Gilded Age Fashion

Showcasing fifty gowns created by late 19th century founders of couture, most exquisitely by the House of Worth in Paris, Gilded Age Fashion features the finest dresses of the era. The book highlights a selection from The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

Transport yourself to the exuberance and glamour of elite American society in the 1870s, ‘80s, and ‘90s, when influential families like the Vanderbilts, Astors and Rockefellers hosted, attended, and dressed exquisitely for the grandest events in the United States and Europe. 

Author Elizabeth Block details the social etiquette and customs that guided the sartorial choices of the fabulously wealthy. Each sumptuous gown featured tells a story about its creator and the woman who wore it, and the opulent balls, opera nights, charity benefits, and society weddings she might have attended. Three illustrated sections are organized by the times of day when the finest quality clothing was worn, from an afternoon dress by Emile Pingat to a custom-made silk ball gown by Charles Frederick Worth. 

History enthusiasts, fashion lovers, and fans of Julian Fellowes’ HBO series The Gilded Age will delight in the vivid details and stories that bring these garments to life, revealing the personal narratives and politics that shaped the clothing of America’s Gilded Age.

About the Author

Elizabeth L. Block, an art historian, is a Senior Editor in the Publications and Editorial Department at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Dr. Block earned her PhD in art history at The Graduate Center, City University of New York, with a focus on 19th-century U.S. painting. She also holds an MA in American Studies from Columbia University, and a BA in English and Art History from The George Washington University. Dr. Block is also the author of Beyond Vanity: The History and Power of Hairdressing, and Dressing Up: The Women Who Influenced French Fashion. Her articles appear in American Art, Town & Country, and Slate. She provides interviews to BBC News and BBC Woman's Hour, and is a regular guest on The Gilded Gentleman podcast.