by Jennifer Rosbrugh on May 9, 2013
Hugh Dancy as Daniel Deronda set in the 1870s
Lest you think we forget our handsome gentlemen around here…
Without them where would our Elizabeth Bennet be? What about Molly without her Roger? Or Scarlet without her Ashley AND Rhett?
For these dashing men to be appropriately dressed, they must make a visit to their tailor – who probably dressed them to the T without the use of patterns. We, on the other hand, lowly 21st century seamstresses, dressmakers, and wannabe tailors must rely on ready-made patterns to get it right.
To help in your search for patterns to gussy up your man (or yourself!), here are several patterns that will draw the attention of all the ladies at the ball or picnic.
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by Jennifer Rosbrugh on May 2, 2013
1817 Bonnets Moda di Francia
Jane Austen you say? Lizzy Bennet? A walk to Meryton? The War of 1812? Napoleon and Josephine’s court? If you are at all into the early 1800s you know you can’t dress up without completing the ensemble with a bonnet. (Heck! That’s why those films we swoon over are called “bonnet dramas.”)
The Regency Era has given us quite a number of bonnet styles. Capote styles (soft crown), cottage bonnets, and poke bonnets abound. It’s hard deciding on a favorite!
From feathers to flowers, let’s take a look at ideas we can utilize for decorating these delicate head toppers by using period fashion plates and writings for inspiration.
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by Jennifer Rosbrugh on April 18, 2013
1887 Underskirt in progress
I’ve been sewing for so long (nearly 30 years!) that all the prep work that goes into a garment seems boring to me. You know… washing, ironing, sewing endless straight seams on underskirts, hems, etc….
Apparently I forget that all the work that goes into creating the foundation of the silhouette IS what’s so important in how a garment turns out.
Building a sturdy foundation is where it’s at! It’s the proper undergarments. It’s using the right fabrics to support the fashion fabrics. It’s the fit of the base skirt over the silhouette that’s a reason to write home about.
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by Jennifer Rosbrugh on April 11, 2013
1875 La Beau Monde
I get asked quite often: “How in the world does one sit in a dress like that?!” No, really. How DO you sit down?
To help you all out with that burning question… here’s a video tutorial with tips for how to sit down when wearing a bustle dress from the 1870s or 1880s.
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