translated and summarized by: Liz Wollner-Grandville,
070909: Wien Museum Karlsplatz: Grand Appearance – Fashion during the Ringstraßen era
Wien Museum Karlsplatz: Grand Appearance – Fashion during the Ringstraßen era
Always dressed appropriately
There were times when it would have been impossible to dress casually at any time of the day, for any occasion. Sloppy T-shirts and shorts for were absolutely out of the question. That would have been the end of any social career. At the end of the 19th century, in Vienna also known as the Ringstraßen era, a wealthy woman had to change clothes several times a day, whereby colour, material, style, and the accessories offered clear hints where she was heading to. There were morning and afternoon dresses, dresses for family festivities, exhibition openings, taking a ride with the coach, riding, travelling by horse carriage or train, opera and ball robes, and the appropriate robe wear at court.
The exhibit “Grand Appearance – Fashion during the Ringstraßen era, spanning over two floors of the Vienna Museum, offers an enlightening insight into the at times tedious fashion styles which were en-vogue all the way into the 20th century, when women began to wear more sportive clothing. The swimming, tennis, and mountaineering outfits were remarkable. It must have been rather difficult to play a game of tennis in a long skirt or to enjoy a swim with a knitted swimsuit. A wide-brimmed hat with round sunglasses and decorated with a gentian as well as the good old Lederhose are also displayed; and are both still popular today.
Empress Elisabeth’s beautiful robe juxtaposed with the dress of her adversary Katharina Schratt – a bold constellation for both of these fashion icons. Corsets and other kinds of lingerie as well as nightwear are also shown at the exhibition. But one will not find many pieces of clothing of the poor – they wore their clothes as long as they would last, and once they fell apart they served as cleaning cloths.
By Maria-Gabriela Martinkowic
Wien Museum Karlsplatz
1040 Vienna, Karlsplatz, until 01.11.09
www.wienmuseum.at
070909
Wien Museum Karlsplatz
1040 Wien, Karlsplatz
Tel: +43 1 5058747-0, Fax: +43 1 5058747-7201
Email:
http://www.wienmuseum.at
Öffnungszeiten: Di-So 10.00-18.00 Uhr
Wien Museum Karlsplatz
1040 Wien, Karlsplatz
Tel: +43 1 5058747-0, Fax: +43 1 5058747-7201
Email:
http://www.wienmuseum.at
Öffnungszeiten: Di-So 10.00-18.00 Uhr