Dumbarton House

Well, you'll probably notice I am NOT wearing a Regency Spencer. I decided not to rush the
Spencer, and wore my cashmere shawl instead. I spent a good portion of the night before decorating my bonnet, so I didn't want to pull an all nighter when I had to get up early the next day.So, here's the costuming group, all together at Dumbarton House in Georgetown. The woman in the middle wearing black is Mary Doering, the co-curator of the lovely period clothing collection we were there to visit. We loved visiting the house which was built at the beginning of the Regency era, and the gowns were lovely (no photos inside the house, unfortunately).
Here's the mandatory group shoe picture! I'm wearing the pink silk slipper in the lower right corner. A few people asked me where I got it - I found it on Amazon, but it's available at many online shoe stores. The shoe is from BC footwear and the model is called "babycakes."I loved so many of my fellow costumers' outfits. Loren, as always, is wearing an AMAZING hat, and I love her matching overgown and muff.I love how Jenny Rose used red and yellow together to make such a gorgeous ensemble.I think my favorite gown was worn by Marilee. Here, she's wearing a fabulous Pelisse that matches her gown, pictured below.Marilee is a Pastry Chef at a very chic restaurant in DC. She and the restaurant treated us to tea and pastries after our tour. We all got a sample platter of three desserts. They were some of the best I've ever had - I loved the Tiramisu, and that's saying a lot since I have rarely, if ever, met a Tiramisu that I liked.I meant to get a picture of the desserts because they were so pretty, but the were SO good that by the time I remembered to take a photo, my plate was clean, as was most everyone else's. Overall, it was a lovely day! I can't wait for our next outing.

Promises, Promises

Okay, so I know I said I would only be working on Costume Con projects between now and May. I really DID try to get started on my single pattern competition entry, but I couldn't find some of the fabric I purchased for it in my fabric stash. The state of my walk-in closet, and the fact that I practically have to empty out the shelves to get to all of my stuff doesn't help.

So when I got tired of digging around in boxes, in a huff I remembered that I have a trip to Dumbarton House this weekend in Regency clothing. That pattern was within my line-of-sight, and the fabric for it is a large bolt of fabric that is contributing to the closet traffic jam. I figured a Spencer and a bonnet might help disguise the fact that my ballgown isn't appropriate daywear, and thus began yet another Costume ADD project - a Regency Spencer.

I'm using another great Sense and Sensibility pattern and making the double breasted spencer on the far right. The pieces sew together beautifully, and I think this will be a fairly simple project. I made up a toile last night out of muslin in the same size as the ball gown and was incredibly pleased to note that it was way too big (we're talking fistfulls of fabric too big). I took it down one size, but now I'm worried that it will be a bit too snug once I get all the layers put on. I'm going to have to put on my gown for another fitting tonight (not a big alteration if the front is a bit too snug), and then hopefully I can move on to cutting out my fashion fabric (the toile will be the lining). I'm using a peach cotton velvet. This is an example of a finished spencer from Pride and Prejudice. Mine won't have the fussy sleeves, but here it is:

Melissa's Annual Oscar Fashion Review

Yes, I know you've all been waiting for this. Why listen to cranky Joan Rivers when you can have a completely subjective review by someone with no professional knowledge of the fashion industry. This year's big trend was: white, white, and more white. Even the winner of "Melissa's Best Dressed" joined the ranks of the white gowns:
A Big Congrats to Marissa Tomei in Versace. She may not have taken a statue home, but she was certainly dressed like she was ready to. I adore the structured layers of this gown. I really wish I could have seen the red carpet show to see how this dress moved. I bet it was mesmerizing!

Others joined Marissa in the ranks of the running of the brides:Jessica Biel - I think this one was a mistake. The front draping is really unflattering.Penelope Cruz - yikes, you knew you were probably going to win and you wore something that looks like two vintage bridal dresses thrown together. The lace, the frothy tulle in Disney's Belle ruching...definitely one of my lest favorite this year.Miley Cyrus - my initial reaction to this gown is I like it. Once you start analyzing the petals, she has some sort of under-the-sea theme going on (her belt has two shells on it), but I'm going to stick with my gut reaction and say I liked this look.Melissa George - no hesitation here. I don't like it. Morticia Adams in white whith corset strings that really need to be snipped shorter.Taraji Henson - I applaud any of the white dresses that stood out in my mind on Oscar night, and this is one of them. The layering of the fabric is gorgeous and sets off her skin tone beautifully.Nancy O'Dell - again, not too bad. If I was going to wear white to the Oscars, I'd want to look like a Greek Goddess, which Nancy O'Dell is pulling off here.Sarah Jessica Parker - another winner. I don't know how a woman her age can look good in net and tulle, but she just does. The fitted top flatters, and she's definitely channeling her Sex In the City days.Evan Rachel Wood - her hair is the only saving grace that allows her to wear this gown. I just don't think the gown should fade into the background because it exactly matches your skin tone. Beautiful gown, just not the one for Evan Rachel Wood.

