Ball gown progress pics

Here's some pictures of the dress so far, the silk underskirt is just pinned to Miss Ella so I can see how it will look.

The back will either button or hook closed.  Haven't decided yet.

A close up of the sequins and beads on the net

After looking through more fashion plates (thanks nuranar!) I've realized that my dress could still be kind of 1812, which is what the ball is supposed to be.  It's probably going to be somewhere between 12-14 so maybe I'm just super fashionable! :)  In 1812 the skirts were very narrow and columnular.  By 1815 they were starting to get more of the triangle shape, but still not as full as they'd get by the 20's.  Check out this progression:

Ball gown from 1812.  Skirt is ankle length and not very full except in the back.  I like the sleeves in this one too!

This is from 1813.  Hard to see the shape of the skirt since she's dancing, but it still seems pretty straight.  Also love these sleeves!

From 1814, this one has a net overlay!  And pink underdress!  But it's more triangular than the 1812.  Also the skirt is shorter than the last two.

This is from 1815.  I really like these sleeves.  And again shorter more a-line skirt with an overlay!

From 1816.  Are these all starting to look the same to you too?  Shorter a-line skirt as well.  Maybe the waist line is really what's changing most?

So who knows, maybe I can give my dress an 1812 date after all.  The bodice on that one is a bit longer than the others, as is mine (really, I can't achieve that high of a bust line, even in period underwear). My skirt is going to be just a tad shorter probably, more like the later ones, I had to conserve fabric...

As for the sleeves, I've gotten some good ideas and it seems like they don't have to be super full, so I think they're doable, which is good!  I may do a super short sleeve that's gathered up in the center, which would nicely echo the bodice, plus I could still use the scallop border without having it look lame.  The idea in my head will look pretty, it's just a matter of whether or not I can execute it!  I may leave the undersleeve off entirely and just keep them net, we'll have to see.  That would be nice because then I could add some extra volume to the bottom of the skirt!

Regency Accessories - Shoes

So I've had Regency on the brain a lot lately.  And one thing I've needed for a long time is some appropriate shoes, for both every day wear and for dances.  And I've found both!

First, I have been looking into jazz boots for a while now as a "half boot" substitute.  Half boots were the outdoor and walking shoe of choice in the Regency period.  At least for young ladies of leisure!  Most were kid leather but other materials were used (more info in the article link below).  The jazz boots I've been sourcing come in canvas (in multiple colors) or in leather (in black or white).  I've been waffling back and forth between leather or canvas and then colors for forever!  It's too hard a choice!  I kind of want them all.  But since I'm not sure they'll actually work, I decided I'd start with the less expensive canvas and then if I really liked them, I'd get a leather pair eventually down the road.

But once again I was faced with what color to get.  I'd found black, white, red and tan (or nude as they call it).  So I started to do some research in fashion plates and through extant boots to see what might have been most popular.  I found that in a lot of fashion plates they have either white or colored shoes, but most of them don't look like half boots.  But finally I found a reference to "Nankeen" boots being a very popular choice.  Here's a pair from an article about Regency shoes (I can't find the proper source for the actual boots, anyone?).

How sweet is that rosette?  Dresses up a more utilitarian shoe. :)

And it just happens I found some that look surprisingly similar to this pair!  All I need is to change the laces and add a little rosette to the front!  (Plus, the free 2-day shipping, free returns and super reasonable price from the website above made it seem like a no brainer.)

Nankeen was a yellowish cotton that was produced in China.  It's described as being pale yellow or buff.  I figure the tan is pretty close.  I also debated for a while about the white canvas and the possibility of dying them myself to some fun color, but I didn't want to risk the heel and sole leather.  And I think the tan is a pretty versatile color, it could go with a lot of things, and will match the pelisse I already have!

