40 Search Results for: 1916 fortnight

My Costume College talks

I’m off to the US for Costume College this week, and I am SO excited! I’ll be seeing costumers I haven’t seen in almost a decade, meeting costumers I’ve never met in real life, taking some amazing classes, and even giving two p myself! My first talk is a topic I’ve been fascinated by for years, and which I’ve given as a class or presentation in various forms: the history of the paisley/boteh motif. I just think it’s amazing that this one motif has become so universally recognisable (even Mr D knows what paisley is!): as much so as spots or stripes or checks, though its much more specific and esoteric. The history of how it came to be so well known, and the different things it has represented in Western fashion, is quite phenomenal – and quite important to know as a historical costumer, so that you understand what your paisley garment would have meant to the people viewing it at the time it was made (spoiler alter: wealth!, knowledge!, sex!, security!, ethics!, …

Rate the Dress: subtle and sparkly 1908

Published by The Dreamstress

There has been no Rate the Dress for the last two weeks, because I was focusing on the Fortnight in 1916, but it’s back! Last time I did a Rate the Dress I showed two things that have not, in the past, done very well on RTD: childrenswear, and blue-green combinations. In this case though, reactions ranged from a sprinkling of ‘it’s a nice dress, not fabulous, but I shall give it a 7’ to a LOT of ‘I want to make it! Love!’ 10s. Big pockets and historicism for the win! It came in at a perfect 9 out of 10. The last couple of weeks have been very stressful for me, for reasons that had nothing to do with the Fortnight, so I’m feeling the need for something soothing and restful in the way of frocks. While I would never say ‘oooh, that colour is amazing!’ about a length of fabric the shade of this dress, I find looking at it very relaxing and soothing. For me, it’s a shade that’s very appealing …

A corset-themed tale of hubris and irony

Published by The Dreamstress

As a blogger, it’s tempting to only show you my successes: things that turn out perfectly, and look beautiful.* But that’s not fair to you, or me: it creates an unrealistic expectation of life, and how well you think you should do at any given project. As a reader, I get frustrated with blogs that are only about perfection and glamour: I find myself comparing myself, and feeling insufficient, but I also find myself bored, because while you can definitely learn from seeing other people’s amazing successes, I think you often learn a lot more from seeing their mistakes (for one thing, you learn how to avoid them!). So this, dear readers, is a post about a sewing project for my Fortnight in 1916 that has most definitely not been a success – but which I have learned a great deal from, and which you may also learn something from! I’ve showed you my black and white 1916 longline corset, and mentioned that it was made directly from a pattern, without being altered to fit …