Charlotte Emery

000637-0020

IB Theatre HL

Research Investigation:
In Oscar Wildes An Ideal Husband, what should Mrs.
Cheveleys costume look like, according to the social
conventions of late Victorian times?

Name: Charlotte Emery

Candidate number: 000637-0020
Word count: 2000
Session: May 2015

In Oscar Wildes An Ideal Husband, what should Mrs. Cheveleys costume look like,
according to the social conventions of late Victorian times?
An Ideal Husband by Oscar Wilde was written in 1895, at the very end of the Victorian era.
It is a comedic stage play revolving around blackmail and political corruption, and is often
considered one of Wildes dramatic masterpieces. Although his four well-known plays have
the reputation of comedies and were called comedies in their day, only The Importance of
Being Earnest was purely comic.1 The others are essentially heavy social dramas
disguised as comedies by a great deal of elegance and more wit.2 An Ideal Husband is the
best exam of a problem play; parliamentarian Sir Robert Chiltern is faced with choosing
between exposing a past betrayal of a cabinet secret, or losing his wife and what little
honor is left to him if he does not denounce villainous Mrs Cheveleys scheme of
blackmailing him. This research investigation will focus on Mrs Cheveleys costume, and
determine what it should look like according to the social conventions of late Victorian
times.
Melodrama elements utilized in the play:
Even though An Ideal Husband is technically considered a comedy, Wilde utilized many
elements from the then popular melodrama. In the play, Mrs. Cheveley epitomizes the
typical melodrama villainess. Her lips a line of scarlet on a pallid face. Venetian red hair...
She is wearing a heliotrope, with diamonds.3 This malice is portrayed in her actions, for
example, when she tricks Lord Goring later on in the play, her face is illuminated with evil
triumph.4 It is clear that melodrama affects the costume in the play heavily; Mrs. Cheveley
needs to look very typically evil, as Wilde portrays her in the play. She also does not have
a title, and throughout the play she is described as vulgar. For costume, this means use
of the colors red and black, low necklines, and diamonds during the day time, something
which at the time was considered distasteful.
Sourcing of costume by actors:
For much of the Victorian period most companies expected actors and actresses to find
their own costume and accessories.5 This meant that there wasnt anybody in charge of
costume harmonies or costume quality during the production, hence the costume of Mrs.
Cheveley would not have had to be coordinated with other costumes. The costume itself
would have been in the fashion of the late Victorian era. The images A and B below shows
the most popular fashions for costume from 1890-95, and image C and D below show the
most popular fashions for costume from 1895-01.

Booth, Michael R. Theatre in the Victorian Age. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1991. Print.

Booth, Michael R. Theatre in the Victorian Age. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1991. Print.

Wilde, Oscar, and Russell Jackson. An Ideal Husband. London: & C Black, 1993. Print.

Wilde, Oscar, and Russell Jackson. An Ideal Husband. London: & C Black, 1993. Print.

Booth, Michael R. Theatre in the Victorian Age. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1991. Print.
2

Image A 6

Image B 7

Peacock, John, and John Peacock. Costume, 1066-1990s. New York: Thames and Hudson, 1994. Print.

Peacock, John, and John Peacock. Costume, 1066-1990s. New York: Thames and Hudson, 1994. Print.
3

Image C 8

Image D 9

Peacock, John, and John Peacock. Costume, 1066-1990s. New York: Thames and Hudson, 1994. Print.

Peacock, John, and John Peacock. Costume, 1066-1990s. New York: Thames and Hudson, 1994. Print.
4

Late Victorian fashions:

The late Victorian fashions, as shown from these images, were clearly very versatile,
however, some elements of the costumes are consistent. The detail and tailoring varied
widely from 1890 to 1901, however some elements are clearly relevant to Mrs. Cheveleys
character. Dresses of the period were tight fitted around the waist, and tended to have leg
of mutton sleeves and gloves. Women were also accessorized; the wore jewelry, hats,
fans, earrings, etc. Mrs. Cheveley, because she is quite flamboyant in her personality,
should have many accessories.
Purpose of costume design:
The purpose of designing costume is threefold; primarily to indicate the time, place, and
period. The play takes place over the span of 24 hours, so it is important that the audience
know what time it is by the costume. Secondly, the costume needs to enforce the major
themes of the play; honor and social class must be shown in the costumes. Thirdly, the
costume should help the audience understand Mrs. Cheveley better as a character.
Because the audience do not read the stage directions, they must be shown through the
costume.
Mrs. Cheveleys character traits:
In order to accurately design costume for Mrs. Cheveley, it is important to have good
understanding and background about her character. Mrs. Cheveley comes into the play as
a femme fatale. She is well dressed and elegant, yet holds many masculine traits such as
being opportunistic, duplicitous, and it is slowly uncovered throughout the book that she is
also promiscuous. Wilde portrays her as the most immoral character in the play; she is not
reserved and does not care about who she hurts so long as her own position is advanced.
In the play, she often appears very relaxed, for example, [leaning back on the sofa and
looking at him] how very disappointing. She is often in the power position, and in control.
Another quote from act one is, I am much stronger than you are, again with Mrs.
Cheveley showing her power.
Costume chart:
Below is a chart of Mrs. Cheveleys three scenes, the time, and the stage directions for her
costume and look.10
Act
Act 1

