So this fortnight’s theme on the Historical Sew Fortnightly is Literature, and, of course, I’m using it as an excuse to finish (finally) my Polly/Oliver outfit (inspired by Terry Pratchett’s Monstrous Regiment).

It’s been so long since I worked on the outfit, or thought about it, and my skills have improved since then, and my image of the details has shifted somewhat, though I’m still going with the basic concept of 1880s Victorian does Georgian riding habit/military.

I bounced out of bed on Tuesday and thought “Right!  I’m going to make massive progress on this today!”  I had a rummage through my fabric stash, found a big bolt of blue rayon faille, and thought…”Oooh…what a great shade of military blue…and so practical and late Victorian.”  Sure, rayon isn’t entirely accurate, but it the fabric does a reasonable approximation of silk, and the hand is perfect.

So I unrolled a length of the faille, spread it out on the floor, went at it with chalk and measuring tapes and scissors and quickly drafted and cut out a basic late Victorian five gored skirt.  Then I did the same with a white cotton lining.

An hour later, I was sewing:  stitching long skirt seams, and turning and pressing big panels.  In record time the basic body was put together, and I sewing in a placket, and pleating the skirt into a waistband.  A bit of hand finishing on the waistband, and I moved on to a hem: a slightly anachronistic but very effective bias-turned hem, which would be further protected with a dust ruffle.

A quick measure, a try on to mark the placement of the hooks, and I sewed on the hooks, feeling immensely proud of myself as hooks are often something I leave until the last minute, or end up skipping altogether for the first wearing.

Six hours of steady sewing later, I put the skirt on Isabelle (without a bustle, which is was made to go over) and stood back to admire it.

And this is when I realised that I am a complete, utter, and total idiot.

Sure, the blue is a good military colour, and very practical, but Polly/Oliver is a Borogravian.  The Borogravian uniform is a red jacket with white pants.  It’s explicitly mentioned in the book!   Heck, it’s on the front cover of the book, which was right next to me as I sewed.  Borogravia is (usually) fighting against Zlobenia, and the Zlobenians wear blue uniforms.  Polly’s uniform is never, no matter how girlie and dressy they make it, going to involve a blue skirt!

I can’t believe I was so dumb.  This is what you get when you don’t stop to plan and consider a project, and just try to sew as fast as possible.

So now I have a beautifully made dark blue rayon faille skirt that, depending on how I trim, and what I put it over, I could use for anything from 1880 to 1905.

But I can’t use it for Polly/Oliver, which means that for now it is a wardrobe orphan, and it was kind of a waste of a full sewing day.  It makes me blue.

At least someone appreciates it:

Where’s Fiss gone?

“G’way.  My skirt now”

Last week I showed you a flower-strewn frock by Jean-Phillipe Worth, one that might have been a little too frilly and feminine, but which most of you found fabulous.

While I don’t think Worth, original or JP, quite as infallible as some of you did, I wasn’t surprised that this frock received high accolades.  One of two of you flat-out hated the dress, and there were a few complaints about the symmetrical placement of motifs over the bust, the overall fussiness of the bust, and the colour of the creamy silk and blonde lace (I definitely don’t agree that the dress has faded over time – all the different layers of dark ivory matched too well, and were too true, for age to have changed them substantially), but the frock still managed an 8.7 out of 10.

Can this week match that?

This fortnight’s theme on the HSF is Literature, and I was rather at a loss as to how that could fit in with Rate the Dress.  In looking for inspiration, I found this afternoon dress from the Museum of Fine Arts Boston.  The tan silk is the colour of aged paper, and the red trim reminds me of the covers of so many books.  Just looking at it makes me want to curl up with a fine bit of literature.

Afternoon dress, about 1875, American (Boston, Massachusetts), Made by Miss M. T. Splain, MFA Boston

Afternoon dress, about 1875, American (Boston, Massachusetts), Made by Miss M. T. Splain, MFA Boston

The years have rather sadly crushed the dress, but hopefully you can imagine it in its original pristine condition, and judge it on that.

What do you think of that tan silk paired dark red piping which highlights the square neck, the 18th century inspired sleeves, the pointed basque bodice, the ruffled hem, some rather random ruched areas, and the liberal scattering of bows?  Does it remind you of your favourite old book, or just look old and faded?

Rate the Dress on a Scale of 1 to 10

A few weekends ago I attended a lovely Steampunk themed afternoon tea organized by the fabulous Emily of Ever So Scrumptious.

I didn’t make anything new outfit-wise for the the tea, but it was the perfect opportunity for me to wear the 1883 in Every Way pleated skirt myself for the first time.

Some people did manage to make new outfits – Sarah had just finished her fantastic striped Victorian ensemble.  I own some of the same fabric.  It’s fascinating stuff – silk cotton, green in some lights, blue in others, and distinctly brown in others.

Afternoon tea was held at the Wellesley Hotel, a fantastic old hotel with great staircases, a beautiful atmospheric lobby, and a fascinating collection of art – and taxidermy.

Every time I’m at the Wellesley I discover something new.  This visit’s find was their records of the atmospheric measurements in Wellington, including the record for the day of the Wahine disaster.

Check out the plummet in atmospheric pressure.  They say it was the worst extratropical cyclone in New Zealand’s history, and the reading supports it.

Right, back to fabulous steampunkery.  And tea.  Mmmmm…tea.

And guys in steampunk-esque military uniforms.  I think we should replace business suits with steampunk esque military uniforms as the standard dress for me.  The world would be so much more elegant.

Of course, if you look at the track records of societies where significant portions of the men wore military uniforms, it wasn’t a good idea.  Sigh.  Scratch that.  We’ll have to find another way to achieve male sartorial elegance.

Speaking of sartorial elegance, and Friday’s post, I was slightly lacking.  The saturday of the steampunk tea was not a good day for me – I woke up at 2am with a rare migraine, and spent two hours in the shower before trying to go back to bed with every available painkiller.  Up until an hour before the tea I wasn’t sure if I could sit upright and keep any food down.  Hiding under the covers was way more important than ironing the skirt, so my pleats were less than precise.   And you know what?  I’m totally OK with that.  At least I managed to make it out to the tea, and spend time with my friends.

I did have to sit facing away from the lights and windows, and wasn’t as perky as usual, but the painkillers and caffeine finally took effect, and by the time we toured the hotel after tea I was quite chipper.

I LOVE that lobby.  I want to move into it.

And the twisting staircase?  Fabulous.

That’s me, at the very bottom with the grand piano.  Waving goodbye.

Goodbye!