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.

Comments

  1. Gorgeous! Love the color on you too.
    -Emily

    Emily's Vintage Visions

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    1. Thank you! I love the richly colored dresses of the Regency...funny, it's an era known for its plain white dresses, and I haven't made one of those yet!

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  2. Gorgeous! There is something about a Regency gown that makes one climb in trees... I've done it multiple times :) Great job! And the color is stunning on you!
    thedeviantdressmaker.blogspot.com

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    1. Thank you! That rich shade of green *is* one of my favorites; for a few years I made most of my costumes one shade of green or another! And it's good to know I'm not the only one that feels compelled to climb trees in Regency dress! :D

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  3. It's sooo pretty, the color is gorgeous! I love the little sleeve detail too! It's a perfect regency christmas ball gown! :)

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    1. Thank you! I thought the green and gold would be very festive, indeed - though of course that was a happy accident, as the sari was one of the only evening-gown-appropriate fabrics I had!

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  4. I just love it (not) when you get home, all excited from a photo shoot, only to discover some hideous flaw in every shot...the string not tied, the crooked bustle, the disintegrating hair style. Sigh. Might as well have had one tooth blacked out.... Thing is, most folks looking at the photo don't see it. Only we do! Nice job! Lovely color!

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    1. Hahaha! That is so exactly right! And I always feel the need to apologise for all these flaws just in case people notice and are wondering what's wrong with me - which of course then points all those things out to everyone who might not have noticed otherwise! Oh well.

      And thank you!

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