'The Young Victoria' Violet Silk Dress Replica

I'm so pleased to share with you a most delightful dress project that I've been working on for the past several weeks.

The Violet Silk dress from the film 'The Young Victoria'

A lovely British lady contacted me this summer about making her a replica of the movie dress to wear to some balls and events this fall. At first I was hesitant about taking on a custom order when I should be working on wedding stuff, but as soon as I heard *what* the request was, I couldn't resist. :) I've only seen the movie once, but that one in particular was one of my favorite dresses.

Since the dress is pre-crinoline era, 1840s, it won't be worn with a hoop.

The gorgeous fabric is a shot silk with turqoise blue and hot pink threads interwoven, creating such a lovely, shimmery shade of violet. From Rennaissance Fabrics. Looking at the movie pictures closely, I think that dress may be silk satin. However, I like the taffeta much better.

Satin ribbon lacing the back from The Ribbon Jar.

English netting lace decorating the sleeves from Lace Heaven.

The bodice is fitted and boned, and finished off with piping.

 The skirt is quite full and pleated to a separate band.

 

The pleated bertha was causing me to worry just a tad before I began it. What shape did one start out with for the pleated sections?? Doing a little internet research I came up with a wonderful (and historically documented) answer already proved by a very talented seamstress - see the tutorial here. So, even though it was time consuming, it wasn't nearly as brain-wearying as I anticipated. :) The piped tabs took alot of handwork, but they proved excellent place for attaching the bertha to the bodice.

If you look close at the original movie pictures,

there seem to actually be two colors of silk used for the 'pleats'.

The flowers aren't exactly like the orginial either, but I think they are close enough to provide a wonderful similarity, and a great contrast with the silk.

I also made the matching hairpiece. It was so much fun - just a simple wired band with the wire bases of the flowers arranged and attached, and a comb stitched on. I now must confess to have a secret envy of milliners - I think that must be quite a nice job - lots of decorating fun, and not near as much worry about fitting! :) I'd love to do some of these floral headpieces for 1860s ballgowns....

Now I have to say goodbye to this dress -

 it's getting packed up tomorrow and on it's way across the ocean!

I really want one.

What I've Been Sewing...

So, what have I been up to lately? Sewing. Sewing until I can't see straight late into the evening.

The summer didn't go exactly as I had forseen, so I'm crunching for time, getting ready for the Jane Austen Convention where I will have a booth selling Regency attire.

I don't have acutal pictures for you, but I've been doing quite a few replicas, inspired by Regency era films, so here are some pictures of my inspirations to tide you over....:)

A reproduction of Anne's pale blue apron front dress.

In my size too.....which means I may just have to keep it to wear myself.....

This late regency dress, circa 1827-29, according to Janet Arnold, was a fun project! I got the idea from an roll of vibrant silk plaid that has been sitting in my fabric stash unused for several years. Yes! this is the perfect opportunity to make an outrageously pretty dress with it. So far I've made a mock-up (which turned out just lovely, if I do say so myself) in yellow cotton print. Before the convention, I hope to get the silk version completed.

One of the quickest types of Regency dresses are one-layer sheer dresses with long sleeves, that fasten in back with drawstrings:

One in navy blue cotton lawn,

Two others in chocolate brown.

So far I have 11 dresses made that are ready to sell in the booth.

My goal is to have at least 20 minimum by October, God willing .:)

+ various undergarments and accessories which I have made a fairly good start on as well.

 There are also 3 other dresses of various descriptions which I haven't yet decided if I am going to sell or wear myself....:)

I feel a bit like this right now:

Somewhat tired, and ready for a good night's sleep. :)

 

Phantom of the Opera Dress

My most recent custom commission. A cream taffeta ball gown in 1860s style.

The request was for the dress to be similar to the one worn by Emmy Rossum in 'Phantom of the Opera'.

Bodice and skirt are two separate pieces. Slightly off the shoulder bodice is fitted and boned with little puffed sleeves.

Laces up the back with robbon through hand-sewn eyelets.

Fabric used was 'elegance taffeta' from fabric.com. It's a synthetic taffeta - but I love working with it, it's seriously the best faux silk I've ever seen.

Quite a fun project! I love the simplicity and elegance of a white or cream ball gown. :^)

1937 Regency Movie - Quality Street

I rarely post about movies, but I just had to share about this darling little film. My dear friend Rebecca introduced me to the movie 'Quality Street' when I was visting recently, and I loved it so much that I have since obtained my own copy. It's a story that takes place in Regency England, and is almost like a combination of 'Cranford', and 'Persuasion' - quite charming! Katharine Hepburn stars as Pheobe Thrussle, and Franchot Tone as Captain Valentine Brown. Plot synopsis below (beware of spoilers!)