There's one drawback to these shoes.  They have a split leather sole.  It would be easy for a cobbler to add a sole to it, but I think I will wear them as is for now and see how they feel.  I bought them 2 sizes bigger than my regular size since as dance shoes, they are meant to be very snug.  I want to be able to wear a nice cotton sock with them and maybe even insert an insole that would add more support.  I'll report back on how they do once I get the shoes!

The other pair I am going to order for the ball I'm attending in February are also dance shoes.  These are ballet shoes, that are much more substantial than regular ballet slippers though.  They are sometimes called recital shoes or award shoes.  They have more substantial soles (still a nice suede leather!) as well as sides.  They too can be dyed, but I think I'll keep mine a nice white/ivory to guarantee they go with any dress I might make in the future.  I found them through the same source as the other shoes, here!  They actually have quite a few different kinds of these shoes that could work, all at different price range and sturdiness.  Some look more like regular ballet slippers.  I like the idea of just a bit more support though.  And these are pretty close to the extant ones below!

Just add ribbons!

From the Bata Shoe Museum - 1812

Anyway, I'm excited for my Regency shoes!  The other option that I'll mention since I want her to continue making historical footwear, is that American Duchess is coming out with a new Regency shoe, the Pemberly!  They are all leather and have a small heel.  They look very nice, but are a little out of my budget for now, so I'm going to go with these and see how they do!

Beginings of a ball gown

I actually did some sewing this weekend!  On Friday I made TONS of plans about the events and projects I have coming up through next summer and it's lit a fire under me, so I'm taking advantage of the motivation and getting stuff done!

I'll add another post here in a bit about all those plans... lots of fun!

So lately I've been wanting to work on a Regency ball gown even though I don't really need it until February (there's an 1812 ball in Salem that's going to be great!), but like I said... taking advantage of the motivation while I can!  And it actually worked because the bodice is almost done!

I'm using a pretty peachy-pink silk that I bought a couple of yards of randomly at Sewfisticated with a really pretty embroidered pearl beaded white net overlay.  I think it was some kind of bridal fabric, and while it's not 100% accurate (it has some clear sequins under many of the pearls, but they aren't very obvious and just adds a bit more sparkle) it's certainly is very pretty!  The silk has a very slight slub, but as it's an underlay it doesn't matter since it doesn't even show! :)

I draped the pattern for the bodice a few weeks ago.  It has a square-ish neck that dips center front because of gathering down the bodice.  It will button (or maybe hook) in back.  I flat lined the net to the silk.  Originally I was going to use a flimsier fabric for the underdress and make them separately, but I realized what a pain the net was going to be to sew with and this is actually working really well.  Because it's a "stiffer" dress and because I don't have a *ton* of fabric (only two yards of each fabric, really cutting it close, but it's actually going to work, just barely!) I'm going for a more 1815's date, with an a-line skirt with no gathering in the front.  I think I might even slightly pad them of the underdress to help hold it out a bit.

The two things I haven't figured out are sleeves and whether to use a waist band or not.  Sewing a waistband with this fabric would just be a little crazy, unless it was huge, so I may forgo that.  For the sleeves I'm worried about how much fabric I have.  Most 1815 sleeves are pretty puffy, as far as I can remember, but I'd like to use the scallop border of the net along the bottom of the sleeve and that means, straight (plus less fabric).  Guess I'm going to have to do a little more research first!

For now, it's cutting the skirt pannels and seaming them together.  The two skirts are going to be seperate, or that was my plan until just now when I realized what a pain that will be.  But it will hang so much prettier!  The net is pretty heavy from all the beading so it would move around the dress nicely if it was free to move!

To complete the outfit I need to get satin ballet slippers/flats, there are some on eBay that I've been eyeing forever and I'll probably wear my elbow length leather gloves, though they are very tight.  Too bad I don't have anything to make a pretty evening cloak with.  Guess I'll just have to wear my tan pelisse and use my huge fur muff! :)

So that's what I'm working on for now.  When that's done, I'll have to figure out what I'm motivated most to work on next!  Pictures soon!

Once again...

