measurements

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These five original costume designs are from the 1914 tableau ball of the Mistick Krewe of Comus. Their theme that year was "Tales From Chaucer."

These designs were the working drawings used by seamstresses to make the elaborate costumes for the krewe's tableau ball ("krewe" is the invented local term for a Carnival organization). As they were working drawings, they have occasional handwritten notes for the seamstress and holes where they were pinned to a wall during fitting or sewing.

The drawings are approximately 7.5 x 9.5 inches. Each is unique, and each was intended to be worn by a specific person on one night only. On the back of each drawing are the measurements of the person for whom it was custom designed.

• To view a design at approximately one-third actual size, select an image on the right.
  
  
• To view the sewing instructions on the back on one of the designs (complete with figures illustrating how to measure an Edwardian gentleman for clothes), select the "measurements" image at right.
  
  
• To view a full size image, select costume at right marked "full size."

Howard-Tilton
Memorial Library