color combinations -victorian

[Auryn]

I was hoping you guys could provide some quick suggestions.
I am in the middle of designing a dress for a steampunk masquerade ball

I am thinking of going with a semi can can girl kinda look.
I already have a half finished blue petticoat that I was wanting to wear for christmas but didnt finish it in time.
I also have about 10 yards of this beautiful bright orange fabric with a gold sheen on it for the actual dress.

What do you guys think?
if not I have a dark green silk for the dress, or I have to go get something else- either for the petticoat or for the dress.


I was originally saving this fabric to make this

[redkimba]

In "Guide to Success with Forms for Business and Society..." (1879), one may harmonize "blue with orange, stone, drab gray, salmon, straw, chestnut, brown, black, white or gold; blue , with gold, brown and crimson."

You have a very good eye for this.  I think the color combination looks good. 

[isabelladangelo]

You might want to hold on to the orangy colored fabric only because blue + orange = Gators Fan 

However, that being said, the Victorians were known for some interesting color choices.   I have  quite a few peculiar ones on my blog:

I call this brown/mauve/blue/red/ plaid monster dress

Blue and gold plaid

Brown, blue, and lime green?

Brown and blue sounds normal until you see this

Blue paisley with orange trim

[redkimba]

You might want to hold on to the orangy colored fabric only because blue + orange = Gators Fan 

However, that being said, the Victorians were known for some interesting color choices.   I have  quite a few peculiar ones on my blog:

I call this brown/mauve/blue/red/ plaid monster dress

Blue and gold plaid

Brown, blue, and lime green?

Brown and blue sounds normal until you see this

Oh, wow - those are some interesting combinations.  ::puts on sunglasses for the lime green trim::

Blue paisley with orange trim

When the Victorians put these color combinations together, they were also thinking of how it would look under either candlelight or gaslight which WOULD change the color.    Example:  I know of an 1860s reenactress who has a "dusty rose" dress that, under candlelight, turns to a gold color.

However since this is for Steampunk, do what you want.  It will look fabulous. 

(I'm leaving now; I spend entirely too much time in the mid-1800s as it is...)

[Lady Kathleen of Olmsted]

When doing something Steampunk, most anything goes. Because this is a genre that there is nothing wrong.

When I go to CONVergence each July, I see so many great color and fabric combinations. Fro Tans, Blacks, Browns, Oranges, Blues, burgandies, it is a cornacopia of ideas I had never come across.

Go for it, Auryn.

[Adriana Rose]

I would use a fushia or a darker aqua color with that light blue and save the orange for another project.

[Anna Iram]

I think it looks like a lot of fun for a ball. Bright and unexpected. Perhaps you could work in a third color as trim somewhere if the Gators thing is an issue.

[Auryn]

Thanks everyone for the replys.
Thanks isabella  for the warning

I sent the picture to a couple of friends who are die hard Gator Alumni and they didn't see a color resemblance. The orange has a much stronger gold undertone that for some reason doesnt show up in the picture.

I am trying to make this as much out of my stash as possible.
Im gonna run to Joanns this afternoon and see if there is anything good in the clearance isle.
We will see.

thanks everyone- ill keep you posted.

[isabelladangelo]

You might want to hold on to the orangy colored fabric only because blue + orange = Gators Fan 

However, that being said, the Victorians were known for some interesting color choices.   I have  quite a few peculiar ones on my blog:

I call this brown/mauve/blue/red/ plaid monster dress

Blue and gold plaid

Brown, blue, and lime green?

Brown and blue sounds normal until you see this

Oh, wow - those are some interesting combinations.  ::puts on sunglasses for the lime green trim::

Blue paisley with orange trim

When the Victorians put these color combinations together, they were also thinking of how it would look under either candlelight or gaslight which WOULD change the color.    Example:  I know of an 1860s reenactress who has a "dusty rose" dress that, under candlelight, turns to a gold color.

However since this is for Steampunk, do what you want.  It will look fabulous. 

(I'm leaving now; I spend entirely too much time in the mid-1800s as it is...)

