French 1880's Mourning Dress

 

This amazing 1880's dress is in the MET's collection  - although in storage. It was a gift of Mrs. R. Thornton Wilson to the MET in 1943. I wish there was more info, did she perhaps wear it herself as a young lady?

Victorian Mourning Cape

The Ebay seller states that this cape is from 1880. It is 17 inches long and has a 15 inch neck.

Edwardian Mourning Dress

Wouldn't you just die (not literally!) to wear a dress like this? It is in the collection of The Victoria & Albert, dates from 1910-1912 and was worn by a Miss Heather Firbank. From the V&A's description:

The house of Lucile was renowned for its asymmetrical styles, of which this matte black silk crepe dinner dress is a perfect example. Set into a high waist, the bias-cut skirt is softly swathed over the left hip and the hem is extended into a triangular train. The cross-over bodice has a plunging V neck fitted with a machine-made black lace, while bands of cream and black silk decorate the neck and cuffs.
This is from the collection of Heather Firbank (1888-1954), daughter of the MP Sir Thomas Firbank and sister of the novelist Ronald Firbank. The dress is a half-mourning dress, meaning that it was worn in the later stages of mourning. Mourning etiquette was well controlled and what could be worn at each stage was rigidly prescribed.

Silk Mourning Parasol

The Metropolitan Museum Of Art has some lovely treasures that are not on display. Thank goodness they can be viewed on their website!  This American mourning parasol is definitely one of them. It is from 1915–18 and is made of silk with crepe bands