10

Time
Evening

Stage Directions
Venetian red hair, aquiline
nose, and long throat.
Rouge accentuates the
natural paleness of her
complexion. Gray-green
eyes that move restlessly.
She is in heliotrope, with
diamonds. She looks rather
like an orchid, and makes
great demands on ones
curiosity. In an her
movements she is
extremely graceful.

Wilde, Oscar, and Russell Jackson. An Ideal Husband. London: & C Black, 1993. Print.
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Act

Time

Stage Directions

Act 2

Morning

n/a

Act 3

Evening

Lamia like, she is in green

and silver. She has a cloak
of black satin, lined with
dead rose leaf silk.

Scene 1 costume plan:

In the first scene, she in heliotrope, and exudes power, nobility, luxury, and mystery. She is
yet unknown by the other characters, and at this point she is not perceived by them as a
villain. Because it is evening when she wears this gown, and due to her dramatic
personality, it should be low cut in the front, but simple and elegant. Evening necklines are
curved low to a round or V shape.11 With such evening wear Mrs. Cheveley would need
gloves, diamonds on her neck and ears, and a fan. For the period, the hair is slightly full
above the ears and upswept into a soft, loose chignon often called the Gibson girl look,
after the famous drawings by Charles Dana Gibson.12 The hairstyle is also worn with curls
hanging loosely about the face. In this act, Mrs. Cheveley should not have a hat, because
it is not appropriate for her character. Shoes worn were narrow in order to make the feet
appear smaller, and brown would match well with the dress color.
Image E- Gibson Girl Hairstyle13

11

Baker, Georgia O'Daniel., and Helen Redel. Pullen. A Handbook of Costume Drawing: A Guide to Drawing
the Period Figure for Costume Design Students. Boston: Focal, 1992. Print.
12

Baker, Georgia O'Daniel., and Helen Redel. Pullen. A Handbook of Costume Drawing: A Guide to Drawing
the Period Figure for Costume Design Students. Boston: Focal, 1992. Print.
13

Baker, Georgia O'Daniel., and Helen Redel. Pullen. A Handbook of Costume Drawing: A Guide to Drawing
the Period Figure for Costume Design Students. Boston: Focal, 1992. Print.
6

Mrs. Cheveley hair design plan:

Mrs. Cheveleys venetian red hair would have to be sourced in a wig, unless the actor
herself had red hair. The expression venetian red hair comes from Boticellis paintings of
Venus, specifically Birth of Venus. Venus was exemplary of a temptress; incredibly
beautiful and graceful, and could trick men into doing anything. He was a prim painter of
Madonnas14 The actor would need a wig of the color shown in the painting below. See
Image E.

14

McCorquodale, Charles. The Renaissance: European Painting, 1400-1600. London: Studio Editions, 1994.
Print.
7

Image E- Birth of Venus15

Heliotrope dress fabric and justification:

The color heliotrope is named after a flower called heliotrope. This flower is depicted in
Image F below. It is significant to Mrs. Cheveleys character, because purple is quite
mysterious color, while still maintaining a very royal and elegant mood. When we first meet
Mrs. Cheveley, the color helps understand the viewers that though she is elegant and
beautiful, there is very little known about her true character, and so the other characters
should be wary of her. Heliotrope was also a very popular dress color in the Victorian era,
because gowns were often very bright and lively. This indicates that Mrs. Cheveley is very
concerned with fashion. The range of fabrics and colors widened for women in the
Victorian era, and vibrant colors became increasingly popular. Fabrics in the 1900s were
typically made out of fabrics that were soft, and allowed to drape. The main fabrics used
for women were pure silks, cottons, and woolens. Taffeta was also suitable for bouffant
styles because it had a beautiful crisp, light quality.16

15

McCorquodale, Charles. The Renaissance: European Painting, 1400-1600. London: Studio Editions, 1994.
Print.
16

Nunn, Joan. Fashion in Costume, 1200-1980. New York: Schocken, 1984. Print.
8

Image F - Heliotrope flower17

Second scene costume plan:

