Nonsense in a Box

There is an old belief in Serbian villages and small towns that certain pumpkins (and watermelons), when left outside during a full moon, will turn in to a vampire.

Happy Halloween, everyone!

Maddie being Victorian by default and also a nonbinary icon

Now let me just start by saying that the Victorian era is my favourite era (at least in terms of fashion anyway) and I am very excited to talk about it. You may or may not have noticed little things in my previous posts like referring to the era some dresses are from as “18th century” rather than mentioning a specific style or at least a narrower time frame, because the truth is I can barely tell those styles apart or if they just the same style with different names, let alone figure out which one that a specific dress most resembles (a reminder to take everything I say in these posts with a grain of salt). But get me talking about the Victorian era and I can tell you a bunch of random stuff and that’s what we’re here to do today.

So let’s talk about that title.

“Maddie being Victorian by default”

Alice in wonderland was written in 1865 and so obviously the characters in the illusions are wearing clothes that were worn in 1865 (aside from the Queen of Harts and I plan on talking about that at some point) and the the designs for these characters are actually very iconic. The Mad Hatter especially because his main feature is a top hat, a very Victorian thing to wear actually. Which means that Maddie ends up having a lot of Victorian inspiration in her outfits especially the 1860s which I LOVE because that is literally my favourite era COULD THIS DAY GET ANY BETTER?!!

Around the 1850s crinolines (otherwise known as hoop skirts) came into fashion, these were essentially big wire frames worn under the skirt that gave it volume as if they were wearing lots of petticoats but were far cheaper an easier to walk in. These were also worn by children however it the skirts only came down to above the ankles giving the children wearing them a sort of ‘mushroom shape’ as a book my gamma gave me describes it. This illustration from 1863 should show what I mean.

This is pretty similar to the silhouette of Maddie’s dress. Other characters do have a similar dress shape like Apple and Blondie so this might be irrelevant but my post my rules.

Layers were also common in dresses at the time but usually just in ball gowns rather than casual dress. these were usually the same fabric and patterns but this is Maddie we’re talking about of course it’s not gonna be.

Similarly with ribbons which were also common on ball gowns.

Which I was going to say something about that but then I remembered the ever after high isn’t exactly the biggest fan of “casual”.

And I don’t know if this is intentional or not (if it is then it’s absolute genius) but round oval shaped pendants not unlike the two on Maddies necklace were extremely common in Victorian necklaces but they were almost always hung like this;

However Maddies is hung sideways which is just so undeniably Maddie.

(Basically anything that would usually be considered “inaccurate” is just going to be seen as a design choice today)

Their hairstyles during thronecoming and legacy day are similar to formal hairstyles during the later half of the era, thronecoming especially.

Speaking of thronecoming I really, really want to talk about that.

So we still have those previously mentioned layers, and ribbons actually now I’m looking at it this dress really just looks like a fancier version of their regular dress.

There’s also a lot of flowers on their accessories which I see quite often in fashion illustrations from the time of ball gowns especially in the 1880s.

Their long white glove on their I think right hand (idk I’m dyslexic) I also see a lot in fashion illustrations of ball gowns.

But one thing that caught my attention were the veins on the sides of the bodice. Because it practically matches the  pattern of the boning in Victorian corsets.

Which exited me more than it should because it proved to some extent that I wasn’t just looking to far into it. 

Annoyingly we don’t really get any decent shots of Maddie in there thronecoming dress in the show so I didn’t get a great view of there skirt but from this image it looks a lot like it has the bell shaped skirt from the era.

And now for that second half of the title.

“and also a nonbinary icon”

I noticed wile I was first looking at the images of there different outfits I realised that Maddie is one of the only characters I have observed to be mixing traditionally masculine and feminine styles.

Just look at them rocking a jacket and the frilliest skirt I have ever seen. Also their wearing 18th century breeches here, feels like I can’t do one of these without coming across completely something random, but it further proves my point this time and it’s actually related to the main topic so it made it to the final post.

Every single one of their outfits has a top hat. 

And obviously clothes have no gender, they’re just peaces of fabric BUT nonbinary Maddie. I rest my case your honour.

Zodiac Candles

RADISHN’T: Prithee, which one of you had planned to tell

Of diff'rent flavours gained by simple act

Of brewing tea with water hot, not cold?

MOTHMAN: Egad! you poured the water cold? Wherefore?!

FROG: An answer from you, Radish, I must beg.

RADISHN’T: Indeed I did, dear friends - why does this shock?

Without the guide of others I assumed

That heat was merely added for the sake

Of expediting this solution’s brewing!

Half a decade I have spent, or more,

Not questioning this worldview I had made.

In fact, I am myself a bit surprised

That you might think that I, your dearest friend,

Might have a patience of sufficient stock

To wait until a pot of water boils.

FROG: Three minutes overtaxes patience so?

The microwave will beep when it is done!

CATS'N: My friend, this answer vexes me the more!

Can it be true that thou dost boil by nuke?!

FROG: Are you in turn, my friend, so shocked to know

That I have not the patience, like our Root,

To boil upon the stove our favour’d drink?

CATS'N: It takes less than a minute!

FROG: On what plate?

Perhaps your dinner cooks atop the sun?

CATS'N: How long can take your stove to fill the task

Of boiling but a single cup alone?

FROG: In minutes?

CATS'N: Yes!

FROG: I counted seven, once.

CATS'N: Perhaps you ought to have your timepiece checked!

If on a middle heat you place the cup

You soon will have the scalding drink you crave.

Two minutes, in a mug upon the plate

Or even less, if you should have a pot.

FROG: You cause me tears - is this how thou dost live?

You place upon the iron stove a mug?

A mug, ceramic, filled with water cold?

How do these flames, though medium in height,

Not shatter like a glass this fragile thing?

Surely, then, your kitchen is bewitched

With magicks far beyond the mortal ken!

(The FOUR realise they have wandered into the THRONE ROOM. The ROYAL COURT watches with fascination.)