Oh, these are fabulous!
When I think of literary fashion I think of Virginia Woolf, of course -- she was obsessed with clothes.
But I also think of George Eliot's description of Gwendolen Harleth in Daniel Deronda:
The Nereid in sea-green robes and silver ornaments, with a pale sea-green feather fastened in silver falling backward over her green hat and light brown hair, was Gwendolen Harleth. She was under the wing, or rather soared by the shoulder, of the lady who had sat by her at the roulette-table; and with them was a gentleman with a white mustache and clipped hair: solid-browed, stiff and German. They were walking about or standing to chat with acquaintances, and Gwendolen was much observed by the seated groups.
“A striking girl—that Miss Harleth—unlike others.”
“Yes, she has got herself up as a sort of serpent now—all green and silver, and winds her neck about a little more than usual.”
“Oh, she must always be doing something extraordinary. She is that kind of girl, I fancy. Do you think her pretty, Mr. Vandernoodt?”
And the scenes in Little Women that concern clothes, and whether they have the right ones: (Green seems to be a theme in these descriptions...)
For the March girls, springtime signaled new beginnings, new opportunities, and new dreams. Meg was already off to a good start that season, having been invited to several parties hosted by her wealthy friends. "What shall I wear?" was her most frequent complaint lately.
Looking through the closet, Meg pulled out a light green dress and held it up to her body. Through the mirror, she could see that it suited her complexion and enhanced the color of her eyes. But the dress was quite a few years old, and its hem was worn. "Oh, what should I do?" Meg let out a sigh of frustration.
"What's the matter, Meg?" asked Beth, walking in with an armful of folded laundry.
Relieving her of some of the burden, Meg explained, "Annie Moffat is having a party this Saturday and I haven't got anything to wear."
Beth replied thoughtfully, "You have many beautiful dresses, Meg."
"But they're so old!" complained Meg. "Annie and the others will all have new silk dresses in this year's style, and I'll be the only one wearing an old, ugly dress."
"I think you'll be the prettiest girl at the party, whatever you wear," Beth remarked. Cheering up a little at her sister's kind words, Meg continued with Beth's help to search for something to wear.
"What about this dress?" Beth asked, pulling out a white gown with blue flowers all over it.
Meg examined it closely for rips, holes, or stains but could not find any. In fact, the dress was in tip-top condition and it did flatter her a lot. "Thank you, Beth. This dress will have to do," Meg approved wholeheartedly.
But we know that one doesn't end so well ...