All posts tagged: robe a la francaise

Rate the Dress: Fresh green française stripes

Published by The Dreamstress

This week’s Rate the Dress may be familiar to many of you.  For others, it may be a happy (or, this being Rate the Dress, indifferent) introduction.  Whichever the case, I hope you enjoy looking at it more closely! Last Week:  an 1810s dress is very, very yellow silk There’s quite a lot that people agreed on about last week’s frock.  You agreed the dress was indeed very historically-accurate-Bridgerton-esque.  That it was most likely later than the date given by the family (which did mean it was exactly the right era to be worn by the sisters).  You almost all thought the sleeves were very nice indeed.  And that the hem treatment was clumsy and unrefined, but that the overall effect was deliciously sunny and happy. In fact, this was one of the most concensus-y dresses we’ve had in a long time.  There was two ratings for 10, and one for 6, but every other rating clusetered in the 7-9 range, with the vast majority at 8-8.5.  Which means it should be no surprise that …

1760 Frou Frou Francaise thedreamstress.com

Five years later – Frou Frou Francaise progress (finally!)

Published by The Dreamstress

It’s had a five year hiatus, but the mostly-Queen-Charlotte-inspired  Frou Frou Francaise is back on my sewing schedule. It hit the shoals of inactivity back in 2013 for two reasons.  First, the fabric was really hard to sew, and was aggravating the chillblains and other arm problems I have in winter.  Second I realised that I had two meters less fabric than I had thought, and wouldn’t be able to finish it without significant piecing – and even then without all the trimming I’d hoped to have.  The two combined were just too demoralising, and I packed it away in the naughty bin. I’m really trying to clear out my PHD (project half done) pile, so, inspired by all the people who were planning to make Robe a la Francaise based on the American Duchess 18th century costuming book, I pulled the Francaise back out after Costume College last year, and re-assessed it to see what I could do to finish it. When I set the dress aside 5 years ago, the petticoat was completely …

Robe a la Francaise, Italian, about 1775, Silk taffeta brocaded with silk and metallic threads, MFA Boston, 77.6a-b

Rate the Dress: Rosy Pink & Roses Française

Published by The Dreamstress

I have robe  la françaises on the mind, so they have inspired this week’s Rate the Dress pick.  It’s the most pink and cabbage-rose-y Française I could find.  I’m interested to see if you’ll think that’s a good thing or not! Last week:  a crinoline-to-first-bustle-era transitional gown in jewel green patterned silk Generally speaking, you liked last week’s dress as an example of its type.  A few of you even loved it.  Most of you just weren’t that inspired by it, even if you didn’t actually like it.  I did find the various interpretations of the print most amusing.  Bats!  Seagulls!  (or, in reality, little berry or bud sprigs.) The Total: 7.1 out of 10. That’s definitely a nice-but-not-inspiring rating. This week: a pink and gold and so many florals française: Sacque dresses were really just vehicles for a lavish amount of sumptious fabric and a froth of decadent trim.  This one is no exception.  The extremely wide square hoops show off meters of the rosy silk.  The front of the dress and sleeves feature …