It's been too long!  Sorry for being a bad blogger!  Especially as I've attended a few events in the last couple months.  So, I'm going to play catch up again.  I'll probably split each event or outfit into separate posts just for future ease which means that they won't be very long.  Sorry!  Once I get all that updated I'll be sure to share my current plans and project list!

For now, my favorite holiday of the year has passed and I hope you've all had as great a Halloween as I have!  Lucky me, I had the opportunity for not just one, but three different costumes this year!  Lots of parties to attend.

First was a Pride & Prejudice Zombie
I've been wanting to do this forever and I'm glad I did, but most people didn't know what was going on.  They'd never heard of the book, horrors of horrors!  They were still quite freaked out by it though! :)

With my roommate who are (from l to r) An 80's prom date, a goddess, and pregnant Beyonce with Jay-Z. :)

 
For our own party we had an Alice in Wonderland theme and since I recently dyed my hair red I was the Queen of Hearts (rather than Alice which would have been my original choice).  Not my favorite costume of all time, but the party was really fun!  I found a red prom or bridesmaid dress at a thrift store and altered it, and I made a little crown that's attached to a headband.

And then Monday night I wore my Steampunk costume to another party just for fun!  Didn't get a picture of that though, but you can see it under my "for fun" costumes.  Everyone loved that one as well, though most people don't know what Steampunk is... I was duly impressed by those who did.

As I was getting ready for the P&P Zombie look, I realized that a hairpiece I bought last year that didn't match my hair before (but that I couldn't send back) was now a perfect match!  So I used that with all three costumes and it actually worked so great!  People thought it was my real hair, plus it only took like 5 minutes to do each night.  My hair has been fading though, so who knows how long it will continue to match... I might have to re-dye it again soon.  It really made a great Regency hair-do, lots and lots of curls.

Anyway, I hope you all had a Happy Halloween too!  More costume updates to come soon!

Moar shoes!!

It's finally here, the leather version of American Duchess' Gerogiana shoes, the Devonshires!

So pretty!  I want mine in pink please!

The Devonshires are a leather 18th century shoe based on museum examples from the 1760s through 1780s.  They're made of top-grade dyable leather, with a beautiful, smooth Italian leather sole for dancing, and are hard-wearing, water- and mud-proof, for even the toughest of outdoor re-enactments.

Pre-Order the Devonshires through August 10, and get the special $100 price.  We're only making 200 of these shoes, so don't miss the chance to own one of only a couple hundred pair on the planet!  Visit www.american-duchess.com to order.

So what are you waiting for?  Go get your pair! 

We have sleeves!

Though I spent most of last night hanging out with friends, I was able to finish putting the sleeves on my jacket which I'd started on Monday night.  I actually didn't have too much trouble with these, which was nice!  I decided to do more bias ruffles in the stripe for the sleeve ruffle instead of just white.  Since the ruffle on the back of the tail is striped too, I figured it would go more.  I also decided to not do a zone front.  Instead I altered the bottom to be flat.  So now all that's left to do is finishing the center fronts, since I'll be pinning it closed.  I do need to do some fixing there.  I cut the stripe with a much bigger seam allowance for the CF and the lining is too short now for where the closure should go.  This is because I draped the pattern over my yellow stays and my new linen stays are not quite as confining.  Which also means more comfortable!  But I'm getting wrinkles because it also means they are more curvy.  Anyway, it's close to done, so that's good!

 

I need to finish up the fichu but I draped it over everything last night and I like the look of it.  I need to figure out how I'm going to close it.  I need a little corsage of flowers or a bow or something.  Those longer ends will be trimmed off, I'm just worried about making a mistake...

Other than finishing up minor details the only thing left to really worry about is the hat!  Still don't know what I want to do about that.  But here's what I have so far, pinned into place, set on top of Miss Ella to see the effect of the whole ensemble (although admittedly the hat is hard to see in this pic).  I may change the ribbons on the hat and use the same red stripe as the sash.  Not sure.  Or I may scrap the whole hat idea and just do a turban or finish my cap or something!  Though my cap is not at all close to the "fashionable" size of the time, it's way too small! :)  Sorry for the crappy iphone pictures, apparently the light in the room is very yellow... 

