Marcella and evening dress and another thing

[storeynicholas]

Here is an extract from Trendell (1921):

[img][img]http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg55 ... ge-2-1.jpg[/img]

From this it is clear that, by 1921, marcella had become the Court's choice for vests - presumably, although licence was allowed, marcella was also the choice for tie and shirt. One might also notice that 'notched' collar and lapel is the term employed to distinguish a shawl collar and lapel - rather than a step collar/lapel. Moreover, it is clear that, in the most formal of settings in 1921, a blue coat and black breeches or trousers (as in Brummells' prescription), were still the order of the day.
NJS[/img]

[pvpatty]

I'm assuming that by "dark blue" they mean some sort of almost black, midnight blue?

[storeynicholas]

I am sure that this is right - although, as mentioned in another thread, Henry Poole's order book entry for Ed VII's smoking jacket describes it as 'blue'.
NJS

[NCW]

Indeed, blue was a popular Regency colour, and was the longest-lasting in normal use of the early Victorian chromatic range. Could it have survived all the way through to the 1920s in court in some ceremonial uniforms as a proper blue (not merely a Duke-of-Windsoresque approximation to black)?

Incidentally, while on the topic, marcella was invented to hold more starch than plain cotton. Do you starch your marcella ties? I do not, but have heard of it being done to get a tighter, crisper knot. In this case, would you iron in some folds at the centre to achieve this?

[HappyStroller]

Pardon me, but could you kindly rephrase the following sentence, Sir?

"One might also notice that 'notched' collar and lapel is the term employed to distinguish a shawl collar and lapel - rather than a step collar/lapel."

Is a 'step collar/lapel' a notch lapel?

And I thought a jacket with a shawl collar has no lapel.

...<snie>...
From this it is clear that, by 1921, marcella had become the Court's choice for vests - presumably, although licence was allowed, marcella was also the choice for tie and shirt. One might also notice that 'notched' collar and lapel is the term employed to distinguish a shawl collar and lapel - rather than a step collar/lapel. Moreover, it is clear that, in the most formal of settings in 1921, a blue coat and black breeches or trousers (as in Brummells' prescription), were still the order of the day.
NJS