Last week’s 1820s mourning dress received  a rather unanimous opinion: you really, really liked the overall effect, but that trim was just a wee bit off…or a lot off.  So, for gorgeous use of fabrics, but badly applied trim, the dress came in at 8.2 out of 10. Personally, I rather liked the peculiar hem trim, simply because it was so weird and imperfect.  It made it interesting, and accessible:  I found  the lack of perfection and refinement, without the least bit of overt vulgarity, quite refreshing. This week, with the Historical Sew Fortnightly Shape & Support challenge, I present a garment that would require a lot of shaping from a corset, and support from a bustle: This early 1880s asymmetrical day ensemble was worn by a student in the first graduating class of Smoth College.  It’s an interesting balance of aesthetic, fabric, and colour.  The tailored, masculine bodice, with its flat, almost aggressive, appliqued embellishment gives way to an intensely feminine lower half, all bows, swags and pleating, with the sensible beige wool peeling …

Last week one option on the sparkly Callot Soeurs evening dress was almost universal: the dress was definitely meant to make an impact from across the room, and the bodice was a wee bit clumsy close up.  The overall consensus though, was quite divided.  There were a lot of swoons and 10s, and a a fair sprinkling of ‘ewww’ 4s (0r so), plus a swathe of ‘well, it would have been 10 but for that bodice’ 7s.  More 10s than 4s though, as the overall rating came in at 8.3 out of 10. This week’s dress tones things down, a LOT. As it should, because it’s a mourning dress, albeit one for the third, and most relaxed, stage of mourning. This evening dress is both sumptuous and restrained, fitting for a mourning garment.  The low neckline and short sleeves indicate that this is an evening dress.  The main ground of the dress is black silk velvet, with appliqued decorations in black on  black silk satin. When worn the luminous silk velvet and sheen of the …