How's that for a photo spam? I can't help it, I just love how the photos came out for this ensemble! I took advantage of the overcast skies and decreased temperatures today and got all dolled up in my new pet en l'air and cotton petticoat!
The petticoat is a nice muslin-ish ivory cotton, and was the second of two I made for this ensemble. The first I made out of a crisper cotton I found at Colorado Fabrics, and turned out to be the petticoat from hell. The fabric was super tightly woven, giving it a nice crisp appearance, but it was impossible to pin and even for my machine to sew! I ended up finishing the petticoat, even though it took hours longer than I was hoping due to the fabric being pure evil. I wore it underneath the second petticoat, which I made after a trip to Joann's for better fabric. The second petticoat took under and hour to sew up as the fabric was so much more agreeable! Live and learn, I am always learning more about fabrics and which to choose for what project!
I am mostly happy with the pet en l'air, I could have worked on making the pattern a bit more historically accurate and the fit a bit better, but I think it works in the end! The color and ruffles feel super girly and rococo. I still have enough of this fabric to make a little pierrot jacket too, so that will be my next historic project and I will work harder on the pattern and fit for that.
How about this hat though right? I made it ages ago using this great tutorial from Lauren of American Duchess. You all know that scene from Keira Knightly's The Duchess where she sits outside with her daughter playing cards and wears a near identical hat? I knew from the moment I saw that film I was going to need that hat! The huge (HUGE!) hedgehog style wig I am wearing in these photos was bought at a crazy wig shop on Hollywood boulevard in California years ago. I bought it on a bit of a whim, but man is it an awesomely gigantic 18th century coiffure! The wig shops on Hollywood boulevard are great by the way, mostly for/run by drag queens and they have amazing selection and good quality wigs. They had many 18th century styles, I think I paid around $70 dollars for this particular wig. I have a lot of the curls pinned up into a more high style of hedgehog here, I'll show you how it looks in its full "The Duchess" worthy form next time :)
Sorry I was a bit MIA this weekend, I was finishing up all the pieces of this costume so I could get pictures done today, I hope you enjoyed them!
Oh wow, it's absolutely fabulous! And how do you get such great new backgrounds that suit the dress each time?! Stunning work!
ReplyDeleteThank you Ellie! I am glad they look like different backgrounds because I often go to the same few places for outfit photos. The house above is a local (and the only local) historic mansion/ranch. I dream of living in England someday so I can travel to new historic places/mansions(/castles...) all the time for photos!
DeleteOooo it's wonderful! I totally get why you posted ALL the photos :) You look stunning. And you did such great work on your outfit. I have been playing with the thought in my mind, to make a historic costume/project, but I still struggle to justify the reason for it. Where I live there are no events where such a creation could be worn, so I am afraid to spend lots of fabric and time on something to hang in the closet. But Oh how I do want to do it!! Maybe the learning experience, and the process itself is reason enough?
ReplyDeleteThank you Siri! I don't have anywhere to wear my costumes either so I totally understand where you are coming from. I just love dressing up, even just for the fun of it all! Plus with this blog I can pretend to have an excuse! I definitely think costuming is worth doing even if just for the sheer enjoyment of the process and prancing around in something pretty for a day. It can be expensive if you jump into something that requires a lot of silk, but many eras had cotton gowns so that can be a less pricey way to start out in the hobby for sure.
DeleteBellissima! That purple is stunning on you! Excellent job. Soo rococo indeed! :)
ReplyDeleteThank you Carmella! :)
DeleteI love how this turned out! Great job!
ReplyDelete-Emily
Thank you Emily!
DeleteOh my word...I'm, well, speechless! What an incredibly, enchantingly, magnificently gorgeous historical ensemble. I'm just going to sit here and savour this amazing outfit for a good long while.
ReplyDelete♥ Jessica
Thank you Jessica! I'm glad you like it :)
DeleteOooooohhhhh...... *sigh* So stunning..... Historical costuming like this always makes me wish I could get dressed up in a fabulous outfit and wear a hat like yours!! Everything about this is perfection ~ the vivid color of your Pet en L'air, the gorgeous fluffy swoopiness of your picture hat.... Wonderful! ❤
ReplyDeletexox,
bonita of Lavender & Twill
Aw thank you Bonita! I am a big advocate of making/wearing costumes just for the fun of it, as I myself have no where to wear such things!
DeleteWow! This is terrific! You should be in a costume drama!
ReplyDeleteThank you Kate! I'd have to be in the background because I am a very bad actress :)
DeleteYou look so fabulous wearing this color! And there can never be too many photos of such a beautiful creation! ;) I love the whole outfit!
ReplyDeleteThank you Sanna! I am already itching to start my next 18th century project!
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