And Amy’s high-necked ensemble has much in common with the new Batsheva ruffled microfloral midi skirt and top, while Beth’s button-front frock eerily recalls Dôen’s recent winter collection.

Thanks to the New-York Historical Society’s archivist Susan Kriete, whose post on the N-YHS blog about historical fashion and mockery brought the Grecian Bend to my attention.

But their roots are more humble and intimate than you might expect. The modern fashion show dates back to the 1860s, when pioneering English fashion designer Charles Frederick Worth used live ...