In the second scene, there are few stage directions about costume and look, so it is
advantageous to use this as an opportunity to show Mrs. Cheveleys personality through
her costume. A long sleeved, high necked dress is appropriate for day wear, and dark red
is an exemplary color of Mrs. Cheveleys personality. The color is associated with
willpower, determination, anger, wrath, and malice. At this point in the play, Mrs. Cheveley
is at the peak of her scheming, so it is helpful for the audience that she look threatening.
Many characters are already aware of the nature of the character, others find her
obnoxious. Dark red earrings are suitable as jewelry, to add to the dark red look and color
scheme. Mrs. Cheveleys shoes may stay the same throughout the production, as her
dress covers them.
Third scene costume plan:
In the third Scene, the stage directions are explicit about a green and silver dress, and a
cloak of black satin lined with black rose leaf silk. The silver in the costume is helpful to
symbolize wealth and sophistication, however green is the color of jealousy and ambition.
Green is also the color of snakes, and a lamia is an evil monster. This should be
accessories with dark green earring, gloves, and possibly a choker to further represent the
malevolence of Mrs. Cheveley.
Lamia green dress material and justification:
The lamia like material would have been made out of silk velvet or silk satin, in order for it
to glisten while Mrs. Cheveley walks, and adding to her mysterious and reptile-like look.
17

https://gardeningnirvana.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/dsc_0038.jpg
9

The material would have looked something like Image G below, if it were made out of silk
velvet. This material would have been the most appropriate for the situation, because it
was suitable to evening time. By the 1860s, cotton had lost ground as a high-fashion
fabric, and silk, satin, taffeta, faille, moir, silk poplin from Ireland, and velvet for more
mature ladies, were used for formal dresses.18 Although Mrs. Cheveley could have used
any of these materials, silk velvet is one of the most suitable fabric combinations for her
age and status.
Image G - Green Silk velvet19

Underwear:
Mrs. Cheveley, in addition to her dresses, would have needed suitable underwear for the
time period. Throughout the late eighteen hundreds, womens underwear became more
elaborately trimmed and progressively prettier and more alluring.20 Women needed froufrou petticoats, drawers that reached right below the knee, and a chemise. Knickers made
of flannel could also replace drawers. Women also needed a corset cover or petticoat
bodice 21 under their dresses in order to attain the ideal figure of the Victorian era.

18

Nunn, Joan. Fashion in Costume, 1200-1980. New York: Schocken, 1984. Print.

19

http://www.hyenaproductions.com/images/products/detail/IMG_0768.JPG

20

Nunn, Joan. Fashion in Costume, 1200-1980. New York: Schocken, 1984. Print.

21

Nunn, Joan. Fashion in Costume, 1200-1980. New York: Schocken, 1984. Print.
10

Accessories and shoes:

Accessories were also hugely important for women in the victorian era. Furs used for
trimming, short jackets, hats, and muffs were usually short-haired, such as Persian lamb,
sealskin, beaver, sable, and mink.22 Gloves were also considered essential for both men
and women.23 Mrs. Cheveley would have worn white gloves with her evening gown, and
likely with her day gowns also. With her lamia like dress, it is also entirely possible that
Mrs. Cheveley would have worn black gloves. This also would have added to her slightly
sinister attire, and helped portray her character to the audience. A character like Mrs.
Cheveley may also have had a fan, because fans allowed women to both express and
disguise emotion at the time. This would have been a useful tool for Mrs. Cheveley to use.
Shoes at the time, for a fashionable woman, could have been for example white buckskin
brogue oxfords, or bar strap shoes. Womens shoes often had remarkably high heels until
the 1890s, but they became much shorter by 1901, and were very elaborately decorated.
Should could be very high cut until around the 1900s, but often for an evening gown,
women would wear very low cut shoes. Showing skin, however, was still considered
vulgar, so the shoe would have covered up the entire foot.

22

Nunn, Joan. Fashion in Costume, 1200-1980. New York: Schocken, 1984. Print.

23

Nunn, Joan. Fashion in Costume, 1200-1980. New York: Schocken, 1984. Print.
11

Works Cited
1.Baker, Georgia O'Daniel., and Helen Redel. Pullen. A Handbook of Costume Drawing: A
Guide to Drawing the Period Figure for Costume Design Students. Boston: Focal, 1992.
Print.
2.Booth, Michael R. Theatre in the Victorian Age. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1991. Print.
3.Peacock, John, and John Peacock. Costume, 1066-1990s. New York: Thames and
Hudson, 1994. Print.
4.Wilde, Oscar, and Russell Jackson. An Ideal Husband. London: & C Black, 1993. Print.
5.McCorquodale, Charles. The Renaissance: European Painting, 1400-1600. London:
Studio Editions, 1994. Print.
6."Women's Shoes." Dolmansaxlil. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Feb. 2015.

