Only minutes after finishing my new peasant dress, I packed it and left for my sisters house (and her birthday celebration), where we took a few moments to take some photos around the yard – which was the perfect setting for this dress.
I’m wearing: My new Heirloom dress paired with apron and head-cloth/shawl from my National costume, beige woolen shawl, knitted mittens, chemise, petticoat, bloomers and lace up boots.
Photo: Elin Evaldsdottra
Even though I could’t attend the ” Plastique Fantastique” event last weekend, I still took the time to dress up for a  photoshoot.
I’m wearing my new Plastic purple flower dress, pair with a purple synthetic wig, high stockings, black Kensington shoes accessorized with fan gloves, jewelry and feathers. Underneath I wear my old 18th century corset, short bloomers and pocket hoops.
Doll Antoinette
Photo: Elin Evaldsdottra
For the photoshoot I got some help from my friend, modelling my new 17th century outfit.
She wore the 17th century bodice, skirt, coif and fur over my quilted petticoat, accessoriced with a string of pearls and a Violine.
Here are the result:
Model: Annika Siljat
Since I didn’t finish the dress until the night before the event, me and my sister took a few minutes away from the others to document my dress at the day itself.
I’m wearing: My new Plaid 1850s Summer dress (part 1, 2 & 3), green silk Bonnet (part 1 & 2), my cage Crinoline, 1880s corset together with chemise, petticoats, bloomers, stockings, lace up boots and a clock on a chain at the belt.
Photo: Maria Petersson
My original plan for the HSF15 challenge 5 – Practicality, a regency day-dress, needed to be postponed so to get time to finish this springs biggest undertaking – a hole new 1850-1860s wardrobe.
So after finishing my not a Garibaldi blouse a few weeks ago, I decided I needed yet another blouse in almost the same style, for my sister to wear at the upcoming “Crinoline day”.
My main inspiration was this sever looking young lady.
Since time was sparse, I decided to use the simplest way possible in all things for this blouse.
Staring with the pattern, I used the basic pattern blocks for a regular shirt (just like the picture below), and omitted the collar and cuff.
For fabric I used leftovers from my “Chemise a la Lambelle” & ” Ariel/Camille” dresses, A really nice and strong structured cotton voile(?)
Unfortunately I forgot to take any photos of the construction process, but it was so simple and went so smooth that I just kept sewing and finished over one afternoon.
Basically I just stitched the bodice together using french seams, added the small collar, sewed the buttonhole-stand and added buttons and (machined) buttonholes.
Sewed and set the sleeves, covering the seams with bias-tape to get a clean finish. Then I hemmed the shirt, added the bias-tape for the drawstring waist.
And finished of by folding, stitching and adding the ribbons for the wrist ties. 
The finished Shirt:
As its biggest size
And a quick “practicality” photoshoot:
Cocking food in my extremely old fashioned kitchen…
Just the facts:
Challenge: nr 5/2015 “Practicality”
What: a 1850-1860s shirtwaist
How it fit into the challenge: The shirt is perfect for the everyday wear of a lower(or higher) class women doing households chores or taking a stroll in the park. That fabric is durable and easily washable and the style of the shirt with its drawstrings at waist and wrists makes it fit several different sizes of women.
Pattern: None, I just used the basic shapes of any shirt pattern.
Fabric: 1 m of structured cotton voile.
Notions: Thread, buttons, scraps of cotton ribbon at wrists, cotton string and  bias tape for waist shaping.
How historical accurate: So so, the garment (and fabric) did exist, but I didn’t used any accurate pattern, and I did sew it all on my sewing machine – even the buttonholes. I would say about 5/10
Time: about 4 hours
Cost: at most 100Sek (16Usd) – Everything was from stash and leftovers from other projects.
First worn: at June 6th for photos, but will get a proper outing June 13 when my sister wears it for our “Crinoline day”
Final thoughts: I loved how fast and easy it went together, and I think it looks great both paired with”Peasant” garb and “finer lady’s” garb (as is the way my sister will wear it).
Last Sunday I took the chance to both see my sister, and to do a little photoshoot of my new striped Lady Mary/”Downton Abby” Dress (read about it here (Part 1) and here (Part 2)) The weather was warm but a bit cloudy, so unfortunately we didn’t get any sunny pictures. I wore my dress with my long line 1910s corset, Autumn garden hat, American Duchess Gibson shoes, stockings, a thin petticoat, and a few bits and pieces like crocheted gloves, antique velvet bag and long pearl necklace. 
Photo: Elin Evaldsdottra
I love attending events with my sister/sisters.
It’s so great having a companion in this crazy costuming adventure.
Someone who love dressing up as much as me, and who gets the work and planing goes into making an historical outfit with all it’s accessories and seemingly uncomfortable pieces (non les putting it on).
So when she discovered she was free from work, and thous able to go to the 18th century “fika” in old town, I was so happy and immediately scrambled to find something for her to wear (because that’s what sisters do)
And since I was to wear Edwardian we decided that so should she.
Goofing around
The day of the event I arrived at her house, carrying both our costumes, in good time to get ourselfs ready.
underwear selfie
We helped each-other lazing the corsets and button those buttons, and then we were of (only half an hour to late, ops).
I blame my sisters hair for taking to much time, but really, it just take a lot of time getting into all those layers.
After saying our goodbyes to the others, we stopped for some quick photos of our costumes.
strip it baby…
Sis is wearing the newly made walking skirt, a modern blouse, over my 1880s corset and combined with a modern belt and a ribbon for necktie.
I’m wearing my suffraget skirt, modern jacket, Edwardian blouse, 1900s corset and several accessories like a fur hat, modern fur shawl, elbow length opera glows, my black swiss-waist and an 1950s embroidered bag.
Edwardian Selfie
As I finished the cape just the night before my planed “Maids Photoshoot“, I just had to take some “Red Riding hood” pictures to.
I’m the phantom of the opera...
“Up up and away!”
“I’m Superman!”
Photos: Maria Petersson and Elin Evaldsdottra (in the pic)
Her are the photos of my recently finished Maid Costume.
I’m wearing:
The Yellow Caraco jacket (part 1 & part 2), brown short skirt,  stays, quilted petticoat, and accessories as cap, fichu, apron, bumpads, stockings, black shoes, bible and a cross necklase.
Inspiration
“This is my favourite part… but I’m having a bit trouble living by it…”
Photos: Elin Evaldsdottra och Maria Petersson
We had so much snow this year, with snowfall just about every night for weeks.
But go figures, just when I finished my Redingote, and set a day for the photoshoot, the weather changed and in just a few day everything was gone.
Well, not much to do.
Me and my sister did go ahead and did the photoshoot anyway.
I wore the Redingoat paired with my black riding hat and slightly modified white skirt. I also wore a white fichu and belt, my 18th century corset, quilted petticoat, 2 bumpads, hedgehog wig and black leather gloves.
I was perfectly warm and cosy the whole shoot, and I was surprised how much I liked the whole outfit.
Photo: Maria Petersson
Fashion Through Herstory 