We started the Aidah Gown research by assembling huge inspiration boards of items from online databases, noting details and similar design and construction elements, and looking at extant garments in museums and private collections.
Here are the gorgeous Aidah Tester makes! Pattern testers are so important to ensuring we deliver you the best possible pattern. They ask about instructions that are confusing. They provide feedback on the fit on a whole range of bodies.
We’ve just launched the Scroop + Virgil’s Fine Goods Aidah Gown pattern, and I’ve introduced it as the ‘sister’ pattern to the Angelica Gown. There is a lot in common between the two pattterns: they cover the same timeperiod, are both Italian gowns, and they have interchangeable elements. But, like real sisters (or at least my sisters – the youngest likes to say of me: “she’s nothing like me“), they are also very much their own distinct individuals. So, how are the patterns different? In brief, they have: Side seams (Angelica) vs no side seams (Aidah). Different front necklines Different front points/tab options Different back necklines One piece sleeves (Angelica) vs two piece sleeves (Aidah) Different back point lengths Different seaming in the four-panel back option Different front-fastening options: lacing for the Angelica, hooked or pinned for the Aidah Different construction details in the instructions whenever there were multiple historically accurate options for how to construct an Italian Gown – we picked one technique for each pattern. I’ll go into each of these differences in …
