The Valley Line: Victorian fashions showcased during unique hospital fundraiser

The USC Verdugo Hills Hospital Women’s Council presented a unique fashion show luncheon on Thursday, June 14, in the hospital’s council room.

Pat Gilmore of activityonabudget@outlook.com coordinated an interesting and unique peek into the fashions worn by women in the Victorian age.

Gilmore cleverly showed, step by step, the many layers of clothing a woman had to don in order to be a fashionista of the 1880s.

The show began with models wearing undergarments including pantaloons, a chemise and the dreaded corset that was laced so tightly a woman could lose her breath. A vintage slide show was also presented featuring all the individual garments as well as the beautiful dresses of the day.

Esther Hanna, showing off to great effect a stylish Victorian dress that would have been perfect for a ladies’ luncheon of the era, was the mistress of ceremonies. She gave an historical account of a typical Victorian lady’s dressing ritual from boudoir to appearing in public in proper modesty and style.

“A neat corseted figure was, ultimately, what society expected of a woman. Wearing one meant that she was daily proving to herself, and to her neighbors, that she had standards and, more importantly, self-respect,” Hanna said. “An uncorseted woman was thought to lack self-control and would face public disapproval and crude assumptions about her lifestyle. Only those who were prepared to be social outcasts would dare to be without a corset.”

A highlight of the luncheon was when the Women’s Council presented a $20,000 check Keith Hobbs, chief executive of USC Verdugo Hills Hospital, that represented the money it has raised to date for the hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit. Presenting the check to Hobbs were Tiffany Aaryan, outgoing chairman of the Women’s Council and Purnima Panchal, the incoming chairman.

Tina Ito presented the new slate of officers for the Women’s Council: Purnima Panchal, Becky Happach, Victoria Spencer, Sonia Baghdasarian, Tiffany Ajaryan, Angelea Mandujano, Wanda Sellers, Pauline Hendricks, Teri Rice, Gloria Cotton, Toni Williamson, Ruth McNevin and Cindy Sawyer. Members at Large include Manush Arabyan, Hassie Ramnath, Ban Neesan, Elaine Alexander, Jane Peterson and Kate Kaneko.

Models for the fashion show and their helpers were Navah Raphael, Eileen An, Ban Neesan, Marineh Mousalu and Ruth McNevin.

JANE NAPIER NEELY covers the La Cañada Flintridge social scene. Email her at jnvalleysun@aol.com with news of your special event.