Analysis Of To Dance At The Palais Royale By Janet Mcnaughton

To Dance at the Palais Royale written by Janet McNaughton, is an exciting historical fiction novel that follows Agnes Maxwell on her adventures in the big city of Toronto. McNaughton’s novel is an accurate description of the technology available and fashion trends of the late 1920s. She includes many details in her novel such as the refrigerator, which was accurately described. McNaughton incorporates the use of the Victrola, a popular phonograph used in the 1920s and Agnes Maxwell has the chance to wear a beautiful dancing dress typical of the time period. To Dance at the Palais Royale is a historically accurate novel that authentically describes technology and fashion typical of the late 1920s.

Agnes Maxwell, also known as Aggie, is the

Hemlines rose all the way to the knee during the 1920s and the waist line was always moving, but by the late 1920s it had returned to where it was supposed to be. Silk was a very desirable fabric, but only the wealthy could afford it. Chiffon became a popular fabric and was often used in dresses during the 1920s, but silk chiffon was also very expensive. “Time-consuming and costly beading was immensely popular, especially for dance dresses.” (The Fashion Guild, paragraph 3, line 6). The dress Agnes borrowed from her friend Rose to go dancing in was beaded to the waist. It was a wonderful silvery blue colour and had a layered skirt with a high neck and low back. It went down to her knees and she wore silk stockings with it. The description of the dress was very accurate to how a dancing dress would have looked like in the late

N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Feb. 2014. <http://fashion.just-the-swing.com/1920s-womens-fashion>.

"Disk Players." Canada Science and Technology Museum. Canada Science and Technology Museum, 2014. Web. 15 Feb. 2014. <http://www.sciencetech.technomuses.ca/english/collection/disk_play.cfm>.

Edie, Paul C. "History of the Victor Phonograph." The Victor-Victrola Page. N.p., 2006-2014. Web. 15 Feb. 2014. <http://www.victor-victrola.com/History%20of%20the%20Victor%20Phonograph.htm>.

"Fashion Timeline : 1920 To 1930." Vintage Fashion Guild. Vintage Fashion Guild, 2014. Web. 15 Feb. 2014. <http://vintagefashionguild.org/fashion-timeline/1920-to-1930/>.

"G.E. Monitor Top Refrigerator (1927)." Industrial Designers Society of America. N.p., 7 Feb. 2010. Web. 15 Feb. 2014. <http://www.idsa.org/ge-monitor-top-refrigerator-1927>.

McNaughton, Janet E. To Dance at the Palais Royale. Toronto: Stoddart, 1998.