Olga and Tatiana at Court Events

[RomanovFan]

What would they have worn to a ball or another type of big event? Especially Olga and Tatiana since they were the oldest? And why did Alexandra almost always dress them alike?  

[otmafan]

Alexandra dressed them alike because she was dressed like her sisters as a child.

[leanora]

Hi

It seems that the Grand duchesses wore the Court dresses for all the great events which took place in the Great palaces (Catherine's palace, Winter palace, AP).. and not for the little events (easter in AP for example or balls in Livadia or peterhof...) in that case, they only wore simple dresses...I have noticed that they were very often white-dressed...Perhaps because their mother loved this colour..

[Annie]

Olga was the only daughter who ever got to go to a ball. Tatiana came with her on one of them but I don't think she got to dance. In those days, you had to be 17, or was it 16, before you could go to a ball, so the younger girls were not old enough by the time the balls were stopped in 1914 because of the war, and tragically never resumed.

[Lanie]

At 16 the girls were considered old enough to wear their hair up and go to dances. The red sashes are of the Order of St. Catherine, and so are the little stars.

[RomanovFan]

The red sash has meaning, I don't remember what, anybody??

I think the red sash means they were born to the House of Romanov, a Royal bloodline.  If you've even seen the 1997 cartoon "Anastasia" you'll notice that in the dream scene ('Once Upon A December') that Tsar Nicholas and Tsarevitch Alexei, as well as Alexandra are all wearing red sashes. I think that goes for most of the other movies that have been made about the Romanovs, too.  If it were another Royal household, I think it would be a sash, just in a different color w/ ribbons or something, standing for a different Royal line.

[Pravoslavnaya]

I believe the red sash is meant for women, who were awarded the Order of St. Catherine (so the Empress and her daughters would have all worn red sashes at official functions), while Nicholas and Alexei were members of the Order of St. Andrew and wore light blue St. Andrew's sashes.

The cartoon movie 'Anastasia' was a nice animation job, if not really accurate in the portrayal of regalia.

[Alexa]

Olga was the only daughter who ever got to go to a ball. Tatiana came with her on one of them but I don't think she got to dance. In those days, you had to be 17, or was it 16, before you could go to a ball, so the younger girls were not old enough by the time the balls were stopped in 1914 because of the war, and tragically never resumed.

If I remember correctly, Nicky and Alix were planning TN's coming out ball when the war started.  The felt that under the circumstances it would inappropriate to have one once the war started, so it never took place.

Alexa

[Forum Admin]

Olga was the only daughter who ever got to go to a ball. Tatiana came with her on one of them but I don't think she got to dance.

This statement is not quite accurate.  Olga was the only one who had a "coming of age Ball".  At her Ball, she and Tatiana wore matching pink dresses, and their hair up in a chignon for the first time. It was announced that the officers could ask the elder GDs to dance without asking special permission first, and they both danced until 2 am. Olga and Tatiana went to balls, many of them after that. Alexandra felt Tatiana was "already a lady" , her sisters and brother called her "The Governess".  Alexandra would not allow the older girls to attend balls in Petersburg as a rule, but they were free to attend (and encouraged to attend) them in Livadia, and did so every season there, after Olga's coming of age.

[Annie]

Well that's why I said "I think", I wasn't sure. I read some on it, but I am always glad to find out more info, thanks! That's what's so great about this board, between everybody, there is always somebody who knows the answer!  

I guess she thought St. P. was too rowdy!

[Forum Admin]

No, she didn't think St. P was "rowdy". Alexandra loathed the social-climbing, scheming, back-biting, status concsiousness and general depravity of Petersburg society, as she saw it, and did not want her children to become involved in it.  She was very much a product of her Grandmother Victoria in this regard.

[Annie]

Well, yeah, "rowdy" was the wrong word but I knew she disapproved of the way the society there behaved and was very "Victorian" even if it didn't win her any popularity contests.

[Pasha]

I know that Tatiana and Olga attended many Court events in the place of the ailing Alexandra. Does anyone have any photos or information about them attending some of the elaborate dances or funcions?

Pasha

[Lanie]

Well, Olga attended a ball in 1913 at the Assembly Hall of the Nobility.  I don't think Tatiana ever went to any real balls like that.  During the war the girls often represented their mother at charity events, such as the receiving of money for various charities Alix did.  The girls also had their own charities and would go to the Winter Palace to collect donations and sit in on committee meetings; both were very devoted and involved to their individual charities, would go over paper work and things and order things to be done.

[Pasha]

Thanks for your input, Lanie. I agree there were not any occasions for an elaborate celebration or ball after 1914 and the beginning of the war. There were other things to attend to.
There is one event in 1913, and it could very well be the ball you were speaking of, given by the nobility for the tsar and tsarina. Alexandra left early due to health issues and Olga and Tatiana remained. In the book, "Alexandra the Last Tsarina", the author says that Olga danced every dance that evening. Evidently, Alexandra didn't approve much of this and was concerned about Olga enjoying herself too much. She even mentions what Olga was wearing, but there is no further mention of Tatiana. At this point, Olga would have been 17 or 18, and Tatiana 15 or 16. The account is on pages 212 and 213 of the book.