Costuming at Costume College Part 2 - Saturday

Part 1 - Thursday and Friday are here:     http://theperfecttouchvictorian.blogspot.com/2014/08/costuming-at-costume-college-2014-part.html

My first costume event was in May 2007 when a group of ladies attended a Victorian Tea and Architectural Tour in Raleigh, North Carolina.  We attended dressed in full Victorian costume and had the most marvelous time!  The following day several of us visited Biltmore Estates in Asheville, North Carolina, again in full Victorian costume, and had another fabulous day!  I learned right away that costuming isn't just about the day of the event but the days, weeks, and even months before the event.  It's about the planning, researching, and talking with your friends about the event and costumes.  The days (weeks and months) of sewing and crafting and sourcing accessories and then the packing and preparation just before the event.  The event itself seems to fly by and afterward there is a mixture of happiness in an extraordinary event and a sadness that it is over.  What remains, however, are the memories and especially the photographs which allow us to relive the fun, friendship, and laughter all over again.

So even though it's almost three months since Costume College, I'm sharing my second day and remembering all that led up to that incredibly wonderful day!

Day 2 of Costume College is a day of classes for me and because of that I choose to wear something simple and comfortable.  I participated in the Sew for Victory 1940s Sew-A-Long this year.     In that event I created a reproduction of a vintage apron which I absolutely love and it will probably never see a kitchen!  This is the sketch of the 1940s transfer pattern:

This is the blog post:   http://theperfecttouchvictorian.blogspot.com/2014/04/venturing-into-new-era-hsf-challenge-8.html

I had such fun that day but didn't get one photo of myself.  I'm still learning about how important that is, so here is a photo I took today reliving that same fun day as The Perfect 1940s Housewife.

In between classes I toured the Exhibit, studied the work and collections of other costumers, visited with people I had been looking forward to meeting for literally years, and made new friends as we talked about this fun hobby we shared.

On Thursday and Friday nights I had pulled unworn costumes from the dark recesses of my closet.  And I do the same for the Saturday night Gala.  In December 2013 I was planning to attend and teach ribbon flower creation at a SASS Convention.  The Ball theme was based on the Reconciliation of the States following the Civil War.  The colors of blue and gray representing the opposing armies were my inspiration for the ballgown colors and a Harper's Bazaar fashionplate from 1872 inspired the style.

The patterns I used were from Truly Victorian:  TV416 1870s Ball Gown Bodice, and TV 216 Parisian Trained Skirt.  The bodice bertha is self drafted and just slips over the head and ties to the bodice.  With hours and hours and then more hours of sewing and pleating over 60 feet of pleats....

and then hours and hours of creating 37 ribbon flower pansies - one to represent each state in the Union in 1872 -

...the Reconciliation Ballgown is finished!

To my dismay resulting in many tears,  I have developed pneumonia and am unable to attend the Convention.  So this creation gets stored.  But when my roommate, Kay, tells me she is going to wear her blue and white Civil War era gown to the Costume College Gala, I know exactly what I will wear  - yes, my Reconciliation Ballgown!  The Saturday evening Gala at Costume College is kicked off with the Red Carpet entry where spectators line the hallways to admire, applaud and photograph the fabulous creations being worn that evening.  It is unbelievable and we have such a memorable time!  The Gala dinner is delicious, the entertainment very special, and it's the end to another perfect day at Costume College!

Next post, Day 3 Sunday!

 

Love always,

Jeanette

Historical Sew Fortnightly Challenge #19 - Inspiration

“(…) the New Woman of the 1920s boldly asserted her right to dance, drink, smoke, and date—to work her own property, to live free of the strictures that governed her mother’s generation. (…) She flouted Victorian-era conventions and scandalized her parents. In many ways, she controlled her own destiny.”
― Joshua Zeitz, Flapper: A Madcap Story of Sex, Style, Celebrity, and the Women Who Made America Modern    

 

I recently finished a 1916 suit with all appropriate underthings.  It seems such a few short years from 1916 to the 1920s but what an incredible change in fashion!  The war is over and all of life has changed significantly.  With the inspiration from Historical Sew Fortnightly member Annette Frances Jones and her reproduction 1920s brassiere from Challenge #5 I found the perfect underthings to start a new era of creative sewing.  Thank you, Annette!

