The Dreamstress

Now, it’s a pretty well known fact that yellow isn’t the most popular colour.  It’s few peoples favourite colour, and many people actually dislike it.

And it’s an equally well known fact, at least among readers of this blog, that I love yellow.

Pictured: love

I’m particularly smitten with the rich, saturated shades of 17th century yellow, and the deep, acidic tones of 18th century yellow, but really, I adore yellow in all its forms.

So obviously, I’m extremely excited about the HSF Challenge #17: Yellow, due Mon 1 Sept.

I know some of you aren’t that excited about it, and some people have even had a bit of a complain about it, and that makes me quite sad.

Because, as you know, I think the HSF should be a bit of a challenge: we should have to push ourselves, and try new things (even if they don’t always work out).

And, of course, I love yellow.

I’ve waxed so poetically and enthusiastically about it that I’ve even brought some of you former yellow haters to the bright side.  And if I didn’t, that’s OK, it doesn’t matter if you like it or not, because I still will!  (though I advocate liking all the colours, because colours are awesome and the world would be a boring place without them all, and every colour, no matter how much you dislike it, probably has an application where it looks amazing (I say probably because there is a particular shade of purple that I will probably never be able to look at again without cringing, and one day you’ll find out why)).

One of the reasons many people don’t like yellow is because they find it unflattering.  I think it’s worth taking a moment to stop and think about this.

First, what we consider flattering today is often not what was considered flattering historically.  I’ve heard a lot of people say that yellow ‘washes me  out’, and that’s kind-of true: yellow can make a lot of skin tones look lighter.  But up until the 1920s, lighter, paler, and less tanned was better.  Yellow is often cited as a flattering colour in 19th century fashion literature, when tanning was definitely not the thing.  So while it may not fit in with out modern beauty ideals (though pale and interesting has returned, and I love it!), from a period perspective it’s doing the right thing.

Second, how yellow flatters you depends on the fabric, and the dye.

We wear a lot of cotton and synthetic fabrics today, and you may not look very good in yellow in them, but try a yellow silk, and you might feel very differently.   Silk reflects  light beautifully, casting a warm, flattering glow back up on your face, so a much wider range of colours will look good on you in silk (really high quality linen also has a beautiful, flattering lustre).

Finally, prior to the invention of synthetic dyes in the 1860s, all dyes were made from plant or mineral sources, and natural dyes tend to be more dimensional and dynamic, and thus more flattering.  Some of the synthetic yellow shades are very flat and harsh, making them hard to wear.

 

Even if you still don’t like yellow despite my earnest efforts to convince you of its many virtues, there are all sorts of  things that you can make for the challenge without going for the allover-head-to-toe yellow ensemble.

A yellow trimmed hat, yellow bag, yellow gloves (extremely fashionable during a number of periods), yellow stockings, or even a yellow housewife (so you aren’t actually wearing it) are all ways to add a lovely spot of colour to an outfit.

And your item needn’t be completely yellow: as long as yellow as an obvious and important part of the design it counts.

So go forth and make lovely glow-y, happy, sunshine-y things! (and hopefully feel glow-y, and happy, and sunshine-y about making them, whether you are working with a colour you already love, or being brave and stretching your boundaries – which is a good thing in and of itself.)  If you need more yellow inspiration, I have whole pinterest board full of yellow deliciousness.

Back in January I did a post considering the HSF ’14 and my sewing year, and looking at what I hoped to achieve.

Well, I’ve just posted about my item for Challenge #12, the year is almost halfway done, so how have I done so far?

• #1: Make Do & Mend:  due Wed 15 Jan.  I made  a 1930s dress inspired by making-do, and  mended my 1770s silver stays and my 1905 Time Lady blouse.  Challenge accomplished!  
  
