Alan 🏳️‍⚧️ 🏳️‍🌈
LightNews LightNews
banner
bows4crows.bsky.social
Alan 🏳️‍⚧️ 🏳️‍🌈
@bows4crows.bsky.social
290 followers 430 following 940 posts
☠️ Future skeleton 🌘 Neurodivergent 🧘‍♂️ Yoga teacher 🧪 Neuroscientist 🌱 Vegetarian 🦤 He/him/they/them 🕹️ FGC 💃 Fashion

Meditation channel
https://youtube.com/@yogawithalan

Gaming channel
https://youtube.com/@votes4cows
Posts Replies Media Videos
bows4crows.bsky.social
Tobogganing coat, USA, 1886

Imagine this vibrant red against a field of snow? That must have looked so striking! The colour and fabric give such a warm vibe too. And check out the cute bobble on the hood 🥰

#fashionsky #fashionhistory #dresshistory #ootd
Image 1. Museum photo of a full-length, red outdoor coat, primarily in dense wool knit. It has large brass buttons all the way down the front, a high circular collar at the neck, and a form-fitting narrow waist. The sleeves have three cream colour stripes running around the wrists, and the hem of the skirt has four of these strips (between knee and ankle). The left arm has a few badges at the shoulder. Image 2. Side view in close up of the top of the coat from image 1. Shows more detail on the badges on the left sleeve - one of which has 'Saratoga'. Also shows the large hood hanging down the back, which has a cute black and red bobble attached.
January 27, 2026 at 8:59 AM
bows4crows.bsky.social
Walking dress, France, 1885

This is nice. The fabric (cotton) looks comfortable. Less so the massive bustle! Really elegant cut, especially the open front and the exposed blouse.

#fashionsky #fashionhistory #dresshistory #ootd
Image 1. Museum photo of a full length, brown cotton dress. The fabric is a light brown with red and blue detailing (similar to paisley, but sparser). The skirt has many folds, mostly flowing from the left hip around the garment. The bodice is open down the front, with a tan coloured seam and collar (repeated at the sleeve cuffs), and a white high necked blouse underneath. Image 2. Side view of the dress from Image 1. Shows a very large bustle at the rear of the skirt - the structure extending 6 to 8 inches, with folds of fabric extending a further few inches back.
January 23, 2026 at 10:54 AM
bows4crows.bsky.social
Evening dress, Hoschedé Rebours, France, 1885

I gather this is a really well known dress. I can see why - the black silk against the shining beading (?) is really beautiful. The cut & neckline is very modern, with only the bustle really showing its age.

#fashionhistory #dresshistory #TheMet #ootd
image 1. Museum photo of an evening dress (front view). Its full length, sleeveless, with a deep v-shaped neckline. Its black, with possibly black, shiny beading throughout. The waist is narrow and structured, and the front of the skirt has some draping flowing around from the bustle (see image 2). Image 2. Side view of the same dress from image 1. From this angle you can clearly see the large bustle at the back of the skirt, with a black lace trail over the top of a heavy black silk trail.
January 14, 2026 at 10:07 AM
bows4crows.bsky.social
Wool overcoat, British, 1885

It is highly unlikely you'll see a better coat anytime soon. Honest to god, take the time for a good look. Incredible buttons, deep pockets - this is a real coat, no doubt.

#fashionsky #fashionhistory #TheMet
Museum photo of a long overcoat, in dark gray/light brown wool. It is in two layers - the undersection is almost a full-length sleeveless dress, buttoned from the collar to the waist. It features two deep rectangular pockets on each hip. There is a capelet/over-jacket on top of this, in the same fabric, with a high, stiff collar, and buttons from collar to upper abdomen.
January 9, 2026 at 10:58 AM
bows4crows.bsky.social
Evening dress, House of Worth, France, 1882

A lot going on with this one. I'm very fond of the draping of fabric across the skirt - that's a lovely effect. And the silk flowers are wonderfully well preserved. Really beautiful design element.

#fashionsky #fashionhistory #dresshistory #TheMet
A museum photo of a full length, sleeveless evening dress in cream colour plain and sheer silk. It has an almost off-the-shoulder neckline, with a narrow tapering waist. The skirt is full, with expansive hips, and a large bustle and trail behind. Sheer fabric is draped across the front of the skirt, and the hem is obscured by several layers of lace. An enormous trail of silk flowers sweeps from the left hip across the skirt to the right ankle, then continues circling above the lace hem.
January 7, 2026 at 3:06 PM
bows4crows.bsky.social
Ball gown, British, Madame Elise, 1880

I am super tired so words are not flowing. But look, this is a very nice dress. The silk rose bouquet is really lovely against the gold trim, right?

