All posts tagged: Edwardian

ca. 1907 Edwardian swimsuit by thedreamstress.com

Can you swim in a worsted wool Edwardian swimsuit? Let’s find out!

Yesterday I showed you my reproduction worsted wool Edwardian swimsuit. Everyone wanted to know if I actually swam in it, and if you could swim in it. Obviously I wondered this as well. The swimsuit was lovely to frolic on the beach on, but could it actually work as a swimsuit. So I gave it a try! My reproduction swimsuit was made from worsted wool serge, and consists of a jumpsuit with attached bloomers, and an overskirt. Both garments button down the front. I chose to swim with bare legs and feet. While fashion plates generally show shoes and stockings there are enough period photographs that show wading women with swimsuits and bare lower limbs to make this equally plausible for a full swim. For the first swim I jumped off a little dock at Hataitai/Evan’s Bay beach. It’s a popular swimming spot (as evinced by all the kids watching me), and very calm and safe, so a good place to try out the swimsuit. My first mini swim showed: It’s definitely possible to swim …

Edwardian swimsuit by thedreamstress.com

I do like to be beside the sea (in an Edwardian Swimsuit)

Published by The Dreamstress

It took three and a half years, but I’ve finally managed to do a photoshoot in the ca. 1907 worsted wool Edwardian swimsuit that I made for the HSF ‘Inspiration’ challenge back in 2014. I generally have to plan and prep for a photoshoot in full historical for a good few days beforehand, but this one was quite spontaneous. It was a gorgeously sunny and warm Saturday, after days of storm and rain. Quite out of the blue, Mr D asked if I wanted to do a photoshoot that evening. I thought about showing you yet another pair of shorts + a Miramar top, but that wasn’t particularly exciting. It was too warm for most of my historical costumes, but then I remembered the Edwardian swimsuit: very little prep and ironing needed, and not hard to put on! And certainly long overdue! I’m wearing the swimsuit with the scarf I made to go with it, wool stockings from the Rosalie pattern, and cheap little slip-on sandshoes. They aren’t actually that far from period originals …

An Edwardian Evening Gown Interlude II: a touch of modern

Published by The Dreamstress

Here are more photos from my Edwardian evening gown photoshoot with Theresa. These ones are by our friend Daniil @dmanww, who is seriously the most amazing person ever. He’s always ready to help with anything, including a photoshoot. Sometimes behind the camera, sometimes in front of it: Daniil has also modelled for me! We took most of these photos at the memorial at the Basin Reserve, the old Wellington Cricket grounds. It was hard to keep out all the modern additions and architecture around the memorial out of the photos. After realising how much that limited our angles, we stopped trying to be strictly historical. It was fun mixing it up, with shots of selfies, and 1970s grandstands in the background. What do you think? Should we try to keep it as plausibly period as possible, or is an interesting photo good even if it’s very anachronistic? Other Theresa photoshoots include: ca. 1880 (one and two) 17th & 18thc yellow (one, two and three) hoopskirts (one, two, and three) Regency (one, two & hair), and …