This great (somewhat long) article is from the June, 1910 issue of Good Housekeeping. A little background info- the Princess (or Princesse) gown with the very sleek, long line came in full-force in 1908, though previous versions did exist previously. If you’d like to read more about the “body-con” crazy started in 1908, please see this French article I’ve transcribed from an original.
I particularly like this article because it describes where fashion was, where it is going, the terminology of the styles, and fabrics, colors, and trimmings they were made in. It’s extremely useful for recreations, as you get background behind the pretty illustrations.
Her Apparel. New Princesse Gowns by Mrs Le Roy-Huntington.
Patterns for the gowns illustrated in this article CANNOT be furnished. (Good Housekeeping, I feel you on this subtext. I get it. Lol)
For more notes on context, please refer to the end of the article for my observations.
We hear rumors that the princesse gown is going out of fashion, but the truthlessness of the report is shown by the increased number of princesse models that the designers send out. Like the shirtwaist, the one-piece gown has practical charms, and as a result one sees more one-piece gowns this season than ever before. (See Note 1)
Most of these gowns fasten in the back, and they all show a waistline or a decided hint at one. The straight, ugly sack costumes that were thrust upon long-suffering womankind last summer are seen no more, but happily these may be altered to this season’s style by a little “taking-in” process at the waistline. (See Note 2) A few of the princesse gowns have a girdle effect, giving the idea that they are two-piece costumes, when in reality they are one-piece.
The smart new models of one-piece gowns shown here give an idea of the wide variety of princesse modes.
The kilt and overskirt dress (Figure 1) was made of two kinds of foulard, figured and plain. The kilt was of plain, golden-brown satin foulard and the overdess was of brown foulard dotted in cream white. The whole was made on a slip foundation of brown taffeta silk, but for this could be substituted any of the fine imitation-silk linings, which are less expensive than taffeta. (See Note 3)
This gown fastened in the back invisibly, and had a little corsage arrangement scalloped back and front at the lower edge. This scalloped effect was carried out on the edge
of the overskirt and on the short oversleeves, the scallops being finished by a small piping of the foulard of the overskirt and on the short oversleeves, the scallops being finished by a small piping of the foulard.
The full undersleeves and the stock and tiny yoke were of soft cream net. Where the corsage trimming crossed to one side in front were a row of large buttons made of the foulard and richly decorated by hand with cream-white rope silk. There were long, decorative buttonholes of the folded foulard.
This gown could lie carried out in light-weight wool goods, linen, pongee or any of the pretty summer fabrics. It is not necessary to have the kilt of one material and the upper part of another.
A model which was really simple ( Figure 2) had an aspect of much elaboration. This particular model was of pale dove-gray lansdowne. The net corsage decoration was embroidered by hand. A striking note of contrast was the girdle of soft black satin ending in a big bow· at one side of the front. The gown fastened invisibly in the back and was made on a plain slip of thin silk. The skirt, the sleeves and the body of the dress were covered with bias pieces of the lansdowne set on without fullness. the spring of the bias threads giving just enough fullness to make them stand out smartly from each other. These bias pieces graduated on the skirt from deep to narrow, the deep pieces decorating the bottom of the skirt.
Over the upper part of the body of the dress was the fitted net piece, which extended in long tabs far down over the skirt, giving a very smart effect. In the back were no tabs. The net was embroidered by hand in very coarse gray floss silk, the design being run in and out among the meshes of the net.
The girdle of soft black silk was fastened to the gown so that the entire robe could be put on with despatch – an advantage of the one-piece dress. (See Note 4)
This model would not be suitable for a wash frock. as the bias pieces are a great task in the laundry, and they would undoubtedly be pulled awry, as bias things usually are when starched. But in pongee, china silk, rajah or any of the many soft summer silks, the model would be pleasing. Pink silk with a cream net corsage decoration would be worth trying, or pale blue silk with blue net. (See Note 5)
A tailored princesse with straight line effects is shown in Figure 3. This dress was of old-blue lamballe, and it was decorated only by buttons of the same and by fancy ·buttonholes. The dress fastened with large buttons in the back and curved in gracefully at the waistline without being close fitting.
The skirt was slashed out in an odd fashion to show insets of side plaits at the front, back and sides, with a row of buttons and buttonholes above each.
The yoke was cut square and filled in with plaids, and the sleeves were plaited at the upper part and had deep cuffs buttoned in with large buttons. The high, plain stock had two buttons in front. (Quick Note- “Stock” means high collar.)
This is an admirable model for linen gowns, for the plaits are so few in each cluster that they would not be very difficult to launder. It could also be made in any of the new soft taffetas. One need not adhere to the extreme simplicity displayed in the model, for one could have braiding or embroidery introduced about the waist,
cuffs and above each cluster of plaits.