• #2: Innovation  – due Sat 1 Feb.  Finished  a pair of 1930s trousers, and also making a 1860s petticoat (post and photos soon!)
• #3: Pink  – due Sat 15 Feb.  The late 1920s blush pink ‘Bambi’ Dress – just as I’d planned!  
• #4: Under it All  — due Sat 1 March.  A 1900s corset.  The Truly Victorian pattern has been on my to-do list for ages.  And with any luck I’ll FINALLY have  my masquerade stays  done by then as well.  February was a little mad and crazy for me, so all I did was finish the paisley petticoat  I had originally wanted to do for Innovation for Under it All instead.  Granted, it is pretty amazing!
• #5: Bodice  –  due Sat 15 March.  Mariana Victoria’s 1720s robe de cour bodice, of course! Sadly, thanks to my crazy February, and loosing the bodice, I didn’t finish MA, and instead submitted a rather disappointing matelasse waistcoat.  Still, it’s good to have got it off the UFO pile, and it did encourage me to write a matelasse terminology post.
• #6: Fairytale  — due Tue 1 April.  A skirt as golden as sunshine to go with the robe de coer bodice, of course! Or a 14th century nettle smock, which is equally awesome, and made me very, very happy.
• #7: Tops & Toes  — due Tue 15 April.  Shoes for the robe de coer ensemble?  Maybe?  As it turned out, I made an 1860s bonnet, which came in very handy indeed for my hoopskirts photoshoot.
• #8: UFOs & PHDs  — due Thur 1 May.  My  frou frou francaise, and not a moment too soon!  And the masquerade stays if they aren’t done for #4.  Well, I’m quite sad that these two items still aren’t done, but my schedule just wouldn’t permit a big project, so simple little engageantes it was.
• #9: Black and White  — due Thur 15 May.  1900s undies?  Robe de coer undies?  And/or a black or black and white 1930s dress?    There are options… And the winner was….Undies!  In the form of an 1860s chemise  (I also made a black item, which was finished on time, but which I haven’t managed to photograph yet.  Maybe this weekend…
• #10: Art  — due Sun 1 June.  Robe de coer lace sleeves, to finish the picture.  OK, so I have barely progressed on the Robe de coer outfit, and certainly didn’t make these lace sleeves, but how can I be sad when I made Nana stockings!  And a Nana chemise!
• #11: The Politics of Fashion  — due Sun 15 June.  Probably the  chinoiserie bodice.  It fits in well with a discussion on Western interference in Chinese politics, and how the gradual take-over of China and opening of Japan to the West introduced so many new motifs and colours into Western fashion.  Argh.  Another UFO I really wanted to get done.  Still, I’m tickled pink over my 1880s louis heels for Nana!
• #12: Shape & Support  — due Tue 1 July.  I said I wanted Regency stays, I did indeed make Regency stays, they aren’t really wearable by me, but they are done and beautifully made, so theoretically this challenge was a win!
• #13: Under $10  — due Tue 14 July.  A medieval chemise?  I have some nice handkerchief linen I got for a song.  Already made the chemise for Challenge #10!  I think my re-do is either going to be the skirt I wanted to do for #10 (the fabric was free!), or an early 20th century walking skirt.  I’ve now got a reason to do lots of early 20th century.  We’ll see.
• #14: Paisley & Plaid  — due Fri 1 August.  Either an 1870s plaid dress, using one of the 6 pieces of plaid wool I have in my stash (really, it’s a bit of an issue), or an 1870s or 1880s dress using a divine ecru tone-on-tone paisley silk I found at Fabric-a-brac.  This will depend on my talk schedule for 2014.  I think I want to do one all about paisley.  My talk schedule has changed and solidified, so it’s now either plaid 1890s, or paisley 1910s.  Probably the 1910s, I’m really excited about the fabric (it’s orange!).
• #15: The Great Outdoors  — due Fri 15 August.  A Regency pelisse or spencer?  A 1780s cape?  A medieval overgown?  Clearly I have no clear idea!  And now I do – a 1910s jacket.  And maybe I’ll finish that 1930s swimsuit that’s been hanging around as a UFO too.
• #16: Terminology  — due Mon 1 September.  Explore the etymology of fashion by make something defined in the  Great Historical Fashion & Textile Glossary  (new terminology posts and items will be added throughout the year).  Hehe.  I can make ANYTHING I want.  I just have to write a post with terminology that covers what I want to make before the challenge begins.  Small perk of being the coordinator!  And despite this, I still don’t know what I’m ACTUALLY going to make, though it will definitely be late 19th/early 20th century for an upcoming talk.
• #17:  Yellow  – due Mon 15 September.  SO MANY IDEAS!  (I love yellow).  A 1630s bodice based on the portrait of Henrietta Maria, to be worn with the Ninon skirt?  Or a 1840s dress in butter yellow.  Or a late 18th century round-gown in straw yellow?  Ahh…can’t decide!  I want to make them all!  Still want to make them all, but to be practical, I’m going to try to finish the Mariana Victoria bodice, so it isn’t another UFO!  Unless I desperately need to make something extra for the talk I’m working on.
• #18:  Poetry in Motion  – due Wed 1 October  Find inspiration for a garment in poetry and song.  Hrmm.  No idea actually.  But I’m sure I’ll think of something awesome.  Maybe medieval green-sleeves  And, at this point, it will be awesome, and (you guessed it), early 20th century.
• #19: HSF Inspiration  – due Wed 15 October.  Mitts!  I’ve waited so long for mitts!  Y’all better not tempt me into something else with your fabulousness! Oh, I hope I get to make those mitts!  If I’m still doing talk stuff though, there have been some FABULOUS 1910s things to riff off of between this year and last.
• #20: Alternative Universe  — due Sat 1 November.  More medieval, to finish my medieval ensemble?  Or final bits of the paisley or plaid ensemble?  I’m sure I’ll have no trouble with this!
• #21: Re-do  — due Sat 15 November.  I’ll save deciding on this one until I see how the year progresses, and how worn out I am!
• #22: Fort-nightliers Choice  — due Mon 1 December.  Have to wait to see what this one is to decide!  Suggestions are open at the moment, be sure to have a look at them and add yours!
• #23: Modern History  — due Mon 15 December.  Probably something 20s or 30s.  Summertime just calls for 20s and 30s, and it is what I wear on a daily basis!
• #24: All that Glitters  — due Thur 1 January.  I do have some glorious gold lace that is earmarked for a 20s dress that would be perfect for holiday parties…

So, if all goes to plan, I’ll finish off three big UFOs (frou frou, masquerade stays, Chinoiserie ensemble), make a 1720s robe de coer, a medieval ensemble (I need to do a bunch of research on that, on what period I would like to do, and what fabrics I have in stash – if I can’t do it from stash fabrics I’ll have to think of other projects), a nice selection of undergarments (you can never have too many chemises…), a handful of lovely ’30s stuff for vintage everyday wear, a couple of accessories and at least 1 further full ensemble.

Well, so far I’ve accomplished the nice selection of undergarments, and the ’30s stuff for vintage everyday.  Plus lots of beautiful accessories.  Haven’t done so well on the big projects, and my year will be taking  a serious turn towards 1890-1920 in preparation for a talk I’m doing.  I’m very excited about the talk, so don’t mind putting medieval on hold to do it.  And I really, really love the 1910s, so that’s good!  On balance, not bad at all!

And here are a couple of pretty, pretty hoopskirt pictures to celebrate how I’m doing: