# What is "illusion" (clothing) in Little Women? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 16, 2017, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-illusion-clothing-in-little-women/801814 "2017-11-16T23:19:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2017, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-illusion-clothing-in-little-women/801814/1 "2017-11-16T23:19:27Z")
I’ve been rereading Louisa May Alcott over the last few days, and I’ve come across several references to something she called “illusion” that had to do with women’s clothing. I’ve googled a few times over the years and have yet to find out what the hell it is. > [@Good Wives](#): > > “I do want him to think I look well, and tell them so at home,” said Amy to herself, as she put on Flo’s old white silk ball dress, and covered it with a cloud of fresh **illusion** , out of which her white shoulders and golden head emerged with a most artistic effect. > [@An Old Fashioned Girl](#): > > The instant it was over Polly rushed away and bought not only the kids but a bonnet frame, a bit of **illusion** , and a pink crape rose … > [@Kitty's Class Day](#): > > "I shall make it out of one of my new \*\*illusion \*\*undersleeves. > [@Kitty's Class Day](#): > > "Some one suggest a strip of blue illusion, and that could be got … I’m thinking it must be some sort of wispy fabric, but that’s not enough for me to figure out what she’s referring to. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2017, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-illusion-clothing-in-little-women/801814/2 "2017-11-16T23:23:21Z")
I think this [See-through clothing - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/See-through_clothing) " See-through fabrics were fashionable in Europe in the eighteenth century. There was a “sheer fashion trend” starting with designer clothing from 2008.[1] See-through or sheer fabric, particularly in skintone (called “nude”) colours, is sometimes called illusion, as in ‘illusion bodice’ (or sleeve) due to giving the impression of exposed flesh.[2]" which leads here [Encyclopaedic Dictionary of Clothing and Textiles - K. K. Maitra - Google Books](https://books.google.com/books?id=jwHv0mmIagQC&pg=PA218#v=onepage&q&f=false) - see the definitions for “illusion bodice” etc ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2017, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-illusion-clothing-in-little-women/801814/3 "2017-11-16T23:35:11Z")
Four minutes to an answer on an obscure reference to late-nineteenth century women’s fashion. God _DAMN_, I love the Dope. Thanks, **Andy L**! ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2017, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-illusion-clothing-in-little-women/801814/4 "2017-11-16T23:48:02Z")
> [@Morgyn](#): > > Four minutes to an answer on an obscure reference to late-nineteenth century women’s fashion. > > God _DAMN_, I love the Dope. > > Thanks, **Andy L**! I’m glad to help out - I was lucky in my Google search terms so I found the information pretty quickly. ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2017, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-illusion-clothing-in-little-women/801814/5 "2017-11-16T23:50:00Z")
Huh. I was searching on “illusion clothing” and didn’t get anything like that. I wonder why. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2017, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-illusion-clothing-in-little-women/801814/6 "2017-11-16T23:55:31Z")
I tried “illusion cloth meaning” (after trying “illusion clothing” which came up with a company name, I think). ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2017, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-illusion-clothing-in-little-women/801814/7 "2017-11-17T00:03:28Z")
D’oh! :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2017, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-illusion-clothing-in-little-women/801814/8 "2017-11-17T01:18:18Z")
Well-done, **Andy L.** ---
**Author:** ![Alley\_Dweller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alley_dweller/32/430_2.png) [@Alley\_Dweller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alley_Dweller)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2017, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-illusion-clothing-in-little-women/801814/9 "2017-11-17T03:52:29Z")
I went to Macy’s dot com and searched for “illusion.” [I got 457 hits in women’s clothing](https://www.macys.com/shop/featured/illusion): ---
**Author:** ![GythaOgg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/49beb7/32.png) [@GythaOgg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GythaOgg)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2017, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-illusion-clothing-in-little-women/801814/10 "2017-11-17T15:29:22Z")
Try searching on ‘Illusion tulle’. It’s still sold as a bridal veil fabric: > **[Netting - Mesh - Illusion Bridal Veil Tulle](https://www.voguefabricsstore.com/Fabric-By-Specialty/Bridal-Fabric-Laces-Headpieces-and-Accessories/Illusion-and-Nets/)** > > Our selection of Illusion or Tulle and different Nets are perfect for any special occasion gown or veil. > English Net: 100% Polyester. 52"-54" Wide. Hand Washable. > > French Netting: 100% Nylon. 9"-18" Wide. Hand Washable. > > Petticoat Netting:100%... Though it’s made out of nylon now, it would have been made of silk or cotton in Alcott’s era. It was VERY flammable…it’s one of the hazards covered in Allison David’s fascinating book ‘Fashion Victims’. ---
