Let’s have a ball!

Over the last 7 years I have organised Victorian balls and several  smaller events. What has started as a whim ( I wanted my Victorian party and yet  there weren’t any around at the time), has grown into a regular …

A Victorian Photoshoot in Paris

  Last November  I had to go to Paris to do some research and business stuff – and as usual I decided to combine the business stuff with a bit of pleasure. It was Lucas’s big birthday, and so a …

Munich Conference 2018

In September  Julia from Sew Curvy  ( the organiser of the Oxford Conference of Corsetry) and I, together with our husbands, flew to Munich for a few days.  The lads were indulging in photography, sightseeing and beer ( not necessarily in that order) and we were busy attempting the conference organised  by the folks behind The Patterns of Fashion – The School of Historical Dress.

The book 5 was also launched there! A treasure!

The conference was held in the Bayeriche Museum and attracted  A LOT of attendees – crowds aplenty!   It was amazing to meet up with people you only knew from the Instagram or Facebook 🙂

 

The programme was varied and interesting, with seveal fascinating lectures, and the museum itself  was a gem too.

a few favourites below…

 

 

The biggest discovery was this – a girl’s jacket and skirt in heavyily slubbed silk…

The dress display was next door to weapons and hunting exhibition, also some fascinating objects!

and the only way to get the best angles….

The hosts of the conference  ran the show nicely,  the food was good ( that soup with sausages was amazing!) and locals friendly…

The only irritating thing – the organisers asked  us not to take any footage of the lectures – especially the slides….  and yet a few folks were doing this…. almost all the time :-(((

 

In the evenings we  made a point of sampling the local cuisine, and for three days we were full of potatoes, sausages, sauerkraut and pretzels…. and cake….

And since the hotel we stayed in had an excellent sellection of  gin, late evenings were spent sipping new mixtures and playing Cards Against Humanity…

On the last day we were supposed to go  on an excursion to a museum of corsets nearby – but the realisatin that the nearby means 3 hours on the coach, each way, we simply couldn’t handle it – too peopled out! And a combination of bad sleep ( Munich centre is very noisy)  and  having spent 2 days surrounded by people meant  the prospect of a busy day like that just too much for my introverted soul. We managed to swap the flights for a day early and had a relaxing morning wondering around the  town, its fabrics shops and cafes instead 🙂

   This was my first conference of this kind  and although I have enjoyed it, I discovered it was far from my natural habitat – I was exhaused afterwards!  Still, glad to have made the trip and to have met with the folks there 🙂

 

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Summer events 2018

It sure was a rather busy spring and summer for us!  Let us have a brief recap…

1. Medieval Wedding

The end of spring  started with a medieval wedding of two friends – I made some of their finery and Lucas  ( Timelight Photographic) was their official tog – for both the prewedding photoshoot and for the big day as well 🙂

I was attending an equestrian event in Devon earlier on that day, but fiished early, packed up and drove to the venue in dorset just in time for a lovely evening with the newlyweds:-)

 

2. Peterborough Heritage Festival

This is our regular event, as I was  yet again portraying Catherine of Aragon, whereas Lucas was the Old Scarlett gravedigger on one day and the HIghwayman on the other. We also did a very busy school day on Friday –  kids do ask the best questions, never boring!

The weather was well, like most of the summer, scorchingly hot, but somehow we managed in our wools and silks -the natral fabrics do breathe well and covering the scin from the direct sun has a trememdous impact! as was keeping to the shade…

and a few images from John Moore Photography…

and the ‘after hours’ feels….

3. Huntingtonshire HIstory Festival

This was a cracking mid 17th century event in the centre of the town – outside displays, battle drills etc, Cromwell’s Museum tours, as well as individual displays. I was demonstrating  lacemaking techniques, and Lucas was talking about medicinal practices of the era. We were based in a lovely courtroom – and it was just a few steps to the adjoining room where the public could witness a proper trial of  the folks accuses of siding with the roualists… lots of fun! (for details check the Cromwell Museum )

It was just a one day event, but a very busy one – we wre both hoars from talking by the end!

during the day…

and a short video of the plaited bobbin lace 🙂

 

4.Milton Keynes : Victorian Weekend  at the MK Museum

Again,  this is our regular event where I display a variety of clothing from the era, both originals and replicas,

There is a lot going on at the museum – soldier display,  tea with Queen V, sidesaddle show,  Dickens telling stories… lots. you can see it all well captures in Timelight Photographic album here-

5. Tudor Joust at the Hampton Court

An amazing spectacle  organised jointly by Griffin HIstorical and Past Pleasures, with  international jousters. Great fun, despite the heat, and a great privilage to be invited too!

Again, proper media coverage by Photosm – here  – below a couple of images of us 🙂

And a few  behind the scenes, taken during the rample around the palace

Including a bit of a ‘glide’ practice i always fancied having a go at 🙂 not as tricky as it looks, simply a lot of tiny, fast steps. Though a rumba  might work just as well 🙂

 

6. St. Neots History Festival

Another regular one – this year it was a multi-period event with a lot of things going on –  craft demos, suffragets, barbers, quacks and philosophers ( Lucas as Newton included),  entertainment and kids games.

 

 

I was talking about the history of the sidesaddle and  many a delighted child got to sit on my trusty old Mayhew:-). Lots of folks seems realy surprised at the construction details and could finally understand why we dont fall off that easily – the pommels give us a good purchase! 🙂

 

Next summer is already looking just as busy – if you fancy hiring us, the full list of what we can do is here  🙂

Victorian picnic in Syon Park

I know, I know, I have been neglecting the blog a bit…. so am just trying to catch up on the year…. * One sunny weekend in July, the Prior Attire team and friends had a picnic. A victorian one …

Prior Attire Victorian Ball 2018, 28th April, Bath

  It was my pleasure, yet again, to organize the Victorian Ball in Bath – our 4th! This year  it was a little bit earlier, and so far the coldest spring event so far – all the dolmans, mantles, coats …

Corsets- a shopper’s guide

Corsetry is currently experiencing a bit of a revival – which is great  ( if you still think they are torturous, rib-breaking, garments-from-hell, please read this first…). However, since they were out of fashion for quite a while, people nowadays …

Prior Attire Victorian Ball, Bath 06/05/2017

And what an amazing weekend it was! The ball was a huge success, and we all had a lovely time indeed. This was our 3rd ball in Bath Assembly room, and the most attended by far – 130 people, with …

1880 walking suit in bluebells

 1880 walking suit in bluebells As a part of my incoming book, The Victorian Dressmaker,  I have been making a lot of new frocks. This one is one of the 5 or so different frocks representing the Natural form – …

Victorian seaside adventure!

Some things start unexpectedly…. last January I picked some lovely silk that just screamed Victorian Seaside Bustle frock… And so for the summer I put a few days aside to make it – and to nip somewhere on the coast for …