All posts tagged: Regency

1813 Kashmiri dress – evening ambiance

On Monday I travelled up to Palmerston North to give a talk to the Rose City Quilters – always a lovely time. I talked about the Indian influence on Western textiles, and wore my 1813 Kashmiri Dress, now with a bit of extra neck trim, and suspended sleeve drapes. After the talk I ended up doing an impromptu photoshoot. My photographer did an excellent job, really paid attention to lighting and angles (and was my computer bag reflecting in the mirror behind me). We got an amazing set of images, particularly as we only had a staircase and the corner of a bedroom to work with, and night lighting. I particularly like this one. The blur makes it look like an antique painting: Aren’t the shadows fantastic? And the reflections in the mirror? To finish off, after all the serious period poses, an obligatory smiling shot: I still wish the back of the dress didn’t dip so low, but I’m thrilled with the rest of it.

1813 Kashmiri dress: Progress and a mostly done photoshoot

Published by The Dreamstress

I’ve been sewing like mad on the 1813 Kashmiri dress that I am making for the Historical Sew Fortnightly Bi/Tri/Quadri/Quin/Sex/Septi/Octo/Nona/Centennial Challenge. I’ve based my pattern on the 1805-9 dress in Janet Arnold with reference to patterns from other slightly later extent garments, and my inspiration fashion plate and extent garment, to bring it up to date for a dress that would be the latest fashion in January 1813. The bodice will be fully lined with white linen, so I started with that, sewing the linen together, and then sewing the wool pieces to the support lining, using careful little 14 stitches to the inch (OK, sometimes it was only 12 or 13). The side-back panels went first, followed by the back panels: There was no ideal layout for the paisley border print, so I just did my best. I quite like the way the pattern meets at the centre back. I originally considered having the centre back fasten with buttons like the 1805-9 dress in JA, but I didn’t have any suitable buttons in stash, …

The Kashmiri Shawl, and the dress made of Kashmir shawls

Published by The Dreamstress

I love paisley (the design) and the history of Kashmir shawls. The interaction between the paisley design and Western fashion is fascinating, with both elements impacting the other in equal fashion. Kashmiri shawls were first introduced to Europe in the late 18th century by English traders who had encountered them in India. In India the shawls were worn by men, but in Europe they were taken up by women as the perfect warm wrap to accompany to new light muslin dresses. The cashmere wool was lighter, softer and warmer than anything available in Europe at the time, and the paisley patterns were deliciously exotic to Western eyes. Kashmiri shawls were also the perfect status symbol – they were extraordinarily rare, and prohibitively expensive. As with anything rare, expensive and incredibly desirable, those who could afford it flaunted it, and those who couldn’t scrambled to find a cheaper alternative. Manufacturers in Europe almost immediately began to replicate paisley designs (the name paisley comes from Paisley in Scotland where many imitation Kashmiri shawls were made) on wool-silk …