Evangeline’s Inspiration…

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Evangeline is inspired by the turn-of-the-century St. Louis style. St. Louis, located in Missouri; USA, is a city famed for its fashion and culture. Founded by a French man and named after a French Saint, St. Louis represents a fusion between a French sartorial sense and American maximalism. St. Louis has always been a fashion-forward city, at the beginning of the 20th century it was at the center of the garment industry. Its position in the Midwest meant it was a veritable hub for furs, leathers, cotton, and wool. The garment industry was well stocked and contributed to creative and lively market culture. Due to its rich and plentiful garment industry, fashionable clothing was available to almost anyone - this is why St. Louis is often cited as the place where the children’s fashion industry began. Standing at 12”, Evangeline has been created in the smaller Siblies size to honor the importance, and capture the whimsy, of children’s fashion in St. Louis. 

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Evangeline’s outfit is also inspired by the clothing of the Edwardian era. Fueled by the celebratory extravagance of the new century’s birth, Edwardian fashion was characterized by dramatically large wide-brimmed hats, lacy tea dresses, and heavy embellishment. This was a time of excess that would soon be cut short by the forced austerity of WW1. Evangeline wears an elaborate wide-brimmed straw hat, replete with frothy chiffon and floral applique, to pay tribute to this fanciful period. Evangeline’s boots are studded with precious pearls, and her whole outfit is trimmed and tasseled with airy taffeta and crisp lace that align with Edwardian tastes. The opulence at the turn of the century also gave way to a hyper-feminity in dressing - reflected in the peachy pink tones of Evangeline’s dress, boots, and hat. 

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Edwardian women often styled their wardrobes around occasions (like yachting, hunting, theatre, and various parties). The advent of department stores and ready-to-wear outfits meant that women could have more variety in their day-to-day looks. Evangeline’s outfit is perfectly suited for an Edwardian tea party, where the children would play between tables of tiny sandwiches, cakes, and gossip!