 

The pattern Annette used is BP9206 1920s Brassiere & Bloomers by Bazaar Patterns.  It is in a single size which fortunately is my size!

Using a lingerie tricot material in a Roaring 20s red, I have all pieces cut and the bloomers linings sewn in.

The pattern is simple and the pieces go together nicely.  There are directions included in the pattern for creating the rosettes.

The brassiere requires hand sewing for the lower band and bias along the upper edge but also goes together beautifully.  Here is my finished 1920s brassiere & bloomers.

These fit beautifully and feel wonderful and now I'm ready to make the rest of the 1920s costume.

 

Historical Sew Fortnightly

 

What It Is:  1920s Brassiere & Bloomers

The Challenge:  #19 Inspiration

Fabric:  Lingerie Tricot

Pattern:  BP9206 Bazaar Patterns

Year:  1920s

Notions:  Hook and bar, satin ribbon, thread

How historically accurate is it?  A silk, satin, or lightweight rayon or voile might have been a more period correct fabric but the lingerie tricot was available in this wonderful red and I couldn't resist.

Hours to complete?  5 hours

First Worn:  I wore it for photos and it fits beautifully but I didn't have the courage to post those photos.  I know, I'm a chicken!

Total Cost:  $8.50

 

Now off to sew the 1920s corset!

Love always,

Jeanette











1910s Suit-A-Long - The Suit Jacket

This is it!  The final installment in the 1910s Suit-A-Long series!  This has been the most incredible learning experience as I moved into a new era with many new sewing, corsetry, and millinery techniques.  Having the support of the Sew-A-Long group on facebook was invaluable and motivating!  Thank you Lauren and all members!  The group has now changed names and if you enjoy this historical era we are located here:     1910s and WW1 Era Costumer's Support Group

This is the Wearing History pattern I'm using and I highly recommend it for this mid-era war-period impression.  Here is the link:     Wearing History 1910s Suit - Circa 1916 Pattern

I've already written about the corset, hat, undies, blouse, and skirt for this costume and the posts are listed here:

The corset:  http://theperfecttouchvictorian.blogspot.com/2014/06/historical-sew-fortnightly-challenge-12.html

The hat:     http://theperfecttouchvictorian.blogspot.com/2014/07/1910s-suit-long-hat.html

 

The undies:  http://theperfecttouchvictorian.blogspot.com/2014/07/1910s-suit-long-undies.html

The blouse:  http://theperfecttouchvictorian.blogspot.com/2014/08/1910s-suit-long-blouse.html

 

The skirt:  http://theperfecttouchvictorian.blogspot.com/2014/08/historical-sew-fortnightly-challenge-14.html

The color scheme for this suit is the skirt of a fine blue/green/ivory plaid with the buttons covered in ivory linen.  The same linen is used for the lining of the blouse.  It's also the same linen I used for the underthings, so as you have probably already guessed, I had quite a bit of ivory linen!  I purchased it from another costumer for a great price and love the color.  It is very delicate, however, and so I've also purchased an ivory muslin to interline the jacket.  In this photo you can see the unlined linen on the left and the linen lined with muslin on the right.   The muslin also turns out to be great for the structure of this jacket.

The first step then, because of my fabric choice, is to interline every panel with muslin, sewing inside the seam line along all edges.  Here are all the pieces cut from the linen and the muslin and the finished belt made from the same fabric as the skirt with the same linen covered buttons.

The pattern is very straightforward simply sewing side seams, cuffs, and a front collar facing.  I drape the pieces on my dressform as I sew to view the placement of the collar and to test button placement on the cuffs.