To those who resisted the urge to fall in with the crowd and be an Oscar Bride this year, kudos go out to!Kate Winslet, My Best Dressed Runner Up in Atelier Yves St. Laurent. I don't know why, but I love this one. She looks very elegant.
Angelina Jolie - well, no big surprise that she wore black since it's her signature color, but it was a welcome change from the rest of the crowd.Viola Davis looks gorgeous in this gold dress, and definitely stands out in the crowd. The pleats are beautiful.Brownie points to Alicia Keys for wearing a flattering color, though she's channeling Beyonce a bit with that thigh-slit.Frieda Pinto - you know, I would have loved to see her wearing something by an Indian designer instead of John Galliano. That being said, it is a very flattering dress, and I actually really like the one transparent sleeve. The bottom of the dress has that same tulle effect that I liked so much on Sarah Jessica Parker.Amy Adams. There were a handful of red dresses on the runway this year, but none of them seemed noteworthy except for perhaps Amy Adams' dress. I LOVE the Fred Leighton necklace that she's wearing, but I'm not sure about the black pipe detailing on the dress. The draping in the front with chiffon is gorgeous. This one is a hit and miss with me. Natalie Portman - I love the dress shape, draping, and fabric, but I don't think bubblegum pink is her color. C+ for effort and not falling in with the all white dress crowd.Melissa Leo is my Runner up for Worst Dressed in Badgley Mischka. I don't know who to blame - the designer or the stylist. The color is horrible for her, and the torso of the gown is WAY too long to be flattering. This dress could have been a perfect gown, but instead it makes her look older and dowdy.This year's Worst Dressed goes out to Mary Hart. Her picture doesn't say who she's wearing, but it looks like a very badly wrinkled Monet gone all wrong.

Did I leave out anyone you feel is worthy of a mention? I couldn't fit everyone in here, so I went for the ones that jumped out at me. I'd be happy to discuss some more in the comments.

A little side note: I filled out my Oscar Ballot on Saturday. This year I got 18 correct out of 24 categories (about the same as last year). I decided that Mikey Rourke was probably going to win Best Actor, even though I though Sean Penn deserved it. Just shows, I shoulda stuck with my gut feeling. I thought 'Presto" was a shoe in for the animated short film (I mean, when was the last time Pixar didn't win this category??). I also missed Best Foreign - I think Waltz with Bashir got snubbed because it was animated. The others I missed were categories I frequently get wrong: live action short film, sound editing, and sound mixing.

George Washington's Birthday Ball

Well, the Regency ballgown is officially completed. I hemmed it last week, and wore it to George Washington's Birthday Ball at Gatsby's tavern. Dave came to the ball with me (it was Valentine's day) and I had a GREAT time dancing! I spent a good portion of the night 'costume shopping,' or admiring other lady's outfits to find out where they got their patterns/wigs/accessories. The Ball was set in the year 1799, and I'm a bit too avant-guard - my dress is more like an 1805 or 1807 dress. The lady that's in the picture with me is perfect for the year 1799:
I love her overgown, the long gloves, and the turban was perfect! I have an overgown and turban planned for this gown, but CostumeCon priorities come first until May.
Mary took this great shot of my dress from the back, and I went ahead and helped myself to it because I like how it shows off the pleats at the back of the gown.Here, Mary and I post together out in the banquet room, as we enjoy chocolate dipped dried fruit, cream puffs, and other yummy indulgences in between dances. Mary attends sewing night with me, and it was great to see a friendly and familiar face there!

Here was another great 1799 gown/overgown combination. The couple pictures is dancing the opening minuet at the Ball. It was very pretty, and I have to admit, not at all what I expected a minuet would be.Loren gets the prize for my favorite costume of the evening. It had that 'all together' look that was just perfect. Her wig is EXACTLY what 1799 hair should look like, the overgown is gorgeous silk, and the undergown is fine transparent cotton with a white embroidered hem. I thought she looked very nice. Loren and I met at the Williamsburg Riding Habit workshop - I'm apparently finally getting a good handle on the costuming community!

1740's Riding Habit

Another weekend, another Williamsburg workshop. This time we were learning to draft/drape 18th century riding habits. The riding habit above is one that the Williamsburg Millinery shop reproduced, and is an almost exact replica of a riding habit at the London Museum.


I went into the class only knowing that I wanted a green riding habit, with worsted wool in hand. I had no idea what style of riding habit I wanted to make - we watched a slide presentation showing habits from the beginning to end of the 18th century. Although I loved some of the later century riding habits (especially the hats), the riding habit on display had caught my eye and I was in love with it. When the instructor asked me what I wanted to make, I pointed over to the mannequin and said "I want that." And so, the 1740's riding habit project was born.

I took a close up picture of the back to show the pretty hand-detailed stitching, and the gorgeous point in the back of the riding habit. It's lined in the same blue silk taffeta that the waist coat is made from. I'm a little daunted at the prospect of figuring out how to drape the skirt of the coat by myself, as well as a few finishing details that I'm unsure on (cuffs, collars??).

