1815 Green & gold evening dress finished

I just realized that I never posted about this...our planned Regency Christmas party for this past Saturday had to be postponed because of the weather. Many attendees were driving in from out of state, and no one was sure how safe the roads would be. (To be fair, I'm from out of state too...but just across the river, and I drove over earlier than most people would have, before the roads might've got bad.) We've rescheduled it to be a Twelfth Night party the first weekend in January - and are hoping the weather cooperates!

I admit I was very disappointed, but I did finish my sleeves (actually, I just put the last stitches on them this morning!), and today got some pictures.

Important disclaimer: there is not supposed to be that much dangly fringe on the turban - I didn't know it had untucked itself! Same for the escaping shift sleeves.

If you're wondering why the turban, it's not because I really thought it looked spiffy with the dress (I am so very bad at wrapping turbans that don't look idiotic), but because I didn't want to bother with my hair for a ten-minute photoshoot!

Mine may look silly, but thank you Regency fashion for fancying head coverings! I feel the same way about 18thc caps...they make life so much easier for the hair-challenged amongst us.

My stays are unfortunately cut just a couple inches too high, so they do show at the back of the dress. It's unfortunate, but I can't say it bothers me enough to make a whole new pair of stays to fix the problem!

They are short stays, so it wouldn't be all that much work, really...I'm just lazy. And there are many other things I'd rather be sewing!

 And yes, climbing in a tree. In an evening dress. Because why not. (Lots of valid reasons, I'm sure, but I don't care for any of them!)

And a few dress details, rehashed (but the last time I mentioned them was ten months ago!):
- It's inspired by an 18-teens shawl dress in Costume In Detail. Mine is made from a sari, but it's at least a related concept!
- Made from a silk sari from ebay - this was really a very cheap dress to make!
- The fitted bodice lining is made from white linen, and the green fabric was draped over it. The rest of the dress is unlined. Probably obviously.
- The sleeves are piped, and were incredibly annoying and fiddly to make.
- And naturally, all hand sewn. Not that it's a big deal to hand sew a Regency dress; there are hardly any seams!

I think I'll next be working on a petticoat and half-robe to wear the morning after this Twelfth Night party, but I haven't quite decided yet. There are other things I really need to sew for the first few months of the next year, more than that.