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 …

Dressing Queen Victoria

This one was a very exciting commission – a friend who often works as Queen Vic needed a new corset.. and a  new bodice and a train to go with the skirt she already had.

After a session of looking at different portraits and photographs of the Queen, with Eve pointing out which features she’d like to include in her bodice or train, we got some sketching done…

Fabric was next – and here we were lucky as got a length of beautiful silk brocade from Quartermasterie – all that i need to grab was silk taffeta for lining and pleats and some lace and buttons….

The corsets was made first –  and it is a rather jazzy affair,  so wont be shown here to preserve the dignity of the monarch, but i bet now a few people who’d meet Eve at work would be wondering what  lingerie secrets her clothes hide ;-0

Bodice was a lovely blend of the 1880ties and earlier fashions – sporting a version of pagoda sleeves, apparently quite a favourite of the queen. we also added detachable under sleeves, for colder days .

The lace was simply lush, though applying it took some time, and the underside of the pagoda sleeves was also trimmed with lace, a  more modest version.

The train was just fun.  The construction was simple – a slightly shaped rectangular fabric, plasted and with tapes and buttons to allow the wearer to bustle to up if needs be. But it was  recreatingthe pleated trim from one of the original photos that was interesting….

The train has a baleyeuse ( the dust ruffle) made of black cotton lace  buttoned up  – they were  a truly delightful frilly affairs that made life so much easier –  you wash only the ruffle as your skirts are protected.

The pick up day was also a shoot day as we offered Eve a mini session –  the results below! Hope you like the final result:-)

train bustled up, no undersleeves

Train flowing loosely, under sleeves attached

Eve’s  page is here – enjoy browsing!  Queen Victoria

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Photoshoot and Moonlight Ball at St. Audries Park

  If a place is as fantastic as St. Audries, one cannot stay away from it for long – and so, just over 3 years after our wedding there, we were heading back – this time for a ball the …

1885 day gown – stock item

 

Since after the WWI corsetry shoot  we still had the set living in the garage, I decide to use the opportunity to snap a few atmospheric shots of a  circa 1885 day dress in cotton from our stock.-a skirt with an asymmetric drapery and a bodice, both lined in cotton. It was about 2 sizes too big for me, but clever pinning and padding worked, to some extent . Would suit a corsetted size 14-16, with bodice closing at 34 inches, chest 40. sleeve 23 “, skirt length 41inches. here worn on a corset ( unlaced) and a bustle cage and a petticoat. It  will be available to purchase from our online store soon:-)

And in the meantime – enjoy the pictures – really happy how they turned out,  Lucas is really getting the hang of it now!

 

 

 credits – Clothing: Prior Attire

photography: Pitcheresque Imagery

 shoes: American Duchess

hair ( well, the fringe)- Wonderland wigs

Embers – 1876 Visiting Gown

This particular frock has long been on my ‘to do ‘list. One of the ‘love at the first sight’ thingd – the moment I opened Harper’s Bazar on that page, I fell in love in the elegant lines of the frock, beautifully accentuated by the trim. I simply had to do it…

 The original fashion plate and the description:

  Getting the colours and trims right was always going to be tricky – and indeed, the gown was finished much later than I had planned as I couldn’t get the trims to play with the fabric. I wanted to keep the original colouring of the gown – grey, black and crimson/red, and if possible to get the trim patterned as well.

 The fabric was easy – looking through my James Hare swatches I stumbled upon the booklet with Connaught silk ( wool and silk  blend) and their graphite was just perfect.

 Trims – well, that was tricky indeed!

 Well, after buying  a few lots online, i realized that it didn’t  work – the trims that looked perfect on the screen turned out to be too gold, or too orange or too brown. In the end I went with a ‘back up’ plan – I had 4m or silk velvet in almost the right colour ( with a bit more raspberry sheen than i would wish, but the best match so far), and just needed a secondary trim – and since Lucas was in London one day, he was sent on a trim finding mission in the caverns of Lawson and Barnett Trimmings. Armed with fabric swatches, hubby was able to hunt down a few possibilities and after reaching approval additional trim was finally bought.

 altogether the following materials were used:

 Silk – 6m,

lining ( cotton, black and red – 6m),  red silk for the sleeves – 1m

 silk velvet -3m

trim – 37m ( yes, 37!!!!)

 black cord – 16m

 black chenille cord – 15m

 metal buttons for baleyeuse – 20

cotton broderie anglaise lace for baleyeuse – 12m

 silk and cotton thread, black lacing, bones for boning the bodice etc

velvet covered buttons – 40

tassels – 4 pairs from Gina B  ( need to get one more pair)

 Now I had the components I could at last start work….

 The garments per se were not too tricky – the skirt was simple ( similar in shape to the skirt for my 1877 polonaise), and the overskirt was  pretty basic too – though the draping wasn’t!

 Bodice – I drew the pieces up first in spare cotton fabrics, made a mock up and only after making sure it worked well, I cut the proper fabric.

 Here skirt and bodice half way through – awaiting trimming… looking very demure, but already liking the shape

 then it was cutting the velvet bias bands to go over the skirt… with the usual helper of course…

 In the hindsight, I should have cut the bands in exactly the shape i needed them – that would take up a bit more fabric, but would make the trim lie flatter…

skirt is bound in black cotton, chenille cord applied, and now the fancy trim is being sewn on

pinning up the velvet strips

stitching the thing… hate sewing velvet…..

and the other side being done…

most of the trim on!

