Friday, March 1, 2013

The Re-Made Regency Gown

So, here are some pics!

A yellow wool shawl (piano scarf? maybe?) I found at the thrift store seemed to go pretty well with the dress (the embroidery is machined though, sadly). And I tried out the mitts.


Conclusion: Mitts are way too enormously huge. I think if I take the seam in about an inch they will fit much better. And I can take more away from the top side of the mitt so that the embroidery is more centered on the hand. It all works out.

I am so much happier now with how this dress fits. It feels right. That isn't very technical but if you've ever worn something that doesn't feel right you know what I mean.

The only thing I don't like is how the skirt kind of pulls a bit at center front. I think it is because the bodice rises up a bit at center front, pulling the skirt with it, so it makes the skirt lay weird across the front. However, this is certainly not a "nice" dress and would have probably been worn for home activities and work. I will likely wear an apron with it when I do wear it so the state of the skirt is not a huge concern at this point.

Since I shortened the waistline a bit the skirt is consequently a bit shorter, too. But, that is okay too. #1 Skirts were worn a bit shorter in this period. #2 An "active wear" dress would have had a shorter hem length anyway.

I did my front hair in pin curls this morning and by lunch they had dried enough to take them out. Fluffy hair. Not sure how I feel about this style yet but it's better than a modern hairstyle, anyway. Dratted half-grown-out-bangs.

I am really glad I remade this dress. It's a great feeling. There are only a few months left in the regency costume challenge so I need to devote the remaining projects to things I really don't have - a nice basic silk bonnet, a coat of some kind, very plain. Perhaps another apron since the white one will easily soil and something in a check and a darker color would be very practical to have.

Love,
Sarah

9 comments:

  1. Good job for actually altering an older, unhappy dress! I tend to just want to start from scratch. This looks great on you. :)

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  2. Beautiful job remaking it! With the dress and the curls, you look just like Lizzy Bennett from the 6-hour Pride and Prejudice! =)

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  3. Dear Sara,

    What a remake; what a difference! The dress has life now, and the bodice treatment is very handsome on you.

    Sure, if the waistline pulls a little, so be it; I am sure you could pin it at certain points to your stays across the front if you were fixed on fixing it in one spot :}

    Frankly, I like the hairstyle. It's free and becoming. Maybe it bothers you to have curls bopping in the way while you work: that's something a bandeau would take care of :}

    Hugs,

    Natalie

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  5. Thank you!

    Christina, you certainly seem to be quick to agree to any criticism of these mitts, ever since their initial construction. I hope you were able to see the discussion on facebook concerning these; where you stated they were not accurate. The common consensus is that they are indeed accurate for most of the 18th and into the early 19th century.

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  7. I think the dress turned out incredible! So lovely, as usual!

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  8. Looks like a cosy, practical dress (I wish I could make one that looked as nice). And I like the hair it looks regency to me. Although maybe if you are not happy with it you can wear a cap as a married woman.

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  9. It looks so beautiful on you. I actually really like that hairstyle on you, looks very much like Elisabeth Bennet to me. I love the deep green and how it looks with that why fichu. The lines are just beautiful. I love re-making things. I feel like I conquered a mountain or something when I do that. You last couple of posts inspired me, I am going to rip apart my own regency inspired dress with problems and make it perfect!! :)

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Thank you for your lovely thoughts!