A very unusual model is Figure 4, having a sort of coat effect, though it is a one-piece dress. The main part of this gown was of voile in a soft ecru shade. The soft tucked front to the corsage and the undersleeves were of fine ecru chiffon. The coat-like part of the gown was stitched to the skirt so that it formed one piece. It was slashed out in front, leaving curved strap pieces, and the short sleeves were slashed out in the same fashion, showing the chiffon beneath.
This model is severely plain, but it could be trimmed to any degree of elaboration that one fancies and the design would lend itself especially well to decoration; for example, the curved strap pieces across the front could be covered with soutache braiding, as could also the short sleeves, and each scallop of the coat overlapping the skirt could be enriched in the same way. Or lace applique in flowers and leaves could be used, or the parts might be embroidered by hand. It is an elegant model, plain or decorated.
It could also be used for linens, having the under part of the body and sleeves of embroidery or lace. In lawn or chambray it would also be pretty and dainty.
A model with a kilt is shown in Figure 5. It was of pink linen with braids of the same for trimming. It fastened in the back invisibly and appeared to have a bolero and an overskirt, though all were arranged in one piece. The over-skirt part was cut in deep points at the bottom and edged with a band of the linen. The bolero was also cut in points at the top and bottom, the points of the top forming a pretty yoke, which was filled in with thin white mull, tucked finely. All the bolero edges were finished with a band of the linen.
The sleeves had overlapping pieces cut in large points and edged with a band. The little, full undersleeves were of soft mull and had close wristbands.
This gown could be made in foulard, wool or silk. It would be suitable in natural-colored pongee with a little line of black following the edges of the points and with delicate cream lace for the undersleeves and yoke.
The natural-colored pongee dress (Figure 6), with trimmings of white silk piped with black, was a most pleasing combination of color.
It fastened in the back invisibly and had a kilt over which the princesse part extended in square tabs whose edges were bordered with the trimming of white silk piped on each side with black.
The upper part of the body of the dress was cut out in a yoke and had the square tab effect. It was filled in with cream-colored, tucked silk, and the little collar turned over the stock was bordered with black pipings.
The sleeves were short and cut out in square tabs over full undersleeves of white silk. with all the edges finished with the piped trimming.
Old-blue lamballe with the edges stitched in black is the material used for the dress shown in Figure 7.
The model was almost tight fitting, having just enough spring at the back and front to keep it from being actually tight. The front was covered with an odd panel which spread out at the top and nearly covered the corsage. At the back this formed merely a yoke ending at the shoulder blades. There were wide bands extending round the figure from this panel. Similar bands decorated the simple sleeve, and a
band formed the stock.
This model is adapted to linens. A blue linen might have white pipings or a finely checked black-and-white linen could have red pipings with black stitchings. A natural-colored linen could be piped in black. The model is also suited for silk or wool.
And as a bonus, the image of patterns that could be sent away for the are close to the models featured in the article. For search purposes, these pattern numbers from 1910 are Good Housekeeping Patterns
- 4948 GH
- 4951 GH
- 4948 GH
- 4951 GH
- 4980 GH
- 4964 GH
These are all patterns which could be mailed away for.
Notes and Historical Context for the Article
*Note 1 – The bodice-and-skirt combo was the long-standing standard for dresses, so the one-piece gown, with the bodice and skirt connected together was quite novel and allowed for a very form-fitted silhouette since you only needed to connect them at the waist instead of having layers upon layers finishing both the skirt and the bodice edges.
*Note 2- It is mistakenly said that all 1910s gowns had “dog-leg” closures or only fastened in ways that hid the closures by lapping pieces over one another. While this was particularly common, especially getting into the 19-teens, princess dresses and lingerie dresses often fastened up the center back with either hooks and eyes or buttons. When it says a dress “fastened invisibly” it is quite possible it had dog-leg style closures. The “straight sack costumes” mentioned here are likely a reference to the “directoire revival” fashions that made a short appearance in 1908-1919, which featured a high bust and unfitted waist.
*Note 3- The slip foundation refers to an inner lining which would be attached to the pleated skirt and hidden underneath the upper tunic. This allowed the dress to look like it was two-pieces instead of one. You see a similar method used all the way through the 1920s, which is how 1920s suits often looked like they had dropped waisted skirts but they would not shift as they would if they were low-waisted like skirts slung on your hips like in the early 2000s. The skirt portion was attached to a lining top in the shape of a tank top. The same applies here. And the imitation-silk refers to rayon, a new-ish textile of the time, which is a natural synthetic made of wood pulp.
*Note 4- Being put on “with despatch (or dispatch)” is referring to how easy it is to get dressed, since the girdle is mounted onto the dress and not a separate piece.
*Note 5- “Wash frock” is exactly what it sounds like- dresses that are easily laundered. These were most often made of cotton and linen, and often white so they could easily be bleached clean. Colors also existed, and were pre-washed so they would not bleed. They describe how annoying bias trimming is to launder, which is why they suggested other fabrics. These silk and wool gowns were rarely washed, and you’d use dress shields to protect them from perspiration and spot clean them as needed. The undergarments and dress shields (both washable) would collect most of the body odor.