All posts filed under: 20th Century

The 1900s tea gown – fabrics

When I decided to make a 1900s tea gown I also decided that I didn’t have the budget to go buy fabric for it. Whatever I made was going to have to be stash-based. I kept what I had in-stash in mind as I looked at designs. My primary inspiration is this satin and lace extravaganza from 1899: I bought almost 15 metres of a really amazing poly-cotton sateen with a little metal woven through it in ivory last year. I know you are all gasping in horror and thinking “poly-cotton!?! Ewwww!!!”, but really, this fabric is fabulous. I’ve had dozens of fabric snobs inspect it, and not one has guessed that it has a synthetic content. Most guess silk, or a silk-cotton or silk-linen blend. I looks rich and sumptuous and not at all synthetic-y, and it acts rich and sumptuous and natural and not at all synthetic-y. When I bought it I first bought 3 metres, and took it home and ran it through a number of tests, determined that it fits my …

Friday Reads: A Star Danced

Published by The Dreamstress

This book was another of my ‘cheap, old, in-an-op-shop and with an interesting title’ discoveries. I’ve learned a little bit since My Theodosia and I take the time to read a few pages before buying a book now. The intro to A Star Danced sold me immediately: CB Cochran! 1911 theatre productions! Over-blown language! I’m so there! I also realised when reading the introduction that I actually know who Gertrude Lawrence is – one of the generation of pre-WWII British actresses who, because they never made it to Hollywood, have faded into sadly underserved obscurity in recent years. In her own day Gertrude Lawrence was the ‘brightest star’ (as the phrase goes) of the London theatre scene, close friends with Noel Coward, and a smashing success on Broadway. A Star Danced is her autobiography, tracing her life from less-than-conventional childhood to international stardom. Celebrity autobiographies are always a bit hit and miss, but either Gertrude had a lot of help or she could sing, dance, act AND write, because the book is unfailingly interesting and …

The 1900s tea gown: beginnings

Published by The Dreamstress

I’m doing this a bit backwards as clearly you know that the tea gown is done (albeit done in a sort of “sew in haste, unpick at leisure”). However I did take photos and notes as I sewed, and as I haven’t found many other tea-gown recreations done by other historical costumers, and as I did quite a bit of research, I thought it might be helpful if I posted about my process. So, a tea gown! We already know exactly what a tea gown is. That was the starting point for my research. In order to make one, I needed to know exactly what I was making. That out of the way, I needed to design my own tea gown. I knew what I wanted in a tea gown: ca. 1900, really the height of the tea gown fashion over-robe, open front effect Watteau pleats & 18th century inspiration A mix of fabrics and textures After assembling a pinterest board of research and inspiration, I went with three main pieces of inspiration: First my …