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Evening dress, 1920s, Crepe chiffon over silk satin with lame ribbon applique and fine inserted edging, rhinestones, corded silk rosettes and gathered peach chiffon cascades sold by Augusta Auctions, June 2023

Rate the Dress: 20s crepe chiffon and bows

It’s been 11 months since I’ve done a Rate the Dress post. It’s just been an incredibly rubbish couple of years for me, and I haven’t had the mental focus needed to produce two well thought-out blog posts every week, which is what’s required for a consistent Rate the Dress + this not being an only Rate the Dress blog .

I’d really like to get back in to it, and I’m trying. I’m hoping that if I fake being OK, eventually my brain will remember how to actually be OK again.

So, what I’ve done is written not one, but FIVE rate the dress posts. Then all I need to do is tally up the points each week, and hopefully I’ll feel well enough at least one week to write another one, and get back on track! So, enjoy a RTD for the next five weeks, at least…

Last weeks (year’s) rating: a 1780s formal gown in embroidered silk

Remember that dress? It was inspired by the Angelica pattern launch, and featured elaborate embroidery and ruffled trim on a very restrained, formal silhouette. And most of you loooooooooved it. In fact, you loved it so much it came in at…

The Total: 9.8 out of 10

Which is basically perfect in Rate the Dress terms!

This week:

This was the dress that inspired me to get back in to Rate the Dress posts, because I think it has so many interesting elements to consider:

Evening dress, 1920s, Crepe chiffon over silk satin with lame ribbon appliqué and fine inserted edging, rhinestones, corded silk rosettes and gathered peach chiffon cascades sold by Augusta Auctions, June 2023

The three-dimensional bow applique! The mix of palest peach, darker peach, and touches of pink and blue.

The gathered panels of chiffon in darker peach, and the rhinestone trim.

It’s definitely very youthful. A young woman’s party dress that mixes Edwardian sweetness and attention to detail with playful 20s sensibilities.

What do you think? Is this the perfect flapper dress, in the truest sense of a flapper: a young girl testing out the world?

What do you think?

Rate the Dress on a Scale of 1 to 10

A reminder about rating — feel free to be critical if you don’t like a thing, but make sure that your comments aren’t actually insulting to those who do like a garment. Phrase criticism as your opinion, rather than a flat fact. Our different tastes are what make Rate the Dress so interesting. It’s no fun when a comment implies that anyone who doesn’t agree with it, or who would wear a garment, is totally lacking in taste.

As usual, nothing more complicated than a .5. I also hugely appreciate it if you only do one rating, and set it on a line at the very end of your comment.

Theresa in all the ruffles

Published by The Dreamstress

Whenever my dear friend Theresa comes to Wellington we dress up together and do a photoshoot. We’ve been doing this for 12 years now!

She was here back in April, and I offered her a whole range of things from my historical wardrobe, but obviously she picked the 1760s frou frou francaise. I mean, who wouldn’t?

It’s silk taffeta covered in ruffles and lace, and there’s an equally ruffly Marie Mantle to pair with it. What’s not to love?

And doesn’t she look spectacular in it!

Also, I’m very proud of what I achieved with her hair. I think it’s my best attempt at late 1760s/early 1770s hair yet. I still feel like it’s more accident than actual learned skill when I get 18th c hair right, but every time I do it it gets a little bit better.

For the photoshoot, we went up to the Sir Truby King gardens, which are is still one of my favourite places to take photos, even if King was wildly problematic, and most of the really lovely brickwork that made the gardens special has now been fenced off or demolished because it’s an earthquake risk.

We’d originally planned to go to the Botanical Gardens, which I haven’t shot at with Theresa since our very first photoshoot, but I was tired and worn out after getting dressed. So we settled for not fighting crowds of people to find parks, and not dealing with a bunch of people asking to take photos, and had a lovely time (mostly) to ourselves at the much quieter STK’s

It’s amazing to think about how many times we’ve done this. It’s a little different every time, but always a delight.

And that’s because Theresa is a delight. I am so lucky to have such a wonderful, generous, supportive friend. And because she’s so wonderful, I’ve finally fulfilled her request and made her her own tag on my blog! (it should lead to all the other photoshoots I’ve done with her)

Here’s to lots more photoshoots with this gorgeous lady! Maybe next time we’ll be together in Sydney again…

Call for Pattern Testers for a 1907-11 Corset – CLOSED

Published by The Dreamstress

UPDATE: this call for testers is now closed, thank you to everyone who applied!