Madame Elise really knew what she was doing.

#fashionsky #fashionhistory #dresshistory #ootd #TheMet
Museum photo of a ballgown, predominantly in cream, with gold trim. Its full length, with a narrow waisted bodice, long trail, and a deep oval shaped neckline. The neckline and cuffs are trimmed with lace. There is a horizontal gold band of silk at the lower thighs, and the entire front of the dress is covered in lace (in vertical seams). It is set with a red silk bouquet of roses at the right upper chest.
January 5, 2026 at 9:28 AM
bows4crows.bsky.social
Got a lovely present from my family - the new Sunmi album. If you're not familiar with #kpop albums, they're really extravagant. Collectible cards, posters, photography books, etc. This one is great, and Sunmi's music is awesome (sort of Sophie Ellis Bextor vibe).

#Christmas #heartmaid #sunmi
1/2
Photo of the contents of an album (heart maid, by Sunmi). There is a large hardcover book, with a photo of the singer in a maid outfit holding a dagger on the cover. There are separate mid and small sized photocards of Sunmi).
December 25, 2025 at 11:18 AM
bows4crows.bsky.social
Evening dress, Liberty and Co, Britain, 1880s

Breath-taking example of a neoclassically draped dress. The designers were interested in reviving classical Greek forms, and it really shows! Amazing colour too.

#fashionsky #fashionhistory #dresshistory #TheMet
Image 1. Museum photo of a gold coloured full-length evening dress. The dress gives the impression of a length of fabric draped around the whole of the body, with many folds. It has an V-neckline, ties of the same fabric at each shoulder, no sleeves, and a narrow waist. The bodice itself has light boning, not visible. The skirt is very full, with many folds, and a large dust ruffle behind. Image 2. A view from the right of the same dress as Image 1. Shows more clearly the draping of fabric in the bodice, with the right side of the bodice draped over the left.
December 24, 2025 at 11:14 AM
bows4crows.bsky.social
Child's dress, USA, 1879

Worn by Mina, aged 6 and a half, for a party. It was once pink (visible on the rear image), but has faded with time. There's a photo of Mina on The Met website:
www.metmuseum.org/art/collecti...

#dresshistory #fashionhistory #fashionsky #TheMet
Image 1 A museum photo of a child's dress. It is now a somewhat dull beige, but was once pink. It has lacy capped sleeves, a square cut neckline (trimmed with lace) and scalloped detailing down the left and right of the bodice. The skirt is mid-length, with further scalloping and lace trim. Image 2 Rear view of the dress from image 1. It shows the buttons up the back that fasten the dress, and some large tassels hanging over the centre of the hips. Two of these are raised, revealing the original pink colour.
December 22, 2025 at 10:08 AM
bows4crows.bsky.social
Did a Tarot version of the Grand Tableau for midwinter last night. I'm still learning so it was quite hard to analyse, but a really interesting exercise.

#witchsky #tarotsky #solstice
Photo of part of a living room. A coffee table in the foreground holds 36 tarot cards in a 4x9 pattern. In the background is a fireplace with a Christmas stocking, and a Christmas tree.
December 22, 2025 at 8:31 AM
bows4crows.bsky.social
Ball gown, British, Madame Elise, 1875

I posted another Madame Elise a few days ago, but this one is even better. The red is so rich and luxurious!

Its such a gorgeous dress I would 100% nick it if I saw it in the museum.

#fashionsky #fashionhistory #dresshistory #TheMet
Museum photo of a sleeveless red ball gown in silk and cotton. It has a narrow-waisted bodice in a dark red, and a long skirt in a lighter red. The neckline is broad, sweeping shoulder to shoulder in a shallow curve fringed with cream lace trim. There is a large, 3D floral detail at the shoulder (resembling a rose) and the centre of the chest. Darker embroidery (maybe?) forms a band at the top of the hips, and sweeps in a spiral from the navel, wrapping around the skirt twice before reaching the hem.
December 18, 2025 at 4:58 PM
bows4crows.bsky.social
I'm 28 years late to the party, but this game is so much fun
#Darkstalkers #vampiresavior #BBHood
Screenshot from a video game. A small blonde girl in a red hood and cloak is lying on her tummy smiling at a flower which is also smiling. Beneath the image, text reads "mess with me again, I'll riddle you with bullets".
December 17, 2025 at 11:11 PM
bows4crows.bsky.social
Day dress, France, 1872

This beautiful thing was likely worn to afternoon receptions. The cotton is quite textured, almost rough to my eyes. And yet the dress speaks of real luxury: delicate pattern, lace edging, porcelain buttons. Really lovely.

