1797 Open Robe

This was a very last minute project, but so quick and easy!  I attended at Twelfth Night Ball in Sudburry at the Wayside Inn in January.  This was an event put on by Rev War reenactors.  So yes, I was very out of date (futuristic I guess) but I didn't care.  I didn't want to wear my zone front again and couldn't wear my Francaise because I had lent my hoops to a friend.   So instead I whipped this up to wear over my drawstring dress which I made for our Holiday Tea in December.

I didn't get many good pictures unfortunately.  The lighting was really low (it's a historic inn!) and I was tired when I got home.  Maybe I'll have to get more on my dress form.

 

I'm pretty happy with how it turned out.  I couldn't get any sleeves to work that I liked so decided to leave it sleeveless in the end.  I used leftover silk from my Civil War ball gown and had just enough to eek this out.  I based it off the open robe from Janet Arnold but made the bodice separate, so there's a waist join.  There are three box pleats that line up with the three back seams so it has the same feel as the JA one.  I also had this gorgeous gold trim that I had been waiting to use on something pretty and it was perfect with this!  I covered the three back seams and all along the bodice neckline, tabs and sleeves.

 

I wore my hairpiece in the large curly style of the 1790's and wrapped a turban around it made from an unhemmed strip of chiffon I had lying around.  I also added my great-grandmothers jet bead necklace to add some bling to it.

Topping off the accessories were leather gloves and a silk fan I made.  Which I will post about soon as this is definitely a project I want to share!

The robe has a train which wasn't great for dancing (or walking in a crowded room) but I really had fun wearing this dress.  I don't know when I'll be able to wear it again but I'm very happy with it!