All posts tagged: 1750s

Sewing a set of ill-begotten stays

Some time ago, I decided I needed another pair of stays, and started on a set.  And they’ve been nothing but trouble since then.  They are almost making #4 on  the list of evil things. First there was the fabric.  I bought a bunch of linen with a gilded finish in a fabric sale, because it was soooo pretty, and I’m a magpie. Linen is a great fabric for stays, right?  And who doesn’t want a pair of gilded stays? Linen is not a great fabric for stays if it warps.  And gilded linen is an even worse choice if the minute  you iron it, the gilded finish comes off, leaving you with plain, boring, ecru linen. But I didn’t even get far enough into the stays to find these things out before it gave me problems, because it turns out that gilded linen is actually really, really hard to match for a lining.  So I finally settled for black, because it was really the only thing I had that didn’t look hideous with it. …

Motherhood

This is Fragonard’s ‘The Joy’s of Motherhood.” Yeah, I don’t think he spent a lot of time around women with young children. Of course, looking at the painting, it doesn’t really look like he spent a lot of time outside either.  Those are some impressively fantastical and chinoiseried trees!

Rate the Dress: Eleanor Frances Dixie puts her gloves on

Last week’s green and black 1920s frock proved very divisive.  People either loved it, or hated it.  To be perfectly honest, all the love took me completely by surprise.  I was convinced that everyone would think it frumpy and dowdy, but all you ‘want it now!-ers’ balanced the ‘old lady being eaten by her dress-ers’ and it rated a 6.3 out of 10. Inspired by Madame Ornata’s finished pet en l’aire, this week let’s look at 1750’s fashion.  I present the very slim Eleanor Frances Dixie in a brocaded robe a la francaise, in the act of putting her gloves on. Madame O accessorised her pet en l’aire with a rosy petticoat and stomacher, and a very hat-y hat.  Miss Dixie accessorieses her robe with lace cuffs, a very sheer fichu, a lawn cap, and blue silk bow at her centre front, and a blue silk trimmed bergere.  And, of course, the gloves. What do you think of it all?  You’ve seen Miss Dixie put her gloves on, but as you rate her dress, please …