A couple of days ago me and my sister went outside to take some pictures of my re-modeled edwardian gown and hat.
I tried to capture some of the poses I’ve seen in old photographs but honestly, I both feelt and looked supid. Apperently I ended up touching my hat a lot, and looking very snooty at the same time. Saucy temptress may not be my strongest look. So I’ve mixed it up with some un-edwardian smiley pics as well.
Photo: Maria Petersson
When me and my sister got together this weekend to do the photoshoot of my new “Edwardian Ariel” gown, we were happy to discover that the recent snow had melted and turned into perfect sunny spring weather.
So I put on my akvardly red syntetic wig and my new gown. Then we spent an hour outside by the chanal, playing and taking pictures.
Photo: Elin Petersson
As the time ran away into the days between christmas and the new year, I needed to whip something up for the final HSF challenge this year, nr 26: Celebrate.
Between the christmas and a up-coming move there was really not much time, so I looked at a few of the others HSF participants prevous projects and decided to make a skirt maching the newly modeled 1900s shirtwaist.
It would be a fairly simple project and it would be celebrating my surviving of the entire HSF13.
I searched my stash for apropate fabric and found a burgundy cotton twill that I bought on sale a couple of years ago.
It is not the ideal fabric for this type of garmnent, but both time and money was lacking at the moment so it would have to do.
I drafted a pattern using some diagrams from Waughs “Cut of Womens Clothes”.
I cut and basted the skirt togheter. Then I tried it on and discoverewd the skirt was a bit on the short side, but since it meant to be a walking skirt it will do.
The sewed it togehter and made the tucks in the back and side fastening.
The finished skirt.
While dressing the form and thinking about the perfect way to style the skirt I realised the real celebration it symbilsed: The Suffragets struggel for womens rights.
The skirt togheter with the 1900s Shirtwaist and Suffragete brosh.
And then I dressed up and took a couple of shots in the mirror.
Adding the golden chain to symbolise both the acctual chain the suffragets used during their struggle, and the figuraly chains who even today keeps women from real ecuallity to men.
I’m in love with the symbolism and style of this picture.
Then I manadged to talk my boyfriend into taking some better photos of me in the outfit.
Lets break those chains!
Just the Facts:
Challenge: nr 26 – Celebrate.
What: A 1900s walking skirt.
Celebrate What: The womens rights movement.
Pattern: None, but I studied some pattern diagram from Whaugs “Cut of Womens Clothes”.
Fabric: 2,5 m of burgundy cotton twill
Notions: Thread, hook and eyes.
How Historical Accurate: So so, the shape and fabric of the skirt are acceptable, but the contruction are modern. So about 5/10
Time: 3 hours.
Cost: 100 Sek (11Usd) fabric from stash, but I did buy it one time.
First Worn: On photoshoot on new year.
Final Thougts: I loved wearing this outfit, and already plan on using it for a up-coming suffraget luncheon.
Well, as I haven’t been able to sew all the things I’d liked this month, I will continue to posts about the HSF-challenges finished earlier this year. And as soon as I manadge to find the time to make something new (and to photograph it) I vill share it whit you.
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For the HSF challenge nr 6 – Stripes, back in mars I knew that I wanted to make a regency dress. Having recently finished my first attempt at this kind of dress for a customer in december, and was itching to give it an other try.
Here are some of my inspiraion dresses. 
I already had the pattern since before: Reconstructing History- lady’s regency gown, but I hated it. Everything was wrong with it. The pieces didn’t fit togheter, and the gathering was just ridiculously massive. It gave me a serius head-ake trying too figuring it out the first time.
So I studied the pieces of Arnolds two regency patterns.
Then I re-cutt the pattern to make a lot more sence. I made a mock-up and did some final adjustments to the pattern.
Then I found the perfect fabric super cheap in my new favourite fabric store.
It is a pistage-green striped really thin cotton weave. I also got a darker green linnen, cream colored lace and a plastic row of pearls for the decoration.
The sewing went fast and easy and after only one day of sewing I could try it on to check the lenght and back closure.
Then I hemed it, and hand stiched on the lace and beads.
And finished
Photo: Elin Petersson
Just the facts:
Challenge nr 6 – Stripes
What: A simple mint green Regency dress
Fabric: 3,5 m of soft and thin cotton fabric (almost like voile).
Pattern: “Reconstructing History” nr 838. Not a pattern I would recommend for a beginner. I had to change and alter almost every pattern piece. (I think it would have been both faster and easier to make a new one from scratch).
Year: About 1800 – 1810
Notions: Green contrast fabric, 5 pearl buttons for closure, thread, 2 m of lace and 3m of pearl-ribbon.
How accurate: Mostly made by machine, and with modern pattern reconstruction and sewing method. So except for the silhouette and the “look” of the dress – not accurate at all I’m afraid.
Hours: About 16 (with lots of handstitching on the decor).
Cost: About 30 USD
First worn: On Gods friday when we had the photoshoot.
For the Chemise photoshoot (construction post Here) me and my sister went to this amazing group of old houses from late 18th centrury, located in the middle of our town. It’s not like “Old Town” or something like that just these old wooden houses, with their lovely gardens left untouched in the midst of all the modern houses. (I will show you all of their beauty in a photo-post one day).
We took so many good and wonderful pictures, and it was soo hard to select only a couple of them to show you. But finally I managed to get the numbers down. So here are 12 of my favorites, which I think best captures the softness and beauty of the Chemise a la Reine.
And of course we had to make some advertising for this fabolous grill – after all it’s barbecue season…
Photo: Maria Petersson
Fashion Through Herstory 