UPDATE #2: The pattern is now available for sale! Get the Persis Corset Here

It’s that time again! Scroop Patterns has an exciting new corset pattern ready to test. So, that means I need testers to help make sure it’s absolutely perfect.

1907-11 Corset Testers Wanted scrooppatterns.com

If you’d like to apply to be chosen to help test the corset, keep reading to learn more, and how to apply…

The Pattern:

This corset is based on the transitional corsets sold between 1907 and 1911, as the fashionable silhouette moved from the extreme curves of the early Edwardian era to the straighter silhouette of the 1910s.

It has longer lines, with less abrupt transitions between the waist and hips, than earlier straight-fronted corsets, but retains the curved panels that wrap around the body and triangular bust and hip pieces of Edwardian corsets, rather than the vertical panels typical of later 1910s corsets, like the Scroop Rilla Corset.

Like most 1900s and 1910s corsets, this corset is made from a single layer of strong fabric. Both views feature dramatic swooping front panel seaming which forms an inverted fan shape, bust and hip gussets, and four garter straps.

View A has a slightly dipped front neckline that sits just below the nipple, a slightly raised back neckline, and a bottom edge which curves up over the front of the legs before dipping slightly down at the hips.

View B has a sweetheart neckline that dips lower than View A at center front, and then curves up to finish just above the nipple, a higher back neckline, a squared off center front point, and a higher back hem.

Front and back neck and hem lines can be mixed and matched between the views.

The pattern will be available from a 24”/61cm waist to a 46”/117cm waist, with three bust sizes and two hip spring options.

Testers:

This is an high-intermediate/advanced corset pattern.

We’re looking for testers with previous corsetry experience (if you’ve made the Rilla this would be an excellent next step) OR a good range of non-corsetry modern or historical sewing experience.

To be a tester you will need to:

Be able to print patterns in A4, A0, US Letter or US full sized Copyshop paper sizes
Have the time to sew up the item. You’ll have four weeks to make a finished corset, and provide feedback, and a further week to provide photos.
Be able to photograph your make being worn, and be willing for us to share your photos on this blog and instagram.
Provide clear feedback
Agree to a confidentially agreement regarding the pattern

I would hugely appreciate it if testers would share their finished make once the pattern launches, but this is not mandatory. I’m asking for TESTERS, not marketers.

As always I’m looking for a range of testers. I need a spread of geographical location, body type, sewing experience, and personal style.

Based on previous calls for testers, there will be 30+ applicants in each of the most common size ranges (34-40 bust), so if you aren’t chosen, it’s not that you weren’t fabulous, it’s that there were many applicants.

Social Media

Having a social media presence helps your chances of being chosen as a tester, but isn’t necessarily a requirement. I’m significantly more likely to choose testers who have an online social media presence, as that means I can really see and analyse their sewing, and how they think about sewing, when I’m choosing testers. I do occasionally choose testers who don’t have social media, especially if they fill a less common demographic.

The Timeline:

Applications to test the corset are open from now until 10pm Monday 29 May, NZ Time (unless I receive so many applications I won’t be able to consider them all properly, in which case I’ll close applications early)

Materials:

If you’re selected to test I’ll let you know and send you the materials requirements, line drawings, and the full pattern description by 10pm NZ time on Friday the 2nd of June. This is Thur the 1st for most of the rest of the world.

Patterns:

I will send out a digital copy of the pattern to testers before 10pm NZ time on Friday the 16th of June.

Testing & Reviewing:

Testing will go for four weeks.

While it’s not required, it’s strongly recommended that testers make a toile of this pattern. I’ll provide guidance and tips on toiling corsets as part of the pattern testing.

Testers will have until 10pm NZ time on Friday the 14th of July to finish their corset and provide feedback.

They will have a further week, until Friday the 21st, to provide photos

What you get:

Pattern testers will get a digital copy of the final pattern, lots of thanks, and features on my blog and IG.

Testing also offers testers an opportunity to get group and 1-1 feedback, assistance, and sewing tutorials. I’m modelling our testing process after an online class, albeit one you don’t pay for, because you’re letting me beta test the pattern on you. There’s an online group that testers can join as they wish. I’ll also be running a couple of live zoom events. I’m committed to making testing as beneficial to testers as it is to me, and to improve my testing process with every pattern I do.

To Apply:

Applications are now closed.