Pierrette Costume

For costume parties, historic costumes continued to be a 'safe' alternative, but after 1900, other types of fancy dress costumes became great hits. Characters associated with the Commedia dell'arte had always been highly suitable. People gladly dressed up as the colourful Arlecchino, as Columbina, the comical serving maid, or the clownish Pedrolino - better known as Pierrot - in order to attend costume balls. When Pierrot's female counterpart Pierrette appeared on the scene, she generated a veritable costume rage. The London firm, Weldon, known for publishing illustrated fashion magazine and handbooks on embroidery, offered 15 different patterns for Pierrot and Pierrette costumes.