So much to share!

Wow, I have a lot to write about.  Trying to decide whether to break it down into smaller posts or just spill it all out here.  Well, one at least will need it's own post, so for now I'll stick to the updates about my French Revolution outfit.

The petticoat is assembled, it just needs a hem and closure (I attached it to a waistband instead of ties, I find it's less bulky).  I'm still trying to decide what length I want it to be.  I could keep it longer if I wanted, so that may be what happens, all the fashion plates I've been looking at are longer.

I also colored my shoes black this weekend!  I ended up using acrylic paint instead of buying dye.  We had colored bridesmaid shoes for my sisters wedding this way and so I knew it would work, plus, I use this technique at work all the time to match cloth for repairs all the time.  It also has the added benefit of being waterproof!  If they get wet, they won't bleed, compared to dying them, and as I'm planning on wearing these outside, I figured that was a good idea.  I wouldn't try this with lighter colors though, you need a few coats to cover the brush marks and so with the black it was perfect.  I just kept adding layers until it was uniform and dark!

I also made cute little ribbon bows with my new buckles for the front.  Since I ripped off the old decoration on the front, I'll always need something there because I couldn't get all the glue off.  This hides it nicely and looks cute to boot! :)  I didn't have any black ribbon, so I used green, which actually was a symbolic color as well during the revolution.

I finished my fichu as well.  Well, I finished embroidering it on my machine, and then spent a couple of nights picking off all the tear away stabilizer from the back, ugh.  And of course I find out now that there's a soluble stabilizer that's thicker and stiffer.  I could only find a saran-wrap weight at Jo-Ann's so I used that on the front and the tear away on the back.  It's not perfect, but I'm pleased with how it's turned out so far.  This one will not be able to wrap around, but that's ok.  Now I just need to cut it into shape and hem the front edge.  The back will be left raw as I'll follow the satin stitch scallops on the bottom.

The other thing I worked on was trying to figure out a hat.  I have yet another straw hat from Michael's that I think I'll decorate.  And I thought I might use the vintage millinery supplies I got in the LA Garment District last year.  They are a pinkish red ribbon and a lot of yellow ribbons, flowers and trimmings.  I didn't know if it would look good with my outfit though over all.  To change it up, instead of having another straw hat, I covered the crown.  I pleated a length of starched white cotton and wrapped it around the brim, as it seems I've seen things like this a lot in fashion plates.  But what I'm realizing is that most of the outrageous hats I like are from 1787, not 89.  So I may change my mind.   Right now everything is just pinned on, litterally, I just threw it on there.  What do you think?  The red ribbon matches the red stripe ribbon I'll use on my jacket pretty well.  And the yellow ribbon around the brim will be completely sewn down, not puffed like that.  I just wasn't sure of the yellow and black.  Oh yeah, I'm thinking of putting some black feathers on it too.  In one of the books I was reading about the French Revolution, yellow and black actually had some meaning for the opposition.  The way the information was worded in the book I couldn't tell if they meant the revolutionists or the opposition to the revolution.  But most of the royalists used white as their color, or black.  The revolutionists used red, white, blue, green and apparently also yellow and black.  Anyway, do you think it will go?  Is the hat too much?

You really can't even see the straw anymore.

I also haven't decided what's the front and what's the back.

I found this great fashion plate that is actually very close to what my jacket looks like (in the back at least).  So now I'm thinking I might turn the front into a zone with the red stripe ribbons going across a gathered white stomacher.  What do you think?  I was already planning to do elbow length sleeves with white ruffled cuffs at the bottom.  And now I'm thinking I need a simpler hat.  Maybe just some bows and the feathers?

So this week it's finishing the jacket, hemming the skirt and putting together a hat!  I think it's doable!