England, 1805. Young, spirited, but determined to be lady-like Pheobe Thrussle and her much older sister Susan live on Quality Street, a quaint, lovely little place inhabited by spinsters and gossips in ruffled white caps. As the story begins, Pheobe is all in a flutter because a special someone - the dashing Mr. Brown, has promised to call that afternoon with something particular to comunicate to her. She and her sister are positive that he is going to propose to Pheobe and are beside themselves with happiness.

It comes as a shock and a dissapointment that instead of proposing marriage, Mr. Brown instead announces he has enlisted and is off to fight Napoleon!! For ten long years he is gone to the war - in the meantime the Throssle sisters begin a school to support themselves, and Pheobe tries to be patient with her lot.

Finally, one day the troops come marching home and Captain Brown comes calling again, as dashing and handsome as ever. He finds Pheobe sadly changed, however, weary from long years of teaching school, and quite unattractive in her old-maid's cap. In fact, he doesn't even recognize her at first! Still, he asks to take her and her sister to the homecoming ball that night, but Pheobe insulted and saddend that he didn't know her and pleads to stay at home on account of a 'headache'.

After Captain Brown leaves she is overcome with melancoly and dresses up in one of her beautiful old ball gowns and does her hair in ringlets just as she used to, to prove to her sister and herself that she isn't as changed as he seemed to think. While this is going on, he suddenly returns to again ask them to the ball. Startled, he again does not recognize Pheobe, so they hurridly introduce her as 'Miss Livy', their neice who is visiting. Captain Brown seems infatuated by her beauty, and determined to have her revenge, Pheobe accompanies him to the ball, assuming the character of Miss Livy, a thoughtless, flirtatious, and merry young thing, and plans to spurn Captain Brown as 'too old' if given the opportunity....

Things get more hilarous and chaotic as 'Miss Livy' gains numerous admirers in a whirl of social activity, while Brown is left fuming in the shadows, and the sisters have to work hard to keep the local gossips from finding out that Miss Livy and Miss Pheobe are the same person.  Pheobe can't decide whether to be flattered that Brown still finds her beautiful in her disguise, or to be insulted that he seems to be suddenly enamoured of the reckless Miss Livy.

Things eventually work out in the end, as Captain Brown rejects Miss Livy as a heartless flirt, and returns to propose to Miss Pheobe, where he finds out all and both forgive each other for the past.

Highly recommended!

'Quality Street' is actually a stage-play from 1901 by J.M. Barrie!

The Princess Bride Wedding Dress

The  inspiration:

Wedding dress from the movie 'The Princess Bride'.

The movie dress appears to be a semi sheer blue/silver floral brocade with a high waistline, lacing in front. Extra long slim sleeves with flowing oversleeves. Bodice appears to be decorated with some type of silver metallic lace. Cream/white sheer chemise accented with jewel trim.

My fabric -  a vintage cream/silver brocade drapery in a scroll and diamond pattern. The moment I saw the fabric, the Princess Bride dress and the Ever After 'breathe' dress came to mind. The Princess Bride dress won.

I used a combination of several pattern to achieve the look of the dress.

Bodice:

 Based on the Regency short stays from the Sense and Sensibility Underthings Pattern

 Over sleeve:

 Patterns of Fashion: The Cut and Construction of Clothes for Men and Women c.1560-1620 

by Janet Arnold - oversleeve pattern pg. 113

Under Sleeve:

based on Patterns of Fashion 1: 1660-1860

by Janet Arnold - Regency sleeve pattern pg. 48

Skirt:

based on skirt from Sense and Sensiblity Regency Gown Pattern

Inspiration Pictures:

The closest historical basis I could find for the dress were a few Italian Renassaince pieces, and some silhouettes from the late 13th c.

I thought about jumping off something for the photo shoot, but *ahem* decided against it.

The sleeves turned out perfect - the Tudor-era over sleeve pattern from the Janet Arnold book was just the right shape, length, and drape. I did have a little trouble during construction, though. The sleeve was so heavy that it was pulling  the bodice down off the shoulders! But - after I added a drawstring at the neckline, that really helped to keep everything in place.

I also had a bit of a dilemma about how to work out the front lacing opening on the bodice with the ungathered skirt front. I finally decided to make the dress two pieces. Thus, the skirt is not attached to the front-opening bodice, it is back opening and attached to 'suspenders'. (I saw this method on a Regency dress in 19th C. Fashion in Detail) The bodice laces with cream ribbon through hand sewn eyelets.

In the movie, Buttercup's dress appears to have a semi-sheer chemise underneath. I decided to make mine out of two layers - one of muslin and one of sheer voile. That way I could get the look of the soft sheer, but not the immodest transparent-ness. :^) The trim on the chemise is a broken vintage pearl necklace that I hand-stitched into place.

The crown is a rhinestone tiarra that was leftover from the drama days.

Skirt is plain in front, at sides and back has large pleats facing the center back, and comes to a slight train at hem.

Yeah! Now I just need a place/event to wear the dress - and my 'true love' to show up, right?