clothing – Fashion Through Herstory

Yesterday (nov 9th) It was finaly time for the medieval feast, arranged by my dancing company. And as this was to be my first medievel event I’ve planed and prepered my dress for weeks.

I wore my new Green Cotehardie with the Outerwear Sleeves and a new pair of white tippets.

On my head I wore my new whimple and faux braids. (read more here) And I actually managed to ge them to look like I wanted.

The feast started with some mingel, walking around and talking to the other guests (and I’ve forgot to grab my camera, bummer).

Then we all sat down to dine.

Me and my sister.

The food was really cool, and well planed – and must have taken forever to prepare…

We got: Boiled eggs in a bowl made of bread, with a bird made of butter sitting on topp.

Salmon served with hearbs on enormous plates.

Soup made of peas, serwed in desposabe “wooden” plates, and fruit stuffed with meat.

Chees, fruit-cream and peaches with nuts.

Cookies.

And wine pored from a guilded tower into animal-shaped wine-jugs.

But wait a minute, Im sure I’ve forgot something…

Oh yes! A grilled pig served whole, with a chicken “knight”on top.

Omg, look at that little chicken rinding the pig!

He actually wears a helmet, shield and sword.

My amusment faded fast when they started to cut it up…Yuk…

After dinner it was time for some dancing.

In a dancing break I grabbed my sister and some friends and we snaped some quick photos in the basment.

My sister in a dress I finished just hours befor the feast.

And a friend from my dancgroup, who also made her outfit herself.

The mandetory “Ugly-shoot”

Then I got he whole “sewing group” togheter for some photos. During the autumn we have all taken a medieval sewing class, held by the “medieval all-knowing” Karin (front left). It’s been so much fun learning authenticity, and to watch everybodys cloths coming togheter. (Even though I’ve heard we have a few cheeters in the group, bying theire clothes…)

Doing the “14th century everyday pose”.

And the mandetory “Jump shoot”.

I’ve had so much fun at the feast – eating, dancing and meeting new interesting people.

But most of all I liked wearing and feeling pretty in my dress and braids. Looks like there will be some medieval fairs to get o this summer…

I had some difficulties figuring out what to make for the HSF Challenge 14 – Eastern Influences. I didn’t want to start a too big project, being so busy with the Titanic dresses at this time.

After much hesitation and changing my mind I finally decided to use the 1,5 m of light pistage-colored organdy already waiting in the stash. It is covered in a geometrical pattern in the shape of 4cm big grecian keys. So perfect for the challenge. But I’m not much of a print person, and feared that the geometrical pattern would be too obvious, too silly or just simply destroy whatever I made from it.

Ok, fears aside – what exactly was I going to make with it (that wouldn’t look costumy or silly)?

I had not enough fabric for a regency-dress, and the fabric was not suitable for anything heavy like a round skirt or a stiff bodice. What to do?

The answer fell on me when searching the internet for inspiration for another project.

A Titanic era evening-gown. It seemed perfect, and already being totally emgrossed by the early 20th century I didn’t hesitate.

I quickly made some sketches and played around a bit with the fabric on my dressform to get the basic shapes and cuts figured out.

Then I started drafting the pattern. I wanted a cross-over bodice with a short kimono-sleeve attached to a draped skirt. The bodice was a bit tricky and I decided to try the paper pattern on my dressform before cutting a toile. That impuls saved me making a useless mock-up.

I tried but could not get the pattern and the dressform to co-operate, so I scratched the paper pattern and instead draped a bodice on the form. So much better.

I then did the mock-up, tried it on and pinned all the necessary alterations. (It is not easy trying and fitting a back-closed mock-up by your self).

Ignore the huge seam allowance.

Since the organdy is so sheer I needed to make some foundation underneat – both for modesty and to get the right support and shape. I used the the same white skirt as for my late Titanic dress, and drafted a strapless dress-bodice to attach the organdy-bodice on.

Then it was time to cut the fabric. I sewed the foundation bodice and tried it on, then I stitched the organdy and draped the skirt on the dressform.

Everything went together fine and I just needed to make some minor alterations on the waist and shoulders. I tried the dress on and really liked it, but felt like something was missing.

I rummaged around a bit for a suitable waist-sash, but neither white nor pistage seemed right. Then I found the vine colored sash for my sisters Titanic-rose dress, and it was perfect. So I used whatever leftovers I had and made another dark red sash.

The finished dress.

Detail of sash and drape.

And the dress being worn.

Photo: Maria Petersson

Just the facts:

Challenge 14: Eastern Influences.

What: A 1912 evening dress.

Pattern: None, I draped my own.

Fabric: 1,5 m polyester organdy, 0,3 m white cotton voile and 0,5 m white cotton sheets for lining and interlining the bodice. And 0,2 m vine colored viscose for the sash.

Notions: Thread, plastic boning, hooks and eyes and snaps.

Historical accuracy: There are way too much polyester in it to be any good. But I think the look and the overall feel of the dress is right. And according to Arnold they did use foundation-bodices beneath sheer and slippery fabrics. Maybe 6/10.

Time: 15 hours (made it in a two days speedrush).

Cost: 100 SEK (11 Euro).

First worn: On the photoshoot July 5.

Tag: clothing

Medieval Feast

Eastern Influences in 1914