An Artistic inspired gown.

Originally I had planned to make a white cotton undergown with a black wool overgown. the pattern coming from La Mode Bagatelle's Artistic Reform Teagown for Visby Baddagar, the Victorian sea holiday I attended. But time ran away for me, and the white undergown wasn't finished in time. Instead I decided to wear my green silk taffeta dinnergown under the overgown, qith a high-necked chemise. I also wore my reform corset during the day, changing to a proper corset for the evening.

I liked the effect of black and green, though I still want to finish the cotton gown to wear with it. The overgown is the B-one, and it was very easy to sew. I had to make the crossover in the back deeper than indicated as my back is narrow. and I opted to only have one ribbon as I liked how it looked like this.

Helping Lithia to hem her gown in the very last minute.

While my husband watched the lovely view of the sea.

The dinner dress was made from underdress B, but I redrafted the front to make it shirred instead of plain. I'm super pleased with it, even if I need to make a few small changes to improve the fit now.

 

Improvised hair- I simply hadn't had time to do proper research, but a lit of fake curls. The hair jewelry was made by Lithia, who you can see on this picture too.

A gaggle of friends, some of which I went to Versailles with. The lady in red is wearing an original bodice!

A glimpse of my corset, the wonderful Sanakor corset from Foundations Revealed. I have Lithia to thank for it, as she enlarged the pattern and generously let me use it. I need to tweak it a little over the bust, but it did what it was supposed to do and gave killer curves without lacing down much at all.

Summer plans; a Victorian weekend by the sea

You can see from the last posts I haven't’ been idle despite my lack of blogposts. I also have plans for
the future. For the fifth year in a row, there'll be a Victorian weekend at Villa Fridhem, a Victorian
boarding house outside Visby. It was built in 1860 for the Princess Eugénie´I have never been there,
but last year a couple of friends went, and had so much fun I felt it was time to go.

The main problem are the clothes. You need a lot; morning clothes, bathing suit, daywear and evening
wear. And I don’t have any 19th century clothes. In fact, apart from the 1830’s, the 19th century
largely leaves me cold. But there are a lot of fun 19th century things going on, and I don’t want to miss
out. The time span for the bathing weekend is 1870-1900, and after discussing wardrobe with my
friend Lithia, we found a solution. I may not be super interested in mainstream fashion, but I’m always
interested in alternative fashions, regarding time. And in the late 19th century we have the often
overlapping Reform Dress movement and the Artistic/Aesthetic Dress movement. So Lithia and I have
decided to go as two artistic ladies, and make our wardrobe accordingly. It’s not a style which is
recreated often; possibly because it's faux-medieval look easily makes them look like badly researched
Medieval clothes.

I’ve finished a reform corset and one set of chemise and drawers. For morning and daywear, I’m using
the Sense of Style pattern. I’m making an overgown in black tropical weight wool, with an undergown
in white cotton batiste.

I’m going the white gown without the overgown for daywear. The inspiration comes from the
Skagen painters who often depicted their spouses in simple white gowns.

A Stroll on the Beach by Michael Ancher, 1896

I’m also making a bathing suit in dark green wool, using The Mantua Maker’s Grecian-Style bathing
suit.

As for evening gown I fell in love with this portrait. I’m making it in green/blue shot taffeta, with
slightly different sleeves.

Mrs Luke Ionides by William Blake Richmond, 1882

And I found these lovely Victorian belt buckle to wear with it!

Even if I will be wearing the reform corset for daywear, I’ll wear a proper corset for this one.

I originally planned to make a bicycle suit too but felt it would be too stressful for now. Possible in the
future! Also, coming up is a 1520's gown.