All posts tagged: 17th century

So, you finished a dress? Now what?

There are still a few things to do once I finish the construction of a dress. Take the Ninon dress: all the construction and finishing is completed, and I’m waiting on the trim until I find the right lace. In the meantime, I’m doing my usual finished project clean up. First, any extra fabric goes back in my stash, with anything large enough folded, and all the little scraps in a bag. That way I’ll know exactly where they are if I need them for another project (like this jacket!). Second, I make sure my pattern is absolutely updated and correct, with all my notes on it. I have a really bad habit of just making a messy pile of all my toiles while I am in the throes of sewing. So at the end of a project, before I have forgotten everything I did as I made it, I re-do the pattern. This was particularly important with Ninon’s bodice, as I ended up making so many alterations to the front point that needed to …

Historical costuming monkey business

Published by The Dreamstress

I’ve been watching White Zombie, the original ‘living dead’ film. Made in 1932 on a shoestring budget, it starred the newly famous Bela Lugosi as the zombie master and Madge Bellamy as the titular ‘white zombie’ who “filled his every desire” according to the movie tagline. Yes, this was definitely a pre-code film! Madge wears a series of fabulous ensembles: a tropical appropriate traveling outfit, a to-die-for wedding dress (pun intended), a quaintly old-fashioned frock, and a trailing 1930s does medieval shroud. The quaintly old-fashioned frock caught my attention. It looked so 17th century. I loved the idea of a 17th century inspired early 1930s dress. So I went looking for images of it. I found these: Isn’t that very 1920s does mid 17th century? The sleeves, the bows, the metal lace trim? I wonder what the full view looks like? How charming! How quaint! I had no idea that the 17th century was such a big influence in the 1920s! But wait…what’s this? That’s Madge Bellamy all right. And that’s definitely the same dress, …

Finished project: Ninon’s dress!

Published by The Dreamstress

I teased Chiara at the Grandeur & Frivolity talk that I should never let her wear my dresses as every time she puts on one, I love the way it looks on her so much that I never feel I look right in it again! She looked especially amazing in Ninon’s 1660s dress at the Grandeur & Frivolity talk. So amazing I almost don’t want to add any more trimming to the dress. Or that might just be the minimalist in me talking 😉 The trim is on hold anyway while I find the perfect ribbon or lace. I’m so in love with this dress. It’s everything I hoped it would be, and then some. The colour is perfect, the fabric sublime. The skirt pleats, the smooth bodice, the sleeves, the laced bodice. It all worked perfectly. The fichu/wrap thing is just pinned on with a fabulous brooch courtesy of Madame O. I’m working on a way to attach it which is both practical and historical. We took a few photos of Chiara and I …