1873 Evening dress

I wore this dress in november at an ball. Winterball in Castle d'Ursel, Belgium. It was for me the first time I attended a ball and it was such perfect evening. I want and will attend more off these balls in the future now I know how fun they are. 
The ball was year bound. So the dress code was 1873, first bustle period.  It gave me the chance to make the dress I wanted since 2012, when I began dreaming off historical dressing. But I wanted to make this dress only when I was ready to make this dress, I wanted to invest in expensive fabrics knowing I wouldn't mesh up the dress. The sad thing, I began early with the dress, but could not finsish it in time. I miss some rows of trimming, and I will sew them on the skirt for next time I wear it. But it was a bit of disappointment when I realized that I couldn't finish the dress in time for the ball. 

But when the evening arrived I shut that feeling off dissapointment on myself off and enjoyed every moment. When I decided that I wanted to make a new silhouette I knew that I needed everything new. from chemise till the petticoats. my old corset was worn out and never of the best quality. So even that had to be don before I could began with the outer layers off the dress. 

 After the ball I knew the little faults the dress had so after the ball I fixed most off them. You can see that the bodice got ride up sometimes, that was because there wasn't a waistband sewed in, I knew that even before the ball that it would be a problem. So a few days after the ball I placed a waistband in the bodice and that problem was fixed. I sewed the afternoon before the ball all the hook and eye closures in the petticoats and skirts, but came a bit shortly, I survived, but after the ball I bought some hooks and eyes and sewed them where they had a lack off it. And I'm still a bit tinkering on the system for pulling up the train enough so people don't stand on it when I'm dancing... I had a little accident. But I want to finish first the trimmings before I finish the pulling up system. 

So for the layers.. everything is newely made. Also I was thinking ahead for future victorian dresses, so I chose for pieces that would also go for other decades. Until I have time to be more precise for corsets and underpinnings. Petticoats are a different deal. 

So it feels like the first time since I began with corsetery I felt like I nailed that corset. 

Off course there are things I would do different the next time, but I'm very happy with this result. I took the pattern off an original corset from 1880 that was not only in new state but also fitted perfectly my body. I didn't make any adjustments to fit it better. I had the chance to borrow it from a dear friend I always be greatfull for. It was for me the first time to take a pattern directly from an garment at all.

So because this was a for me large part of sewing this hole dress, I made the decision to use for the other pieces patterns out off the envelop to spare me some time.  

The chemise and drawers I made from Truly victorian  TV102. I knew black cotton would be a better choice for under an black dress. But here is again the part reuse it for other victorian dresses, and many off them have white blouses and are a bit see through... and white is easier to wash and that sort stuff. In the future I will make a black set. 

 A closer look at the neck line. I like that you can choice if you use the button closure at the shoulder. For ironing very handy. And under a close up from the hem.














I don't have a closer picture of the drawers.

So this are the layers under all that black. I used TV108 for the grand bustle. It did easy together, instructions where easy to follow, nothing out off the ordinary. The two petticoats are made from TV170. One from a more sturdy beige colored cotton and the second one from a bleached thinner cotton and had a lace hemming, i really love this pattern and hope to make some new 1890's petticoats soon because my old one is in a really bad shape. The last layers before the actual outer layers begin is the trained petticoat, I made this on from the same pattern I used for the outer skirt, so the skirt wouldn't suffer that directly from the ground. I used TV208. 

So I began first with the skirt and the apron. I wanted to finsih them at least with minimal off trimming before I sewed more on it, and run out off time if I hadn't finisched the bodice first. I used TV208 for skirt and apron, and the fabric I used is black dupioni silk. In these three pictures you can see the skirt before I began with the bodice. But after these pictures there is not much changed. After the bodice I sewed only one row of ruches at the apron, for more I hadn't time. The skirt has two pockets instead of one, I'm happy with those spaces. They are big enough, so no need for a handbag.

 The dress with the bodice, only the buttons and buttonholes where needed here. 

For the bodice I used TV416. I didn't changed anything about the pattern, but for a next time perhapes do some alterations or draft something completely different. 

I think I would do more bustle periods in the future, I feel really good in this dress. 

For this dress I'm gonna make a day bodice as well for a day event in June, with new gloves and a hat. And offcourse finish the skirt.

So last but not least, I did something I dreamt for years. My first pair of American Duchess shoes. A pair of renoirs, and I love them! They are really comfortable. I danced the night away, stand most off the time. And believe me, I can't stand long on my feet before they begin nagging, completely with heels. But those heels are from perfect height. With those beauty's no problems at all. I hope to order there soon, but it's really expensive to order over sea..... 



 

And the prove I danced the night away....!

I need some new self-adhesive soles.....

 Happy new year!!

