Tuesday, March 10, 2009

2nd Regency Dress - part 1

from darling Winnifred

This past summer I purchased a beautiful corset from Period Corsets. It's the Alice 1880's corset. I bought it for the various reenactments that I plan to participate in, like civil war and regency. Although it's nearly 20 years post civil war (and 80 post regency), it offered the best support and gives a really great, universal silhouette.


The trouble was that once I put it on under my original regency dress, the dress didn't fit!!

SO!!! I get to make a new one! :D

My original thought was to get a simple white muslin (which was popular during the time as it was easily obtained from India and denoted your status as white was difficult to keep clean) and pair it with a cornflower (or midnight) blue.

I headed off to my favorite fabric store: The Warehouse! Where everything (no matter what the material) costs $3.49 a yard. Knowing their selection isn't always guaranteed, I wasn't sure I'd find what I was looking for. But I lucked out! What I found was ten times better. A really dense, high count white (I'm not sure what it is though, but I know it isn't muslin. It feels like my black H&M scarf.) and a lovely GREEN broadcloth!

What?! Green?! How'd that get in there!?

Yes, green! I was looking for my blues, but nothing looked good with the creamy white. Then I happened upon this springy grass green with a slight sheen and it was perfect! (But at 3.49/yd it was cheaper to just buy broadcloth at JoAnns)


I have completed the underdress and just need to hem it and add buttons. I haven't decided about sleeves because I'm making a robe to wear over it and figure sleeves would just be cumbersome. I guess I'll decide as I'm going along... More to come!!

1 comment:

  1. show another pic of the actual under dress so far!

    looking amazing - can't wait to see the end result.

    ReplyDelete