
Taylor further talks about the mourning dress and explains how funerals were a great platform to exhibit one’s rank and wealth in the society. Even the women in the family zealously participated in the display of their family’s status through their intricate mourning dresses (2010, p- 20). 3
In the pictures above, mourning dresses have been depicted as another form of Fashion of that period. Taylor says that, “the wealthiest and the most fashionable women had their mourning clothes made up by Court or private dressmakers, according to the usual instructions still issued by the Lord Chamberlain on the occasion of a royal death or that of a national leader” (2010, p- 124) 5. The royal women would wear expensive fabrics with lavishly embroidered, fine details with trimmed crape with statement hats which generously boasted …show more content…
Mercier argues, “ Women were isolated in their homes for specific lengths of time in rooms hung with yards of black cloth. Their bedchambers were entirely covered with it- the floors, ceilings and walls as well as the furniture. 13 Taylor supports Mercier’s argument and adds that widows had to sleep on beds with black sheets and had to receive people who came to pay their condolences, in those special black beds (2010, p.g.- 54). 14
In 1910, the whole society went into deep mourning for a few weeks after the death of King Edward VII. But after that, the concept of black mourning dress started to fade. Taylor and Craik both supported the above statement with the example of “Black Ascort”. Just before the half mourning period for the demise of King Edward VII, Ascort took place and the race goers wore exorbitant high fashion dresses with striking cart-wheel hats, all in black and white. This occasion came to be known as “Black Escort” and it gave the perspective of the mourning dress a new direction (2010, p- 163 and 2009, p-52 respectively).
In the pictures above, mourning dresses have been depicted as another form of Fashion of that period. Taylor says that, “the wealthiest and the most fashionable women had their mourning clothes made up by Court or private dressmakers, according to the usual instructions still issued by the Lord Chamberlain on the occasion of a royal death or that of a national leader” (2010, p- 124) 5. The royal women would wear expensive fabrics with lavishly embroidered, fine details with trimmed crape with statement hats which generously boasted …show more content…
Mercier argues, “ Women were isolated in their homes for specific lengths of time in rooms hung with yards of black cloth. Their bedchambers were entirely covered with it- the floors, ceilings and walls as well as the furniture. 13 Taylor supports Mercier’s argument and adds that widows had to sleep on beds with black sheets and had to receive people who came to pay their condolences, in those special black beds (2010, p.g.- 54). 14
In 1910, the whole society went into deep mourning for a few weeks after the death of King Edward VII. But after that, the concept of black mourning dress started to fade. Taylor and Craik both supported the above statement with the example of “Black Ascort”. Just before the half mourning period for the demise of King Edward VII, Ascort took place and the race goers wore exorbitant high fashion dresses with striking cart-wheel hats, all in black and white. This occasion came to be known as “Black Escort” and it gave the perspective of the mourning dress a new direction (2010, p- 163 and 2009, p-52 respectively).