Continuing with our 1911 wedding theme, here are some stunning extent 1911ish wedding dresses: One from 1909, but on the cutting edge of fashion, so I’m including it: Quite a daringly low neckline for a wedding dress!  It was probably worn over a guimpe.  I love the satin on satin overtunic with a train. Anyone recognise what collection this is out of?  I know I know that background, but can’t place it.  The dress is such a great example of Medieval revivalism in the 19teens. Continuing the satin theme, a classic satin sheath with a bit of ruching and lace and a full train.  Also probably worn with a giumpe, as is the next one: This wedding dress looks like it has a marquisette tunic, just like Tara’s great-grandmothers (and yes, that’s a hint about tomorrow’s terminology post). I just LOVE this Russian wedding dress.  I can’t quite tell what is going on at the hem, but it just ads to the overall graphic simplicity.  It manages to be both very traditionally wedding-y, and quite …

Tara wrote me last week with a fascinating query.  She’s trying to recreate her great-grandmother’s wedding dress, but all she has is a tantalizingly brief  description: the bride looked charming in a gown of silk marquisette trimmed with Oriental lace and Irish crochet buttons over cream satin with lace coat to match.  She wore the bridal veil and orange blossoms and carried pink carnations. As Tara says, not a lot to go on.  She want to know what the dress might have looked like, patterns that could use as a guide to making it, and what silk marquisette and Oriental lace (or their modern equivalent) are.  I thought this would make fun series of posts, so over the next week I’ll try to answer, with lots of pretty pictures! For starters, let’s do what all brides do when they plan their wedding: look at inspiration images in wedding magazines! There weren’t any proper wedding magazines in 1911, but the Women’s Own Magazine did do ‘A Page for Brides.’  I’ve already blogged about the bridal headpieces …