1660's dress

with the up coming gala nocturna in march i have decided to make a 1660 baroque dress, to begins with the inspirations for the dark romantique style of the event. the theme of this year is The age of redemption. this is quite a vague theme at first impression, but after some searching and brainstorming it begins to form a idea.

i fount some good blogs en sources for the dress and i know how to begins with this project. but first some impressions for the dress it self.

 i felt in love with the black one, and i think thats gonna be my biggest inspiration.

 a nice view from the back of the dress

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A few days a go I posted some inspirations a bove here. But now I would share some other things, for some reason is shoes always a problem with historical costuming, and if you have a big part of money, yeah you can let shipping some super awesome shoes of the american duchess.... But I have not that money, not yet. 

So I had a half year ago that suprising effort to find second hand shoes that looking great 18th century, I know that the shoes of the 17th century looked different, but at least they gonna be the nearest i'm going to find. 

These shoes I where them earlier with my raven rococo costume. but, i'm not going to search for new ones, when these ones are still good. So these are my second hand shoes, that luckely fit as well. 

The shoes where new very expensive, but I had them for 7 €, a real bargain. the are made of suede and are really soft at the outside. You can feel they are from better quality, I have rarely wear better heels. They are from Charles Jourdan, maybe you know them... but I didn't at first.

So the other thing I would share with you was the pattern i'm gonna use for these dress.
Most of you know the Janet Arnolds books, and for the first time a gonna try the 1660 dress from her first book. If that fails I know an other pattern from the website http://www.neheleniapatterns.com/english/englishsite.html

I love these website, and buy regurlarly stuff at this website.

Janet Arnold, 1660 dress

Nehelenia Patterns, 1660 dress

So this dress I finished some time a go, I think it was fabruari 2016 and never updated this post again. The problem is, every photo what is taken of these dress is very dark, so you have never a good look how the dress looks like, the photo's are great, but you can not really see how the dress fits, looks like in general, I don't even have a real historical photo of it. So I hope there wil be a moment when I have as well a historical and clear one. But for now, I have these. I hope you will enjoy these pictures.

These is at gala nocturna, it was a great evening. But we didn't know that moment it would be the last gala nocturna ever.

You see, it is a very dark picture, and i'm like the dark blob in the middle..... I love my friends, but why do I have to be the shortest and the thickest of them three... I look like dwarf next to them :|

They are both very talented you can find Maartje  and Charlotte here. 

Photographer: Bart Kools

So the next following photo's are made in elfia Haarzuilen 2016.

After I was queen off, I changed back to something darker to compensate the light and sweet costumes I was wearing the last time.... The weather was not good, so I decided I didn't want to make a historical hairdo and make-up, because I was alraidy changing my costumes in the rain..... on a parking lot. So forgive me for the non historical upside.

Photographer: Bart Kools

You can see the fullnes of the skirt. I did the same thing with my balkan skirt. (what is really is this case my underskirt, just so colourfull under all these black :p)
I used 6 metres of tafta fabric for that and then I changed the routine and gathered in four lines of threat, so you have real nice pleats. My waistband is handsewed because all these fabric could not under my sewing machine.

In these case I used the first time my new puffer for over my bumroll and really? I love that thing, skirts need sometimes that little bit of support to give them that nice full shape.

Photographer: Bart Kools

 And like every event there are the derp photo's.
Angela and I had time to laugh. we where both 1660 that day, so that was a good reason to take some photo's together.
But let me say, her dress was gorgeous. next to mine, mine dress looks like a trashbag, even the black colour was the right colour :p
But I have really enjoyed that we wore the same year that day. And these pictures are the happy memories I had that day :)

Photographer: Bart Kools

 Even Jasper couldn't escape.

Photographer: Bart Kools

I like these picture, there is a kind off childlike joy, I love how it turned out.

I like how my dress turned out, I know how much I do have the learn, but I also know that how much I already learnt these past three years of intensive costume making.

Photographer: Bart Kools

With this update I'm gonna

























[update Dec. 2017] 





I have worn this dress a couple of times now, and have a few more pictures, more historical, I wanted to share. 

Picture made by: Maartje Willemsen

I wear me new earrings here, and like them very much. 


Also there are more appropriate shoes and stockings on the way for January. 


There are still some things I want for this dress, some good hairpieces are on my list of things what to do. 

Picture made by: Maartje Willemsen

So upcoming January there will be an new years ball, where the theme is France 1660-1715. So this dress can go out again. 


These pictures are made last Sepember at the annual elfia in Arcen. 

Picture made by: Bart Kools

This is the last picture I want to share. I have a lot of fun with this dress, it has its defaults, but that is a part of the growing process to be a better sewer and costumer. And after two years I began to make this dress there is a lot that is changed. 


So I hope I have some more pictures after January, but I can't promise anything. 


:)


















And I have some photo's! I'll share some off them here below. 

Picture made by: Winnie Helsen

Picture made by: Winnie Helsen

 And in the last picture you can find me, but I add this one more to give you more a picture off the ball itself. It was a nice evening. I enjoyed very much. meet old friends, made new ones. Worth repeading!