Belle Époque masquerade costume

Well, I had planned to make the clover costume, convinced that I had a lot of cotton sateen in the right colour. However, when I dug into my stash I realized that I didn’t have quite as much of it than I thought. What I did have, was yards and yards of dark blue polyester sateen. Not the greatest of material- it was left over after making theatre costumes years ago, but the colour is lovely. My friend Lithia had already decided to make a version of the star costume and we decided that I could make one too. I have silver fabrics at home, so I’ll use that instead of gold. I’m keeping to my plans of making the bodice with drawstrings as I had already made the pattern and don’t feel I have the time to make a fitted bodice anyway. I’m not going to make the star apron and collar; instead I will make a belt and choker by my own design. I’m keeping the star fascinator, though.

I’m making the skirt simpler too, more in style with this one:

Fraulein Frauke presents La Belle Paris

It's time again on March 10 and this time Fraulein Frauke is themed La Belle Paris, giving us the choice if we want the "La Belle Epoque" or the roaring twenties. For some odd reason Fraulein Frauke always seem to take place the weekends I work, but I will take a tired Sunday again and go- it's worth it. I have always had a lot of fun, the atmosphere is great and the entertainment splendid.


I'm so, so tempted to make a new dress for it. I think I will have a go at it, but have a back-up plan as I know that deadlines isn't good for me. I could, of course, make a 20's frock quite easily, but my figure isn't really suited for that silhouette and I will probably just feel frumpy. La Belle Epoque on the other hand... I have been looking as pictures of Anna Held, Ziegfield's common-in-law wife and star and would love to make something along those lines.

A skirt and two petticoats

Skirt in very crisp silk taffeta. Made of straight pieces. Front and back looks the same, The skirt is slightly gathered to the waistband, and then there are three pleats on each side. Unfortunately I didn't managed to take any good pics. I think it may be from around 1910. Like the other skirt it has a very tiny waists, around 50 cm.

A petticoat made of four pieces. Two slightly gored front pieces, and two curved back pieces. Though it's in silk taffeta, it's not as well made as the other clothes. The ruffle is not finsihed, and very uneven, though that can be because it has been worn a lot. The pocket at the hem is not finsihed either. My guess is 189's.

Front is where my son holds it. Lots of fabric in the back.

Detail of pocket and hem.

Detail of inside hem.

A petticoat made of straight pieces, that has been very carefully gathered at the waist. I don't know what kind of fabric it's made off. It's quite sturdy. Early 1900's is my guess.

It has a beautful pocket,

The waist is constructed a bit oddly. I should have taken more pics, but I'll try to explain. The gathers are held in place with two gathering threads, as you can see on the pic. On the inside a tape is sewn to it, ca 5 cm wide. Then the waist band is only sewn to the petticoat with a few stitches. It seems that when it was worn, it must have looked more like a belt, than a waist band.

Actually, I'm not at all sure anymore why I think the last one is a petticoat and not a skirt. I haven't looked carefully on these clothes since I took the photos and that's six years ago. Time to check them out again, I think.

An Edwardian dress, I think

The dress consists of a bodice and a skirt in black, rather dull silk. I think it's Edwardian, but again, I'm not altogether sure. I believe that it's younger than the previous bodice as I know that they have belonged to the same woman and this bodice is considerably larger. Also, the skirt has definitely not been worn with a bustle. The bodice is in very good shape, and very well made. I think it's so beautiful!

The front of the bodice. It closes with hook and eyes off centre. I didn't manage to get a good pic of the collar, but it's high and made of lace without lining. It has stiffening sewn to it at two places so it could stand.


Detail of the front. I think the decoration is just lovely.


The back of the bodice.


On the front the folds on each side of the lace are sewn to the bodice all the way, in fact the closure is hidden behind one of them. On the back, however, they are just stitched to the bodice at the shoulder and hem.

Details of the inside, front. The silk is backed with pretty heavy cotton, and almost all seams are reinforeced with bones in light blue casings. There are no signs of anything altered, or removed. I am, however, at loss of the () shaped seam at the front inside.

The inside of the back. You can see the stiffening on the collar here.

The sleeves are tight, with a small slit at the wrists. The opening is trimmed with very transparent silk.



The inside of the armscye. As you can see the arm in lined with two layers of fabric. I would think it's the same with the rest of the bodice, but that is impossible to see.

The skirt has broad lace insertion down the front, the same as on the bodice. Slightly gored. When I said that the bodice is larger than the other one, it's still tiny. The waist is only 50 centimetres!

Detail of the front.

Detail of inside.

An Edwardian cape

I have no good reasons to why I think this cape is younger than the other two, but a friend is certain it's early 20th century. It's in excellent condition. It looks brand new, and can't have been worn much. It's made of taffeta, with appliques made of silk velvet. There are also two rows of silk fringe. It's closed with a small clasp set with white stones.



Detail of the front.

Detail of the front's inside. The stitching for the appliques go straight through the lining.

Family portraits

I love watching old photographs; they are a great resource when it comes to fashion. And it’s especially fun to do it when it’s family. So here are a couple of my great-grandmothers.

My father’s paternal grandmother Elisa, my namesake. The photo is taken in 1890 when she was ten years old. She was something of a tom-boy, there are letters from her mother to her father where it says; Elin (Elisa's older sister) is daily to my help and joy, but Elisa brings me to despair with her wild ways.


Elisa was a very talented musician and wanted to be a concert pianist, but that was an unthinkable career for a wealthy girl from a manor house at that time. She rebelled in her own way, I suppose, when she married my great-grandfather, who came from really poor circumstances, though he had worked himself upward with the help of a brilliant brain.

The shape of her eyes is a very distinct family characteristic, and it can be traced back as far as there are photos, i.e. to around 1850. My grandfather had them to, and so have my father and his siblings. I have the general shape, though not as heavy-lidded, but I look at her hands and I realize that mine are the same and so is my son’s.

And this is her mother, Laura. I love her dress. I’m not sure when this portrait was taken, but she was born in 1840 and died sometime in the 1890’s. One of her ancestress, and therefore mine too, was Ingela Hammar, probably the only female privateer Sweden has ever had. She was married to Lasse i Gatan and ran the privateer business with him, and also, successfully, after his death.


An unknown relative.


My father’s maternal grandmother Lydia aged four, with her little brother. She was born in the 1880’s.


And at 15.


25 years old. If I inherited my eyes and hands from Elisa, Lydia gave me the rest. She’s much prettier than I am, but I resemble her quite a bit.


Her mother Matilda. She was a Walloon and one of her ancestress was accused, but aquitted of being a witch in the late 17th century. I would like to know more about that trial.