At the workshops, we only work on the tops - the skirts are simple and something that we can do on our own at home. We get a basic fitting basted down, and then we're expected to finish up everything on our own. This is as far as my riding habit got. I have chalked on lines on the green wool which will take out some more fabric - right now it's able to close all the way down, but I actually only want it to button down to the bust gusset. I also have sleeves, but I didn't get a picture in them. They're very narrow and fit perfectly.

Here is my fitting partner - she had made her skirt and riding shirt ahead of time (I still have to make mine). The top was drafted by me. I think it went pretty well. I had some very minor corrections from the instructor, but otherwise I'm getting this draping thing down.

The instructor brought along an 18th century sidesaddle was pretty neat. We were allowed to sit in in and get a feel for what it might be like. How funny that this class was only a week before I started my sidesaddle riding lessons! I don't think the saddle above would qualify as a 'safety' sidesaddle that modern ladies use, but it's still fun.
I just HAD to bring back a picture of this Lady Worsley riding hat because I just drooled over it. There were so many feathers on that hat!! I tried it on and really liked it, but I'll have to figure something else out since my riding habit will be far too early for this look. Apparently ladies didn't wear tricorns after the 1730's (if you were British, anyway). I'm thinking I might take on an Austrian persona when wearing my 1740's riding habit so that I can wear a tricorn. Marie Antoinette was pictured wearing a tricorn in the 1770's.

I'll enjoy finishing this project, but it is definitely on hold for now. I'm putting the final touches on my regency ball gown before George Washington's Birthday ball (on Valentine's day), and then it's time to start some SERIOUS CostumeCon sewing.

18th Century Completed Stays

I hereby declare the never-ending 18th century stays project complete!!! This is the first garment I ever made that was drafted and crafted for my measurements.
I hand-bound the edges of the stays with a very soft goat leather. The wooden bones don't poke through the leather. Any future corsets that I make with wood will have leather binding! The inside of the stays are lined in a checked linen. Apparently plaid and stripes were the most commonly found linings in 18th century stays.I picked up this handy little tool at the Williamsburg stays' workshop. It's a bodkin, and is used to help lace up your stays. Sure is a lot easier than using shoe lace plastic tips (and more period correct)So here I am modeling the corset. Caly wanted to be in the picture too. You would not generally wear a petticoat underneath the corset like I am doing, but my shift is very sheer so it's for modesty's sake.Here's the side shot. I have the perfect mid 18th century flat front. Without the flat front, you can't properly fit the 18th century gown which requires a rigid foundation.Whoa...cleavage shot. What I'm really trying to show here is the nice triangular shape that my torso has taken by wearing the stays. Again, this is part of the 18th century aesthetic. Here you can see how the corset is laced up. Rather than using a modern lacing technique (where it looks like you're tying a shoe), this corset is spiral laced. The eyelets are off center, and the corset is laced from the bottom up. This pushes everything up as you lace the corset, which is the desired effect for the 18th century. I never realized how lacing can be so important to giving the corset the right shape: this same corset looks different if I start lacing from the top and doesn't look correct. Victorian corsets are laced and tied in the middle, so that the waist is nipped in.
On an unrelated note...I've been finding old childhood photos, and I found this picture (I'm on the far left, my sister is the next one over). In one of those "as-luck-would-have-it" moments, my sister and I got to be walk-on girls for the Opera Eugene Onegin. I was nine years old. The Opera was in Europe, and this was long enough ago that the visiting opera troupe was known as the Opera of Leningrad. Wow was their costume room fun!!I loved having the little curls at the side of my head, and I thought my dress was so lady-like (my sister was very unhappy when they put her in a shorter gown and bloomers because if her age, but she was as cute as a button!). As we were leaving every night, the performers would come out in their enormous white ball gowns that seemed to stand out a mile, with lots of tulle and satin (if you've ever seen the movie version with Liv Tyler, this is toward the end where Onegin sees Tatiana at a ball and finds out she's married). I think these photos mark the beginning of my fascination with historical costumes.

Let The Costuming Resume!

After devoting most of December to handcrafted Christmas presents for my family, I'm back to my costuming. It's definitely crunch time: I have a ball, a workshop, and Costume Con to work on, so I'm planning to devout quite a bit of time to sewing from now until May.

Just so you can see what I've been up to in December, here are photos of my family with their 'magic quilts.' The pillows unfold into quilted blankets. Above, my mother-in-law got a 'Provencal' style in blue. Everyone got a personalized quilt based off their hobbies and personalities:My sister-in-law got a kitty print pillow.

Her Husband got a hockey themed pillow

And my father-in-law (the LGB train nut) got a train themed pillow.

Right now my main focus is finishing the binding on my 18th century corset. I worked on it over the Christmas holiday (you can see my dog Caly dutifully assisting me), and I've been working on it in the evenings in front of the TV.

I just finished binding the top of the corset this evening: Of course, it's the easiest. I dread all those tabs on the bottom of the corset.

For those of you who have never used leather to bind your corset, I have to say I highly recommend it. My glover needle cuts through the leather like butter, and the leather stretches and conforms to the shape of the corset a lot better than normal fabric binding. There's the added benefit of having leather protecting you from any protruding reed bones as well. After my old corset, having a strong layer of leather in between me and the reed ends will be a welcome change.