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Regency and Victorian fashion

Topic 211 · 22 responses · archived october 2000
» This is an archived thread from 2000. Want to pick up where they left off? post in the live Austen Archive conference →
~Amy seed
Johanne knows a lot about this stuff and has been work on a home page about it. Who else has a Regency dress -- or has thought about having one made? ______________ Moved from the Steven Waddington topic in drool! Topic 33 of 45 [drool]: Steven Waddington Response 23 of 45: Amy (Amy) * Wed, Mar 19, 1997 (04:19) * 4 lines Thanks, Jo, I can't think of anything at the moment, but it's nice to know you can do it. Can't wait to see the page. Hey, speaking of period clothing, are you aware of a device that was used a little later in the 19th century, when waltzing came in, to hook the skirt to the ladies wrist for better clearance from the floor?
~Carolineevans #24
Amy, I have seen such a device on victorian costumes in the V&A museum in London. Sometimes it's a little clip thing, like a clothes-pin, attatched to one glove, somtimes it hangs from the waist on a ribbon- not very satisfactory, i think. I know modern ballroom-dancers usually use just a loop of fine cord or ribbon, which can be quickly looped over a button-less obtrusive, easier to do.
~Amy #25
Oh, good. Caroline. Thank you. I thought I was dreaming it.
~JohanneD #26
Been doing a bit of checking around, Amy, most of the paper around 1880 til 1900 like the Moniteur de Paris mention that a lady holds her trained skirt in a very skilled manner but I've seen a loop of fine cord or ribbon before hidden under a row of frill. Have to look again for the clip
~churchh #27
Is the thing at the bottom of the front of the lady's dress in this pic something like that? (It can't be the tip of her shoe...)
~JohanneD #28
Looks more like where a shoe should be, this type of ball gown would not require an attachment of any kind. When the flaired gore skirt (re)appeared in 1879, usually as trained skirt, the hoop would have been on the back side, 3/4 in the back, I believe. Here is a two pieces evening dress from Worth, dated 1890 more like this 1875 morning dress : or this 1875-76 afternoon dress :
~JohanneD #29
Meet me at ramble to continue this, shall we let this space to Mr. Waddington?
~churchh #30
Johanne -- The Hippopotamus Polka thing is from about 1850, and the little pointy thing doesn't really look like the tip of her shoe to me.. Looks more like a little weight or something, hanging from the lower hem...
~JohanneD #31
looks kind of square, yes, but what we are looking for should be in the back...or on the side...
~Amy #32
I love that white morning dress from 1875, response #28. Johanne, let's start a new topic for this stuff in Austen. Now I really can't wait for you to get your page up. Maybe you ought to have your own conference, even.
~JohanneD #33
Happy thoughts indeed, Amy, way not enough time :) but nothing is impossible :)
~JohanneD #34
BTW, for the die-hard fan, this white dress is for sale : #C2012. MORNING DRESS (C.1875) White batiste 2 piece "breakfast" dress. Trained underskirt & slightly bustled over-dress trimmed with self ruffle edged with handmade Valenciennes lace. Over dress has several ivory silk ribbon bows down front center & on sleeves. Very good condition. $575.00 Check the link for other pieces : http://www.victoriana.com/antiques/costum2.html
~Carolineevans #35
I don't dare check the link, Johanne, I'm looking for somthing to wear to a Mess Dinner, but I cannot afford that!
~JohanneD #36
Do you have little mouses whom could sew for you or are you skillfull in the art of garment-making, if so let me share with you some of my regency patterns :)
~bernhard #37
little mouses? like Cinderella, perhaps? :)
~JohanneD #38
like the tailor of Gloucester (recent acquisition for Laurence :) ) Don't you love Gus and Jack? Yes, those dress are not very afordable and would certainly not fit me ! Great to look at tought
~bernhard #39
I loved peeking at the link, Johanne! However, making it up would be expensive enough, eh?
~JohanneD #40
Depends with what, if you use simple cotton muslin, would'nt be that bad, 5 or 6 meter possibly, nothing to extravagant. BTW Cindy, received your e-mail, glad you're interested, am now listing what is available and some pictures will be available too, I'll let you know tomorrow for sure
~Carolineevans #41
In the time of swords and periwigs and full-skirted coats with flowered lappets- when gentlemen wore ruffles, and gold-laced waistcoats of paduasoy and taffeta-there lived a tailor in Gloucester............no more twist......Ther is a video of this , read by Meryl Streep, with music by the Chieftains, produced by f.h.e, a company out of Montreal....... Johanne I make my own patterns, sometimes (comes of having a mother and gandmother both trained tailors) WE gotta talk about this.... when less teachers get sick, so I don't work every day:-)
~Carolineevans #42
Found a WONDERFUL muslin, yellow, $3.95 a metre tha other day in IKEA(quite made up for TEP, actually!)
~bernhard #43
BIG thanks, Johanne! I'll be anxious to see!
~JohanneD #44
Yellow-taffeta, yellow taffeta and cherry colored twist Bought the tape when in Boston, a BBC version, to think there is one from around here !! So many things, so little time...
~Amy #45
Johanne what do the patterns look like? How do they work? Are they drawings on a grid? How did they use them back then?
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