The Dresses

[clockworkgirl21]

I've always heard OTMA wore each other's hand-me-downs, but I've never seen it in photos, as far as I know.

I also wonder if they had many clothes of the same type. In Livadia around 1911, they often wore the polka dots. Did each girl have several polka dot dresses, or are they wearing the same dresses in all the photos?

[Holly]

As far as I could tell, they were appliqued. Tiny stitches.  The fabrics are very fine and fragile, so we could not  do  much  on-hand examinations. They were definitely not diamonds, however. Even the Romanovs were not that extravagant I think. One dress, I think it was Olga's, was so worn it had been repaired many times. Even pads could not remove the sweat stains. Also, the hems are weighted. For the flow of the gown. This is not unusual. Even today.

Olga's had sweat stains? Did Olga even wear it long enough to produce sweat stains?? I am strangely fascinated..

[Robert_Hall]

My guess is that the palaces were over heated, causing everyone to sweat.

[Sarushka]

One dress, I think it was Olga's, was so worn it had been repaired many times. Even pads could not remove the sweat stains.

Olga's had sweat stains? Did Olga even wear it long enough to produce sweat stains?? I am strangely fascinated..

Were anti-perspirants available and in common use in the 1910s? I doubt it. Much of the vintage clothing I've seen has prominent sweat staining.

[Holly]

One dress, I think it was Olga's, was so worn it had been repaired many times. Even pads could not remove the sweat stains.

Olga's had sweat stains? Did Olga even wear it long enough to produce sweat stains?? I am strangely fascinated..

Were anti-perspirants available and in common use in the 1910s? I doubt it. Much of the vintage clothing I've seen has prominent sweat staining.

True, I've seen that on old dresses myself. I just didn't think they wore the formal long enough to sweat a lot in.

Very possible, Robert. Thanks for the information on the dresses!

[bestfriendsgirl]

One dress, I think it was Olga's, was so worn it had been repaired many times. Even pads could not remove the sweat stains.

Olga's had sweat stains? Did Olga even wear it long enough to produce sweat stains?? I am strangely fascinated..

Were anti-perspirants available and in common use in the 1910s? I doubt it. Much of the vintage clothing I've seen has prominent sweat staining.

Back in the day, women sometimes used to wear dress shields under their arms to keep their clothing from getting stained, but I'm not sure if that was the custom in Russia or not ...

[bestfriendsgirl]

My guess is that the palaces were over heated, causing everyone to sweat.

That and the fact that even in the summer, they wore layers and layers of clothing. I don't know how they stood it. I was dressed up in a suit, heels and pantyhose for a job interview last week and I could sympathize with them!

[Robert_Hall]

All very good observations. I  tend to agree with Sarushka.  I have noticed other vintage clothing with sweat stains as well.

[Sunny]

Back in the day, women sometimes used to wear dress shields under their arms to keep their clothing from getting stained, but I'm not sure if that was the custom in Russia or not ...

What do you mean for "shield"? Not being english my language, i'm not sure i've understood. If you mean "corset" didn't they use it also to look thinner? But i guess you didn't mean that...

[aleksandr pavlovich]

   Referencing Post # 32:  You are really MOST likely correct in your "overheating" comment, Robert!   Most Russian palaces were notorious for their excessive heat, especially on formal occasions. Banks of flowers and even potted palm trees were in evidence.  Additionally consider the body heat factor of the masses of participants, weighed down with tight, heavy clothing, the dancing, etc.  
   Even today, those of us who have spent/spend time in Russia in the winter, know of the INTENSE interior heat.  I, myself, got up one night in one of the guest bedrooms at friends' home to open one of the (smaller,upper) double-paned windows for relief, with snow coming down outside.  Less than two hours later I closed it!  I cannot remember straightaway the source (possibly Lord Frederick Hamilton) of a quote that remarked in so many words, "Russians like to pretend that they live at times in a semi-tropical climate !"           Regards,  AP.

[bestfriendsgirl]

Back in the day, women sometimes used to wear dress shields under their arms to keep their clothing from getting stained, but I'm not sure if that was the custom in Russia or not ...

What do you mean for "shield"? Not being english my language, i'm not sure i've understood. If you mean "corset" didn't they use it also to look thinner? But i guess you didn't mean that...

Dress shields were little cloth inserts women placed under their arms to keep perspiration from soaking through to their dresses. I can see where you would think it means the same as "corset" though ... 

[historyfan]

Sarushka, exactly, that's the one - thank you.  : )

[Sunny]

Back in the day, women sometimes used to wear dress shields under their arms to keep their clothing from getting stained, but I'm not sure if that was the custom in Russia or not ...

What do you mean for "shield"? Not being english my language, i'm not sure i've understood. If you mean "corset" didn't they use it also to look thinner? But i guess you didn't mean that...

Dress shields were little cloth inserts women placed under their arms to keep perspiration from soaking through to their dresses. I can see where you would think it means the same as "corset" though ... 

Mm because in my native language the translation for "shield" can also meaning "corset"  That's why i asked you: i was guessing it was NOT the same in english! So thajks for your language tip!!

[Olga Bernice]

Oh no worries, Sunny . . . English is my native language, and even I didn't know that! So thanks!

I suppose I'll start it off with a question - I've heard that whenever you got a certain age, then you'd start to wear your dresses below the ankles. If I had to guess, I'd say the age was 16, but I have no evidence of this or of that entire statement, really. Does anybody know anything else?

I guess I'd like to round this subject out, I suppose, because my very first post had the question above. If somebody could please give me any feedback . . . anything is appriciated. Thanks!!

[Holly]

Oh no worries, Sunny . . . English is my native language, and even I didn't know that! So thanks!

I suppose I'll start it off with a question - I've heard that whenever you got a certain age, then you'd start to wear your dresses below the ankles. If I had to guess, I'd say the age was 16, but I have no evidence of this or of that entire statement, really. Does anybody know anything else?

I guess I'd like to round this subject out, I suppose, because my very first post had the question above. If somebody could please give me any feedback . . . anything is appriciated. Thanks!!

As a general rule, the hemline dropped the older the girl grew. As a toddler, a knee-length skirt was the norm but it steadily lowered until the age of sixteen when it would reach the ankles.



Here's an example. This was drawn up about twenty years before OTMA's time but the guidelines are the same.