#fashionsky #fashionhistory #dresshistory #TheMet
Day dress in white cotton, with a red flower print throughout. A layer of sheer white cotton overlays the skirts, sides of the bodice, and sleeves. All edges are trimmed with white cotton lace. The sleeve ends are extremely large - almost a foot long, and likely covered the hands in part. The neckline is almost square cut, with a very shallow V cutting across the chest. White porcelain buttons are fastened on the front of the bodice, and the skirts (which are very broad) have three separate layers with lace edging, at the mid-thigh, mid-calf, and hem.
December 16, 2025 at 2:56 PM
bows4crows.bsky.social
Evening dress, American, 1872

This is cool. The owner, Amelia Beard, wore it as a bridesmaid dress in 1862, then altered it into its current form at short notice to wear to a party. I love this story. She had some skills!!

#fashionsky #dresshistory #fashionhistory #TheMet
Museum photo of an evening dress. It is made in cream-coloured cotton organdy and mull. It has full length sleeves with very wide cuffs, that probably extended pas the wrists. The fabric overall is quite sheer, and must have been worn over something else. The top is almost open at the front - a sharp v extending from the neck to the mid-waist. The skirt is full length, but higher at the front (about knee height). Throughout, the dress is embellished with fringing and lots of little details.
December 11, 2025 at 11:42 AM
bows4crows.bsky.social
Parasol, American, 1870

This is gorgeous, and apparently useless for sun protection (tiny too - its <60cm wide). But it looks lovely. Unusually, its heavily beaded, and has a collapsible handle so it could be used as a large fan.

#fashionsky #fashionhistory #TheMet #notsurethiscountsasfashion
Museum photo of a parasol. It has a wooden handle with a small L-shaped ivory end-piece. The parasol itself is in linen, silk and glass beading. It is a pale cream colour, with concentric patterned rings around the centre. Green and red flowers at the top, smaller patterns of blue, green and red, then a very large green and yellow leaf pattern near the brim. The brim itself is tasselled.
December 10, 2025 at 9:49 AM
bows4crows.bsky.social
Somehow, Skyrim returned

Just like Palpatine, this thing just keeps coming back and I find myself playing it again.

#ElderScrolls #Skyrim
Still image from Skyrim (a video game). A female orc dressed in light armour is pictured from behind, standing on a hillside looking down into a wooded valley, with a snowy mountain in the distance.
December 9, 2025 at 5:35 PM
bows4crows.bsky.social
Image from a computer game of a character resembling a block of Tofu, who is crying. There is a separate image of a stretch of pavement and some metal fencing. The words "Tofu versus slightly crooked footpath" appear.
December 4, 2025 at 1:14 PM
bows4crows.bsky.social
Ball gown, London, 1870s

This is a hell of a dress!
The designer, Madame Elise (Elizabeth Jaeger) did designs for the Princess of Wales, and when she stopped dressmaking she wrote books and articles on fashion/textiles. Her stuff is pure awesome.

#fashionsky #fashionhistory #TheMet #dresshistory
Museum photo of a silk ball gown in black and red. It is highly detailed and the overall impression is of a flamenco style (though it is much too big for that). The bodice is high and narrow waisted. A black underlayer, with a broad red strip of silk coming from each shoulder to the centre of the chest. It is accented with a red fabric rose in the centre, and with white lace trim at the neckline (which is a shallow curve from shoulder to shoulder). The top is sleeveless. The skirt contains many ruffles in the mid section, and multiple frill layers at the hem. It is predominantly black, with a broad red strip sweeping in a curve from the base of each hip to the other, and further strips of red below this. It is accented on the right side with more fabric roses.
December 4, 2025 at 11:39 AM
bows4crows.bsky.social
Fancy dress costume, House of Worth, France, 1870

This is an authentic Turkish woman's outfit, repurposed by the House of Worth for fancy dress. The trousers are original, but the bodice was completely altered into the current form-fitting style.

#fashionhistory #dresshistory #TheMet #fashionsky
Museum photo of a fancy dress costume. The trousers are extremely wide, loose harem trousers, in a pale blue silk. The bodice is a tight v-shape, typical of the period, tapering to the waist. However, the neckline is fairly low (also v-cut), and it it sleeveless. There is highly detailed gold embroidery over the whole of the cream-coloured bodice.
December 1, 2025 at 4:31 PM
bows4crows.bsky.social
Additional images.
2/2
Image 2. A period photo of a woman wearing the dress from the linked bluesky post, image 1. She is shot from the rear right side. The photo is black and white, so the dress appears pure white, but the lace detailing are very visible. The trail can be clearly seen here, extending about two foot behind her. Image 3. Close up of the lace from the dress in the other two images. we can see need bunched floral details, fronds, leaves, and berries. All done in the same gold cotton.
November 28, 2025 at 2:53 PM
bows4crows.bsky.social
Wedding dress, Ireland, 1870

I didn't expect to find Irish stuff! And its definitely not what my ancestors were wearing out in Roscommon, but it is seriously beautiful. An incredible, delicate design that also looks completely modern.

