Month: January 2012

Shell’s dress: a very meaningful fascinator

It’s been a while since I have posted about Shell’s wedding dress, but I always meant to tell you about her fascinator. Shell’s fascinator was a combination of need and happy circumstances. First the need: Shell had always planned to make a fascinator to wear, but as the day approached we were all super busy and running out of time. Then the happy circumstances: Shell’s mother had sent lace motifs clipped from her own wedding dress, and satin from her Grandmother’s wedding dress, which we hoped to incorporate into Shell’s dress, but the dress was too far along by the time they arrived. Emily of Ever So Scrumptious had a collection of kereru feathers from her backyard (yes, she got permission from DOC to keep them) that she offered to Shell for her fascinator. Shell’s mother-in-law to be crocheted her a series of flowers for her fascinator and the bridesmaid’s fascinators. And of course, we had the gorgeous embroidered buttons that Madame Ornata had worked. And finally, I found a bluebird feather in my stash. …

Rate the Dress: Summer of 1778

Published by The Dreamstress

Despite the possible oddness and uncomfortableness of a boned skirt, and not everyone getting the Japanese influence (it was the best sort of influence – very subtle, most Japanese in that respect, among others!) most of you soundly approved of last week’s green party frock, and it rated a perfect 9 out of 10. You’ve already seen this fashion plate featuring a very summery yellow and lilac frock of 1778 in my post on sabot sleeves, but I thought it deserved a closer look. The fashion plate describes the dress as (roughly – my French is pretty bad) A Circassienne dress in the new style, of gauze in a sulphur colour, with trim in lilac gauze. The flounce trim is in the same colour as the dress, as is the bottom of the sabot. The whole thing trimmed in lilac and purple, even to the headdress What do you think? Do you like yellow and purple, or is the whole thing a bit twee, with all its pastels and ruffles and bows and polonaised skirts? …

I can’t believe this is a thing

Published by The Dreamstress

There was, up until a month ago, a sign in Wellington that reads “The Royal Antedeluvian Order of Buffalos”. The sign was on the very artsy, independent (dare I say ‘hipster’) Bats Theatre, so I assumed it was a joke. Nope. Turns out its real. There really is a Royal Antedeluvian Order of Buffalos, and despite all the stuff they have going against them, they take themselves pretty seriously. In order to be a member, you have to be over 18, enter of your own free will, and be a “true and loyal supporter of the British Crown and Constitution.” Oh, and be male. Obviously (thanks to the British bit), despite the name, there aren’t a lot of Buffalos organizations in the US. I have no idea what goes on at Buffalo meetings today, but they started out as a club for stagehand and theatre techies in the early 19th century (well before techie was a word). Their history sounds like it came out of a kids book: the actors had a club called Lushingtons, …