Red dress in the 1850s?

[frualeydis]

To all you victorian experts: How common was it to have a ruby red ball gown in the 1850s-60s. All portraits and preserved clothing show a lot of blue, but no deep red. Wasn't it popular, was it indecent and too "sexual" to wear ruby red or is it just me who have missed it?

Eva

Comments

[operafantomet.livejournal.com]

Good question! I wish I had a good answer.... :)

I might have noticed what I want to notice - but it looks to me that the era were more about "natural" colours and "sweet" fabrics. Later, in the 1770s sometime, the chemical dyes were invented, and they went nuts with crazy colours. But in the 1850's and 1860's, I have the impression green, white, blue and pale colours were more "in vogue".

Excited to read other replies!

[pinque.livejournal.com]

Aniline dyes were available in the 60s at least and you can see some truly amazing vibrant colours for mid to late 60s dresses. The one at the AUckland Museum was pobably more vibrant than it is now. The fabric is also shot so the purple of the two colours is probably brighter than it appears as well.

There is a famous Winterhalter portrait of the late 40s early 50s of a red velvet gown. I have it I htink so I'll just grab the name of the sitter.. OK.. it's in German as I go it from von Boehn... Queen of ... Berlgium? Belgier?
Found another one anyway:
Eugenie and son

Oh here's the one I mean:
Louise-Marie-Thérèse-Charlotte-Isabelle d'Orléans,