#Fashionsky #fashionhistory #dresshistory #TheMet
1/2
Image 1 A museum photo of a wedding dress. It is a floor length gown, or rather, the outer layer of a gown. It is made of fine, mostly transparent gold lace. There are numerous larger floral and leaf details throughout. It has a small trail, elbow length sleeves, and a narrow v-shaped collar. It is a loose fit both on the bodice and skirt.
November 28, 2025 at 2:53 PM
bows4crows.bsky.social
Ball gown, Emile Pingat, Paris, 1864

Another #Pingat, and this one is something else.
Would you be able to sit down, go to the loo or do handstands? No.
Would you look better than everyone else in the room? Yes.
Love it.

#fashionsky #fashionhistory #dresshistory #TheMet
Image 1. Silk ball gown in a pale yellow. The neckline is broad and low, sweeping shoulder to shoulder in a shallow curve. The gown is sleeveless. The bodice is v-shaped, with a narrow waist. There is a pleated section of fabric over the bust, fringed with dark gold trim and pale yellow feathery details. The skirt is enormous - extending very wide to the sides and rear. It is also fringed with dark gold at the hem. An interesting detail is two pennants (I have no other word for it), that hang from each hip down the front left and right of the skirt. They extend from a point at the hip to finish in a foot-wide curve, fringed with dark gold tassels. Image 2. View from the right rear of the same dress in image 1. Shows the scale of the skirt - extending about 4 foot to the rear. The rear of the skirt has three of the pennant details, in the middle, left and right.
November 26, 2025 at 10:48 AM
bows4crows.bsky.social
Coat, 1860-96, Emile Pingat, Paris

I'm not a fan of this style, but my kid loves it and its very impressive, so here we are.
Pingat was a really big deal - but I don't think he had a successor and so he's seems to have been forgotten.

#fashionsky #dresshistory #fashionhistory #TheMet #MaisonPingat
Image 1. A museum photo of a black silk coat. It has a very gothic look. The neckline is high, with a higher flat collar around the back and sides of the neck. There is a black bow at the throat, and black lace hanging from this point down the front. The shoulders are slightly puffed, and the sleeves are full fabric for about two thirds of the length, before transitioning into a lace layer. The hem at the bottom of the coat is complex. The solid fabric layer ends at mid-hip level, and below this there are two alternating strips of lace and solid fabric, to about the upper thigh. Further lace hangs below this point, to about mid-calf height. Image 2. Side view of the coat from image 1. This shows that the back of the coat has structural support to allow it to expand out from the lower back to the hips - presumably to accommodate the large skirts of the day.
November 22, 2025 at 3:47 PM
bows4crows.bsky.social
Peignoir, American, 1860

I had to look up what a peignoir is to be honest. But this is gorgeous. Imagine being so fancy that this is your dressing gown? I wonder what the rest of her wardrobe looked like...

#fashionsky #fashionhistory #dresshistory #TheMet
Museum photo of a peignoir - a type of dressing gown. It has the form of a full length, long sleeved dress (in pale yellow, with red/brown detailing). The neckline is high with a patterned alice collar. The form of the dress is loose, cinched in by a belt at the waist, and flaring out into a conical shaped skirt. There are fabric covered red buttons the whole way down the dress, from collar to hem. Key visual feature is two broad strips of patterned red and yellow fabric (about four inches wide) that go from each shoulder to the centre of hte waist, then out again from that point to a mid-point on the right and left side of the skirt.
November 19, 2025 at 7:01 PM
bows4crows.bsky.social
Cotton dress, European, 1860

I'm London-bound today, so perhaps I should wear something nice like this for the occasion. Not quite sure I'd fit through the door of the train carriage though.

Main takeaway from this dress - extremely cute buttons.

#fashionsky #dresshistory #fashionhistory #TheMet
Museum photo of a full-length cotton dress in a pale green. The fabric has a subtle, repeating, irregular line pattern in black. The neckline is circular and tight on the base of the neck, with a double frilly collar. The bodice has fabric covered buttons down the front, and full length sleeves with very broad openings (and a double layer of frill like the collar). The skirt is quite expansive - more conical than bell shaped. It has four layers, and four separate hems, the cascade over each other from about knee height to the floor.
November 18, 2025 at 11:16 AM