German Fashions – Autumn 1888

Late Victorian Autumn Gowns in German Illustrirte Frauen-Zeitung

This original hand-colored fashion plate dated September 9, 1888, from the Berlin-published periodical Illustrirte Frauen-Zeitung, showcases the pinnacle of late Victorian women’s and children’s daywear. The indoor salon scene depicts two elegant ladies and a young girl arranging a basket of roses and hydrangeas on a wooden stand. The central standing figure wears a striking cream-colored afternoon gown adorned with tiered lace flounces on the front panel and a dramatic high bustle back, accented by deep maroon silk sashes and sleeve bows. Beside her, another lady models a conservative, structured dark charcoal grey dress featuring heavy vertical lace panels and a tightly fitted bodice, reflecting the modest yet highly textured wardrobe trends of late 1880s European high society.

Antique 1888 German Dress Patterns and High Bustle Fashion

An exceptional historical textile archive, this German engraving highlights the architectural silhouettes of the Gilded Age garment designs. The composition features a small inset tailoring diagram (Pl. 533) at the bottom left, illustrating the construction of a bodice piece for dressmakers and home seamstresses. The young child stands between the women wearing a striped navy dress with a pleated collar and matching leather boots. Under the header text, detailed German gothic script typography provides technical descriptions of the garments, making this publication a highly searched and valuable asset for historians specializing in German imperial fashion, late 19th-century costume drafting, and antique floral engravings.