There is such an opportunity for creativity with this pattern for cuffs, collars, pockets, buttons, and belt!  My version is a bit simple in its use of combined fabrics for the jacket as my plan is to make another skirt and belt from a persimmon-colored fabric and I will be able to use the jacket again.  I've chosen to add interest to the jacket with the pleated collar.  It is simple to sew and although the attachment was a bit confusing for me at first, I simply stitched it completely through the jacket and then covered the attachment with a bias tape.

The jacket looks HUGE when complete!  It is a lot of fabric but when belted the shape is really flattering and the jacket hem flares the same way as the skirt hem.  It's a beautiful look!

I love the clean, simple lines of the suit with the over-the-top laced and feathered and flowered and bowed and pearled hat!

The addition of some mini-mosaic earrings and a pin put another bit of color to the costume and added the perfect touch!

 

It was exciting to complete this costume in time to wear to the Royal Ascot Tea at Costume College 2014.  My friend and Costume College roommate, Kay, made her Wearing History 1910s suit in a gorgeous plum checked linen and we had a wonderful time together!

In late September I attended a costume event in Pennsylvania - Steampunk unLimited at the Strasburg Rail Road.  Since we were so close to Winterthur Museum in Delaware and the Downton Abbey Costume Exhibit, we took a morning drive and toured the exhibit in costume.  My good friends Sharon, Mike, and Randi having a glorious day!

 

I hope you've enjoyed the journey into a new era for me and a new pattern for Wearing History!

 

Love always,

Jeanette

The Historical Sew Fortnightly Challenge #18 - Poetry in Motion

The Challenge:  Bring to life a garment
inspired by a song or poem.
 

I wonder why does ev'rybody look at me
And then begin to talk about a Christmas tree?
I hope that means that ev'ryone is glad to see
The lady in the tutti-frutti hat.     

 

1943 - Carmen Miranda in "The Gang's All Here"

Busby Berkeley Technicolor Musical

Carmen Miranda, 1909 - 1955, was a Portugese Brazillian samba singer, dancer, Broadway actress, and film star.  Prior to becoming a superstar in Brazil, Carmen was a hatmaker.  She developed her costume with the distinctive fruit hat from the traditional headdress seen on women fruit sellers.  She arrived in New York City, United States in 1939 and was popular until she passed in 1955.

Photos of Carmen Miranda's tutti-frutti hat show a golden turban base and my online research discovers this wonderful vintage clip.

 How to Tie a Turban: Women's Turban Fashions - 1942 by Vintage Fashions on YouTube

 

 

What a stroke of luck to search eBay and find an auction for some vintage fruit picks from Sears Roebuck &  Co., Chicago, Ill.  While I don't know the age of the picks, they are exactly what I need and I win the auction!

I find some gold and red fabric remnants in the stash and I make a 12" wide by 48" long scarf.  You can see my red fabric was a bit shorter than the gold but I just adjusted the ends.

I stitch the fruit picks to some tiny grapevine baskets, add hair clips to the bottom of the baskets, and the parts of the tutti-frutti hat are complete!

When Carmen Miranda poses for her photos she wears tons of jewelry and a fabulous smile!

Time to drag out every necklace I own, some fruity earrings, my red lipstick, a peasant blouse, a ruffled skirt, and here is my version of Carmen Miranda's tutti-frutti hat....

Carmen Miranda on one of her recording covers and my tribute to her...

She was a fabulous lady!

Historical Sew Fortnightly Details
What It Is:  The Tutti-Frutti Hat
The Challenge:  #18 Poetry In Motion
The Song:  The Lady in the Tutti-Frutti Hat, Carmen Miranda
Fabric:  Silk dupioni
Pattern:  None
Year:  1943
Notions:  Fruit picks, grapevine baskets
How historically accurate is it?  Vintage fruit picks and period methods based on research.
First Worn:  Photos today
Total Cost:  $30 for fruit picks won on auction, grapevine baskets, and fabric

Keep smiling!

Jeanette