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Bibliography (Critique of Sources)

1. Baker, Georgia O'Daniel., and Helen Redel. Pullen. A Handbook of Costume Drawing: A
Guide to Drawing the Period Figure for Costume Design Students. Boston: Focal, 1992.
Print.
!
A Handbook of Costume Drawing: A Guide to Drawing the Period Figure for
Costume Design Students is written by Georgia ODaniel Baker. Baker is a teacher of
costume history and costume design at Townson State University. The purpose of the
book is to help costume designers produce images of period costumes. Baker shows
incredible insight into a vast timespan of costume, and provides a thorough explanation
and examination of the styles of each decade ranging from the Egyptian era to the 1960s.
The source is valuable because it synthesizes the key elements of the 1900s without
going into too much detail, which allowed me to understand the keystone of fashion and
costume in the 1900s. The book helped my understanding not only the dress of the era,
but also hair, makeup and shoe trends, which was helpful to my research. Although this
source was extremely useful, it may have been limited because the scope of the research
was so large that only limited time was focused on the 1900s. All in all, the book was
highly useful to the research investigation, and provided reliable information with its own
bibliography.
2. Booth, Michael R. Theatre in the Victorian Age. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1991. Print.
Theatre in the Victorian Age is written by Michael R. Booth. Booth is a theatre historian at
the University of Victoria. The purpose of the book is to provide the English reader with a
survey of English drama and theatre within, approximately, the dates of Queen Victorias
reign, 1837-1901.24 The source is valuable because it addresses theatre in England
during the Victorian era, which is the exact setting of An Ideal Husband. The book
addresses many different aspects of theatre, but also helpfully relates them together. It
was very helpful for me to read this book, because ti provided a lot of information about
where the actor would source their costume, and what sort of budget an actor or costume
designer in that time would have had. The source was limited because it provided few
visual images of what the costumes would have looked like in the victorian age, so I was
not able to draw inspiration visually. The source also referenced many other famous works
about Victorian theatre, and so I used its information heavily.
3. Peacock, John, and John Peacock. Costume, 1066-1990s. New York: Thames and
Hudson, 1994. Print.
!
Costume, 1066-1990s is by John Peacock. Peacock is a costume designer who
designs for both theatre and film plays and movies. The purpose of the source is to
provide an illustrated account of fashion in from 1066 to the 1990s. It is valuable because
it provided me with a lot of insight into what the costumes would have looked like, which I
could only get a vague idea of by verbal descriptions. The book also showcased many
different looks from the 1900s, so I was able to see how fashion varied. Additionally, many
aspects of the costumes were labeled and explained, which helped me take apart the
costumes and assemble my own. The limitations of the book were that even though it was
very informative visually, there was minimal verbal explanation to supplement the
drawings. For this reason, I limited my use of this source to inspiration and images. The

24

Booth, Michael R. Theatre in the Victorian Age. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1991. Print.
13

book also covered a very wide range of periods, so the information about the Victorian era
was very synthesized.
4. Wilde, Oscar, and Russell Jackson. An Ideal Husband. London: & C Black, 1993. Print.
This source was the play off of witch I based my investigation, hence it served as the
keystone of my research.
5. McCorquodale, Charles. The Renaissance: European Painting, 1400-1600. London:
Studio Editions, 1994. Print.
The Renaissance: European Painting, 1400-1600. was written by historian Charles
McCorquodale. He is an independent historian who specializes in the Renaissance and
Baroque periods. The purpose of the source is to give a visually comprehensive account of
the evolution of painting in Europe from 1400 to 1600. The value of the source is that the
painting allows us to gain insight into what Wilde was thinking in his description of Mrs.
Cheveley. The limitation of the source is that it is very informative about paintings, but not
about theatre and costume. It was still very helpful to my investigation however, because
visuals are such an important part of theatre.
6. Nunn, Joan. Fashion in Costume, 1200-1980. New York: Schocken, 1984. Print.
Fashion in Costume, 1200-1980. is written by Joan Nunn. Nunn is a professor at the
University of Kent at Canterbury. The purpose of the source is to relate fashion and
costume from 1200 to 1980. It is valuable because it goes into a lot of detail about things
such as accessories and underwear, which many other sources ignored. It is limited
because it does not cover fashion trends chronologically specifically, but it is still possible
to gain a limited understanding of trends at the time. The time categories are somewhat
large eg. sixty years at a time, but the information is still very useful.

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