**Author:** ![Elemenopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b5e925/32.png) [@Elemenopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elemenopy)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2017, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-illusion-clothing-in-little-women/801814/11 "2017-11-18T05:40:02Z")
I always guessed it was a sort of tulle/organza. Think pantyhose fabric, but much stiffer, so could be arranged in ruffles and furbelows. 😉 PS Love those books! I reread the first 3 every few years. ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2017, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-illusion-clothing-in-little-women/801814/12 "2017-11-18T06:30:05Z")
> [@Elemenopy](#): > > I always guessed it was a sort of tulle/organza. Think pantyhose fabric, but much stiffer, so could be arranged in ruffles and furbelows. 😉 > > PS Love those books! I reread the first 3 every few years. Amazon had a Kindle book that is everything Alcott ever wrote for real cheap, so I got it. Also Dickens, Austen, the Bronte’s, Thomas Paine, The Federalist Papers … There’s a lot of reading to do. Not sure I’ll ever get it all done (or even begun), but at least it’s available. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2017, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-illusion-clothing-in-little-women/801814/13 "2017-11-18T16:44:11Z")
I see illusion material frequently in pictures of red carpet gowns, where it looks like sequined and beaded swirls and patterns (almost looking like tattoos from a distance) wind around an actress’ body. Covering up her boobs and bits, leaving wide ‘naked’ spaces. If you look at a closeup, the pieces are sewn onto a transparent dress base, like pantyhose material, which ideally should exactly match her skin tone. ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2017, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-illusion-clothing-in-little-women/801814/14 "2017-11-19T02:55:16Z")
> [@salinqmind](#): > > I see illusion material frequently in pictures of red carpet gowns, where it looks like sequined and beaded swirls and patterns (almost looking like tattoos from a distance) wind around an actress’ body. Covering up her boobs and bits, leaving wide ‘naked’ spaces. If you look at a closeup, the pieces are sewn onto a transparent dress base, like pantyhose material, which ideally should exactly match her skin tone. That reminded me of [this](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2015/11/22/fashion/22CATE-slide-T5RH/22CATE-slide-T5RH-slide.jpg) [dress](https://i.pinimg.com/236x/1e/75/9f/1e759f3f1644760cd414c5214f2b90d0.jpg) that Cate Blanchett wore to the Oscars in 1999. And of course [Halle Berry’s dress](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/85/9a/69/859a696fb8d9016a21ea874ab3f7f66d.jpg) when she won the Oscar., ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2017, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-illusion-clothing-in-little-women/801814/15 "2017-11-19T04:07:16Z")
Modern illusion netting tends to be nylon and is used a lot to keep your body covered when it isn’t covered (like holding together a deep v neckline without using boob tape). Alcott would have been writing about a sheer silk, often used as an overdress or around the neckline. Victorians didn’t have a lot of use for boob tape substitutes. ---
**Author:** ![misling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3ab097/32.png) [@misling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/misling)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2017, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-illusion-clothing-in-little-women/801814/16 "2017-11-21T21:43:42Z")
As best I’ve been able to figure from the context of reading a lot of 100 or more year old novels, what the Civil War era women did with ‘illusion’ was take an old dress that was looking worn, and add a layer of this transparent cloth over the skirt and bodice and sleeves (if any). Thus giving the impression of a new dress without having to get a new dress. The new stuff would hide the fact that the dress fabric was getting worn, and would change the apparent color as well if you chose it wisely. ---
**Author:** ![GythaOgg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/49beb7/32.png) [@GythaOgg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GythaOgg)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2017, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-illusion-clothing-in-little-women/801814/17 "2017-11-22T01:02:40Z")
If you want to see how it was used, try googling for the Winterhalter portraits of Empress Elisabeth or the Princesse Metternich. Winterhalter was painting during the right era and the stuff appears on a lot of his subjects.