Green and White 1860s

This summer was busy. It was the kind of summer when it's easy to just close up the sewing room and not think about making anything until things quiet down...but I also had a big finale at the end of the summer I wanted to be dressed for: Historical Dance Week in Denmark. So close up the sewing room I did not!

in Christiansfeld, Denmark

As I mentioned in my last post I had fabric waiting to be made into a new 1860s dress, and the Denmark dance week seemed like a perfect deadline to set myself. Even though the 1860s is one of my favorite periods to wear (and dance!), it's been several years since I made a new dress because the sheer volume of fabric means everything needs extra time--hemming, decorating, construction--and I am notoriously bad at leaving myself enough time for projects.

But this time was different! Mostly, anyways. I was still hand stitching trim and closures after dance classes ended for the day, but in general this project really confirmed for me how far I've come in the last few years. I started with enough time to actually do the project right, I didn't skip steps, and I am so happy with the result! Hooray!

Some construction details:

the bodice is based on TV442, with an adjusted neck and waistline for my short-waisted, round-shouldered self

 There are actually two fabrics in this dress--I spent a long time at the fabric store running around to find two matching cream, slightly textured faux silks! Most of the bodice and the base of the skirt are the plain fabric, and the ruffles, sleeve caps, and bertha are the embroidered fabric.

the sleeves were an experiment, and I was pleased with the final result! After I took this picture I stuffed the poofy undersleeve, which I like better

lining up ruffles to attach the the skirt

so.much.fabric.

construction help

My fabric had a wide border design and the center was filled in with regularly-spaced "medallions" in rows, all embroidered with metallic green cord that was couched onto the faux taffeta with fishing line. The ruffles on the skirt are made from the border embroidery design, and the other bodice details (sleeve cap, bertha) use the medallions. I spent a lot of time picking out embroidery for this dress! In order to get the blank space I wanted (at the top of each ruffle, around the bertha, and on the sleeve cap) I ended up picking out the bits of embroidery I didn't want. I was really lucky, because ironing the pieces got rid of the holes--sometimes with dead dinosaur fabrics that doesn't work.

cooling down on the porch in between dances--it gets hot in the ballroom!

I felt like a giant cupcake in this dress, and it was a blast. I'm not usually in princess mode, because we're usually running the event. I'm the one lifting furniture, washing dishes, plating refreshments...and throwing my clothes on at the last minute. Not that I don't love doing those things, but it was kind of fun to feel like a princess. All I had to do was get dressed and show up!

in all of these photos my face is blurry...oh well, my face isn't the important part!

the bertha has one medallion at center front, and two medallions at the back. Both the bertha and sleeve caps are trimmed with green velvet ribbon

To complete the princessy feel, I did a royally inspired hairstyle. I've been really into braided circlets at the front of the hair, probably because I recently acquired a fake braid that is just about right to circle the front of my head. Either rolls or braids at the front of the hair show up quite a bit in magazines of the mid-60s, but the style is perhaps most associated with Empress Elisabeth (Sissi) of Austria and Bavaria.

Empress Elisabeth, mid 1860s

Peterson's Magazine, 1864

Godey's, c. late 1860s

I did indeed use my fake braid, and then my actual hair is looped around a rat to keep it low in the back. I have a comb in the back with sparkles and pearls (which I wore as bun bling with my 1817 dress in Scotland), and a tiara at the front, because this was a fancy European ball and I was really leaning into the princess thing.

I was so pleased with this dress, and it was the perfect thing to wear for such an elegant evening. I'm already looking forward to wearing ruffles again at home!

historical adventures are much better with friends

Inner Monologue: TGIF

Every now and then I have one of those days where I wind up feeling frustrated, tired, and unaccomplished. I got into the habit of using bling as a mood boost in college, and even though technically I"m an adult now I still do it. Last Friday I came home from work much later than expected feeling awful, only to discover my new tiara had arrived several days early!

So I did what I always do: I baked in my new tiara. So enjoy this lovely Friday (while I'm scrambling to finish sewing for tomorrow!), and this goofy picture of me...

Baking in Captain America sweatpants, a tiara, and pearls

Keep it classy!

Newport Part 6: 1890s Ball at Roger Williams Casino

Did you know that in the 1890s a casino was a public building, not a gambling hall?  I learned that at Newport, when we danced at the Roger Williams Casino, which was certainly not a place for poker.  Like a modern casino, however, it was certainly a place for bling.
We don't do 1890s very often (something I am hoping, however, will change now), so this dress was an exciting chance to be sparkly.  So naturally, we were.  My dress is not done, but considering it wasn't finished when I arrived at Newport, the fact that it was wearable by Friday was a great success.  The skirt and bodice are decorated with butterflies made of lace and rhinestones.  Someday they will also be outlined in sequins so that they pop a bit more.  While this dress still needs a lot of work, I was happy with it for the ball (and how swooshy the skirt was!), and the ball was a lot of fun.  Any ball where we are all wearing tiaras promises to be a good night.

