| Mandarin
Collar, 1922, from The Roaring Twenties (not available) |
 |
Mandarin
Collar
The Mandarin collar (or Chinese collar) surmounts a high, close-fitting
neckline. It can usually stand about an inch high and never quite
meets in the middle. |
| Marabou
wrap, 1922, from Jazz Age Sisters |
 |
Marabou
The soft feathers of the marabou, a large African stork, were highly
prized for trimmings. This cape is made of dyed marabou with ostrich
trim. |
| Mary
Stuart Frills, 1872, from Corina (not currently available) |
 |
Mary
Stuart Frills
These were stiff pleated or gathered frills placed to stand upright
following the upper part of the armhole seam. Left are lace Mary
Stuart frills heading the short puffed sleeves of an 1872 evening
gown.
|
|
Medici
collar, c. 1600, from Shakespeare's Ladies
|
 |
Medici
Collar
The Medici collar was an extravagant lace collar wired to frame the
face and emphasize a deep neckline. Though named for Catherine de'Medici,
it is often associated with the court of Elizabeth I. It was revived
in the late 1800s and very early 1900s in a more subdued form and
then more exuberantly in the1920s for evening wear. . |
| Merry
Widow hat with plumes, 1904, from Lily
of the Edwardian Age |
 |
Merry
Widow Hat
These huge hats piled with elaborated trimmings were named for a character
in an early 1900s opereretta. The English language version of The
Merry Widow was first performed in London in 1907 and in New York
in 1908. |
| Middy
blouse, 1918, from Julia of the
Nouveau Age |
 |
Middy
Blouse
The middy blouse is an adaptation of the uniform worn by U.S. Navy
midshipmen - hence the name and the requisite sailor collar. There
are numerous variations, but most are loose, white or navy usually
yoked. |
| Midi
dress from The Way We Wore 1969 |
 |
Midi
Dress
The midi dress (or skirt) was a mid-calf length somewhere between
a mini and a maxi, which was ankle length. During the 1960s and 1970s
they were popular, but never as popular as the mini. |
| Mini
skirt from The Way We Wore 1969 |
 |
Mini
Dress
The mini skirt was the almost universal skirt length in the late 1960s.
When they first came out, I remember seeing a TV episode of Art Linkletter's
House Party with a discussion on whether women over 35 should
wear skirts above the kneecap. For younger women, there just wasn't
any question - skirts were short and shorter. |
| Moiré
taffeta skirt from The Way We Wore 1969 |
 |
Moiré
Moiré is the name of a fabric effect that resembles rippling water.
Moiré silk or satin are often referred to as watered silk or satin.
The effect is created by crushing the surface of a slightly ribbed
weave with heat and pressure. |
| Monkey
fur trimmed theater ensemble, 1921, from The Roaring Twenties
(not available) |
 |
Monkey
Fur
Yes, I know - it seems terrible, but monkey fur, especially the fur
of long-haried monkeys, was popular in the 1920s. Supposedly it was
soft and warm and quite beautiful. Hard to imagine someone actually
wanting to wear it, but apparently there were plenty of takers. We've
come a long way, huh? |