Then the overskirt received the trim treatments and it was time to start draping the thing…

hindsight – should have bought 1 more meter and made the overskirt just a tad more voluminous at the back…

the side was pleated..

bustle part bustled and secured by the inside tapes…

side pleats were set and then the cords were attached – they all come together, secured in a bit of fabric – the cords with tassels will be added here too. that bit simply pins under the bustle once the overskirt is on.

the rosette and tassels were added… the centre of the rosette is decorated with a button – the same silk covered buttons with chenille braid embellishment were then put on the folds, over the braid attachment

 and then I could actually try the thing on…

 Once I was happy, I added closures to the skirts, added  the cords and buttons, and started on the bodice – and I must admit that was one of the most complex thing I have ever done! the shape and construction were easy, it was the closure and the trim placement that was a bit of a logistic nightmare!

 The trim itself was very tricky – here it had to be cut in exactly the shape it needed to appear on the bodice, bias strips did not work well 😦

 The description says the bodice is laced – but you see buttons on the illustration. I originally planned to go just with the buttons – but once I started playing with the trim placement, I realized that buttons, will only work, if they have loops, so that the pieces don’t overlap ( lines of the trim were upset by this). loops may put too much strain on the bodice/button – so maybe the original was right after all…

 In the and  I added lacing strips inside the bodice, so that the bodice laces up, and the buttons and lops secure the very edges providing a neat, flat finish and bot bearing too much strain.

inside lacing, outside buttons and loops

  the sleeves were a handful too – I did each of them separately, so it was completely finished, trim and all, when it was set in.

cuff detail, with the cord and tassels

 The whole thing was first worn on a set of a Sugar Skull photo shoot – I was providing costume for one of the models and we decided to shoot Embers in between the other stuff ( a whole new post on that once the photos go public! very usuasual and magical stuff:-).

 The gown was worn on the usual underpinnings:

  A new lawn and lace chemise ( we now stock a few of them for sale:-), drawers, stockings, basic corset ( again, testing our  stock item here – worked very well!), Tavistock boots ( American Duchess), small bustle pad.

close up

considering the corset was a generic size 12 and not made for me at all – it was surprisingly comfortable!

And the frock itself

 After the shoot, and before the first event, I added a baleyeuse ( dust ruffle) to protect the trained skirts from the dirt.  the Ruffle simply unbuttons and is chucked into the washer when it is dirty – then is pinned up again.

 Here’s the baleyeuse after a whole day of walking around the market – not too bad!

 It also peaks just a bit from the skirts – and the weight of it makes the train lie better and not bunch up when walking:-)

at the market

  Altogether -pretty pleased with it.  yes, should have ordered a tad more fabric, and still need to add the collar, but  so far I am rather pleased how it turned out, even despite all the bad language that occurred while making it….:-)

  Now hopefully we can have some more Victorian booking to wear the thing!

 photography : Pitcheresque Imagery

 frock –  Prior Attire – obviously 🙂

Victorian Commission part 2: Kiddies’ stuff!

  Following the first part of that exciting commission, when 7 Victorian outfits from 1865-1885 were made, a follow up order for children’s clothing was placed. Once again i was delighted to be working on the project – especially, since just like with the first one,  apart from generic guidelines, I had more or less free rein as far as the embellishment etc was concerned.  Basic parameters established – size ( age), cut, inspiration pictures, fabrics etc – it was time to get sewing!

 btw – I also did some research,and learnt a lot – one of the best sites was this one – http://www.victorianlondon.org/cassells/cassells-15.htm – with lots of original text outlining the children’s clothes, notes ad pictures  and other useful info – recommended!

1. a dress for a 3-4 year old girl, in cream moire, with a petticoat in cotton and a pair of bloomers – all with the same lace. the undergarments would also go with the next dress

the undies!

the detail of the fabric and the pintucks – pintucks were perfect fr adapting the skirts as the girl grew – you simply undid them. Flounces  and other decorative items were often used to cover the seams where a skirt had a panel added to lengthen it – very clever:-)

 I was lucky enough to secure a model for this dress as well – a bit too young, so the skirt is a tad too long and the bodice too big, but little Cobi’s debut as a model was a success!

2. a dress for a 5-6 year old, in blue/grey cotton with blue silk taffeta decoration – loosely based on the picture:

and the rendition:

3. a dress for a 7-8 year old girl, in pink and navy silks to match the 1885 adult costume

the inspiration picture for the girl’s dress:

and the result:

dummy too big – so not buttoned up to the end! 😦

side view, with the little bustle at the back:-)

and the undergarments for this dress and the next – another pair of bloomers and a petticoat

  the next 3 dresses were based on the frocks in this picture:

4 – a dress for a 9-10 y.o. – a summer affair in lawn with velvet ribbon decoration – and interpretation of the  outfit on the left.

worn on the bloomers and petticoat shown before

5. a dress for a  11-12 y.o – in green cotton, with navy velvek and checj ribbons,  inspired by the dress of the other standing girl, on the right.

the dummy is getting too small now..

this dress  will form a match to the adult dress in similar colour:

6. and the last one,  for a 13-14 year old – inspired by the sitting girl. A polonaise in black velvet with contrasting skirt, decorated with ribbons and antique lace. Again, note the pin tucks and the velvet guard ( and the dagged trim in the original) – all clever devices to allow for lengthening the skirts:-). forgive the quality of the pics – had a bran new phone and was still trying to get to grips with the camera! 😦

 underneath there was another petticoat, much more suited to the Natural Form era, and closely mimicking the styles of a grown up lingerie:_)

this particular frock was a match from this, a bit later, adult dress:

 Altogether, an immensely enjoyable  and at the same time educational commission – cannot wait for the pictures from the studio – will be great to see them being worn by mothers and daughters! 🙂