True, except many of the dresses I posted were day dresses, not ball gowns.  Candlelight wasn't an issue then.  It's why you see odd beading beneath semi sheer fabrics in many Edwardian and Victorian gowns - to have the candlelight or any light source reflect off of them at night.   During the day, silk was still used among the upper classes but the sleeve length was typically long and the neckline was higher.  The upper class would change their outfits up to ten times a day!  Morning dress, day dress, tea time dress, Afternoon dress, evening dress....  each time of day had it's own specific wear with it's own specific rules.  

Steampunk is supposed to be Jules Verne, essentially.   Not really "anything goes" as much as it is looking through the Victorians'/Edwardians' point of view of what our world should have been.  

[Lady Kathleen of Olmsted]

"Steampunk is supposed to be Jules Verne, essentially.   Not really "anything goes" as much as it is looking through the Victorians'/Edwardians' point of view of what our world should have been. "

Steampunk is a fun genre, Isabelladangelo. Anything goes be it colors, fabric patterns, accessories, etc!

From the many events I have attended  where Steampunk was the theme,  there were some who were "correct" in their attire, and many were not. Nor do fans of Steampunk give a tinker's cuss how many times the real Victorians of the Upper Classes changed their clothes.

[isabelladangelo]

There is no such thing as anything goes with any genre - otherwise it wouldn't be a genre! 

I've been pretty well involved with Steampunk for a few years now - I was even interviewed by CBS at the Steampunk World's Fair this past year.   People who wear "whatever" do get odd looks compared to those that actually attempt to look like "yesterday's tomorrow".   In fact, one lady was the subject of question whispers simply because no one "got" her outfit.   Now, are colors a factor?  Yes and no.  Many do believe that brown is to Steampunk and black is to Goth - however it's not a hard set rule as of yet.   The most major rule is that it needs to entail "Yesterday's Tomorrow" into the costume in some way - Victorian inspired, I guess you could say. 

Also, I only pointed out the historical ramifications due to the comment regarding candlelight during the time period - it's true that many don't worry about the amount of times a person may have changed their clothing during the time period when doing steampunk but I figured it was important to point out given the discussion. 

[Auryn]

Isabelladangelo
I was actually inspired to make my dress similar to a bright green one on your beautiful page- off the shoulder with a big skirt- I will see if I can find the link again.

I normally wouldn't go so outlandish in colors but this is supposed to be a masquerade ball and my concept is to be a recluse can can girl- hike up the full skirt to dance- how scandalous

From all my reading it was well accepted to dress in rather outrageous looks for costume parties in the Victorian era- apparently even renaissance clothing was well accepted for a masquerade.

[isabelladangelo]

Oh yes!  Masquerade dress is fabulous in the Victorian era.  It's actually how we "lost" a lot of extant garments - the Victorians wore them to balls!  It's fun going through the old photos and seeing stuff that makes you say "Hey, wait a minute!  That's extant!"

I know there is a source of fashion plates for masque ball ideas.  I found one from the Bustle Era of a "rainbow" gown that I want to do eventually.  When I get home, I'll look it up if you like.  It shows that the whole idea of "ankles showing" was not scandalous.  Well, not for evening wear, at least!

[Auryn]

isabelladangelo
I would love to see
thanks

[operafantomet]

Oh yes!  Masquerade dress is fabulous in the Victorian era.  It's actually how we "lost" a lot of extant garments - the Victorians wore them to balls!  It's fun going through the old photos and seeing stuff that makes you say "Hey, wait a minute!  That's extant!"

Though, it's also one of the ways many garments survived - that they were continued to be worn as clothes, albeit in a new context or with alternations, instead of being cut to pieces so someone could re-use the fabric. Better to be remodeled than totally destroyed, as the red Pisa dress is a proof of!

Auryn, if you're patient, there is a ton of fantastic Victorian and Edwardian costume designs to browse through at German http://www.bildindex.de . Choose "künstler" (artist) in the drop-down-menu to the left, enter "gaul, franz" and GOOOORGE!!!