All posts tagged: 1880s

Rate the Dress: Liberty of London Tea Gown

Dear Readers, I apologise that this dress is late. It is late for the very best of reasons though: yesterday was my Afternoon Tea benefit talk for Save the Children at Premier House. When that finished at 4, we had to get undressed, I had to grab a bite of dinner, and then at 6 I taught a Beginners Sewing class. And I just may have been up into the wee smalls finishing things the night before. Just maybe. So I’m a little bit tired, and went to bed early, and got up late, so the post is a bit late. Re: Last weeks 1930s dress on Myrna Loy. The official rating is a 7.8 out of 10, but I really don’t think the dress deserves it, because most of you were too bored by it to vote (also it had waist ruffles (oops, did I just betray a prejudice!?)). Those who really love 1930s weighed in, but there was a distinct lack of interest in the comments. Alas, I have no way to calculate …

Nana’s Corset – beginnings

Published by The Dreamstress

Remember how I posted that I wanted to finish a corset so I could make shorts so I could make panniers? Well, you have seen the shorts, the panniers are done but yet to be posted about, but the corset isn’t quite finished. But it looks pretty amazing anyway, and here is a sneak-peek: This corset is my long planned, long awaited version of the Nana corset for me. I’m never going to achieve quite as many curves as Nana (and also, I’m not a teenage courtesan who destroys the lives of every man she encounters – but Manet didn’t know that) but I’m pretty pleased with how I look in it. The images of me in the corset are courtesy of Mrs C, who kindly took photos on her camera at a sewing night at her place when I stupidly forgot to bring a memory card for my camera. D’oh! I’ve been working on it since the sewing night, and the corset is almost done. I just need to finish the binding on the …

A historical account of the perils of dyeing

Published by The Dreamstress

This story comes to you courtesy of the Grey River Argus, 13 June 1883. A lieutenant in the Russian Army, and a Count pardessus le marche, having paid marked attention to the prettiest girl in Moscow, her father, by profession a dyer, asked him if his intentions were honorable or otherwise. As the young nobleman’s reply was evasive (says an exchange), the worthy dyer naturally concluded that they were otherwise, and requested that he bestow his attentions elsewhere. The young gallant kept out of the way for some time, but at last passion got the better of prudence, and he re-commenced his flirtation with the dyer’s pretty daughter during the absence of her worthy sire. The inevitable occurred. Papa surprised the lovers, and without much ado collared the young warrior, doused him in the first handy vat of dye, and then reasoned with him a posteriori. When the Count got home he discovered that neither cold water nor hot, neither spirits of wine nor benzine, neither soap nor silver sand, would remove his new complexion …