Enough from me--I'll let the pictures say the rest.  Shiny!

people dancing in the upstairs ballroom

and taking a refreshments break downstairs

sometimes, we are not very good at being serious

Antonia lent me her ginormous feather boa to play with!

it is so fabulous.

Antonia was one of the boys

this is a terrible picture, and you can tell how sweaty and hot I was by the end of the night, but you can see the butterflies! they fly up the skirt to make an upside-down "V" with one on the bodice. 

Quinn and I take a casual posing break

and of course, we were silly! Here we are doing the "Zombie Cake Walk"

Whew! We made it!  That was the last Newport event.  It was an amazing week, full of gorgeous ballrooms, fabulous dresses, and a lot of dancing.  It would not have been the same without new friends, though! They were the best part.  I look forward to sewing and adventuring with them this year--and I'm actually off to do it today.

The Great Sparkle Quest

As you may remember from this picture, I wear sparkles (usually a tiara) when I need a mood boost.  I also shop for sparkles when I need a mood boost, and in all of these ebay exploits I keep my eyes posted for kokoshnik tiaras.

Growing up I heard many fabulous stories about my family in Eastern Europe and their trials immigrating to America.  Maybe it's just in my blood, or maybe it's because of all those stories, but there's something about the Russian monarchs that really fascinates me.  It might also have something to do with how much I loved the animated movie Anastasia too.

Anyways, while I am always on the lookout for sparkles I can wear with various ballgowns, someday I would love to own at least one tiara in the kokoshnik style.  

Kokoshnik refers to the traditional headdress for Russian married women, which was worn into the 19th century.  Historically the kokoshnik is a decorated crescent (sometimes rounded and sometimes pointed, with appliques, embroideries, precious stones, etc.) tied with ribbon at the back in a bow.  The specific design for each kokoshnik was associated with a particular region of Russia (called gyberniya) and it was at times actually possible to tell where a woman was from based on her particular kokoshnik.

traditional dress of a wealthy peasant from the early 19th century

Ballerina Anna Pavlova in traditional dress c. 1920s

Naturally, during the cultural revival of the nineteenth century that meant the monarchs needed their own 'regional' version, which eventually took on the form of a tiara.  

The imperial family of Tsar Nicholas II in kokoshniks--see the similarity in shape to the tiaras?

The most famous of these are fringe tiaras: the George III Tiara (aka The Russian Fringe Tiara) and the Russian Kokoshnik Tiara.  Both are made of graduated stiff rows of diamonds (which is where the term fringe comes from).  

George III Tiara

The George III Tiara was originally commissioned in 1830 from diamonds in the collection previously belonging to King George III.  Worn by Queen Victoria multiple times throughout her reign, this tiara is still worn by the current Queen Elizabeth II.

Kokoshnik Tiara

The Russian Kokoshnik was an anniversary gift to Alexandra, Princess of Wales in 1888 on behalf of the peeresses of the kingdom.  The princess had specifically requested a kokoshnik tiara, as they were already quite fashionable.  In fact, the Empress of Russia, Maria Feodorovna (Alexandra's sister) also favored this style.

Empress Maria in her kokoshnik fringe, 1882

While the fringe tiaras are probably the most iconic of the kokoshnik tiaras, this is by far not the only type.  Here are some other favorites of mine!

Empress Consort Alexandra in Romanov Pearl Drop Tiara,  1896

Romanov Drop Pearl Tiara

Maria, Queen of Yugoslavia c. early 1920s

Maria's emerald and diamond kokoshnik, which originally belonged to Tsarina Maria Alexandrovna in the mid 19th century 

Empress Maria Feodorovna (formerly Dagmar) while Empress Consort, 1874

black diamond kokoshnik of Queen Maria of Romania

Westminster Kokoshnik by Chaumet, early 20th century

Aren't they lovely?  I will be ever-vigilant until I find the perfect one.  In the meantime, I will have to content myself with other beautiful sparkles.

Oh, and a little further proof that Anastasia was a formative film: the titular character and the Dowager Empress in their kokoshnik tiaras.

One is a fringe and one is the more rounded style--my two favorites. Hmm.

Inner Monologue 3

I volunteer at the county penitentiary once a week to co-run creative writing workshops with the 18-24 year old men in the "boot camp" program.  Tonight our workshop focused on the importance of building a sense of place through details using A Room of One's Own by Virginia Woolf.  I was so impressed by the discussion and writing that occurred, and I left feeling so much better than I have been lately with all the stress of having to graduate.

Anyways, I thought in honor of that I would share a very silly moment from a couple of nights ago.  I often study in a tiara when I need extra motivation, and for some reason the combination of pearls, pajamas, and sparkle is pretty hilarious.  Although Antonia has already beat me to the blog (so to speak) on this one, here I am making the most of my college education.