Last month I also attended the 150th Anniversary of Parliament House in Brisbane. The day was marked with a celebration and tour of the original parliament building. Still in use today, the building is a beauty from its’ era. We were invited along by the organisers to provide a bit of ambiance to the event – wearing gowns which would have been worn when the building was originally opened. It is an incredibly beautiful building and I’m glad that I got the chance to see inside. It’s not normally open to the public so it was indeed a special occasion.
For the occasion, I wore my late 1860s Early Bustle. I made this gown a while back, but didn’t have many photos of myself in it (the occasion when I debuted it, I was two days out of wisdom teeth removal surgery and a puffy little chipmunk.) It was lovely to be able to wear the dress again and actually take photos this time.
Showing posts with label 1870s. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 1870s. Show all posts
Monday, October 8, 2018
Monday, May 11, 2015
Bustling up my Mum
I've been a little ill of late so I haven't quite kept up to date with my posting. Earlier this month I was intending to attend a historical event at Brisbane's Newstead House. I've spent the last few months working on a new costume each for both my mother and myself. And while I did manage to get them finished despite the illness, I was too sick to be able to lace into my stays to attend the event. I did however get my mum dressed and ready to attend in her new outfit, so I took some photos out the back before she left.
It's quite a simple bustle put together from patterns based on Truly Victorian ones. And the fabric of choice is linen - which will be lovely to wear in the warmer months that we get so many of in Queensland. The skirt, I had made before so it was a simple matter of cutting it out and making up. It's a simple straight 1870s underskirt trimmed with a pleated band sewn on with light blue velvet ribbon. It also has a couple of bows sewn to the front purely because that was what was left of the ribbon.
The polonaise is again linen and lined with linen to maintain it's cool wearing. This one, I did have to draft up and mock up before I could make just to double check before cutting the lovely printed linen. It is trimmed in a cotton/poly blend tassel furnishing trim along with the blue velvet ribbon.
To finish the ensemble I made her a white silk reticule and added 5 tassels from the trim (all that I had left). And I whipped up a hat based on a Lynne McMasters Pattern. It's made of buckram, and wire then covered with a mull layer and white silk dupion. I trimmed it with the blue velvet ribbon, paper flowers, velvet leaves and a little foam and feathers bird.
I am really pleased with how the whole ensemble came out and my mum loves it, so it's a huge win. And quite frankly, it's about time I made it up, I've had the fabric sitting in my cupboard for a couple of years with the promise of making it up for her. I guess I just needed an event to sew for.
It's quite a simple bustle put together from patterns based on Truly Victorian ones. And the fabric of choice is linen - which will be lovely to wear in the warmer months that we get so many of in Queensland. The skirt, I had made before so it was a simple matter of cutting it out and making up. It's a simple straight 1870s underskirt trimmed with a pleated band sewn on with light blue velvet ribbon. It also has a couple of bows sewn to the front purely because that was what was left of the ribbon.
The polonaise is again linen and lined with linen to maintain it's cool wearing. This one, I did have to draft up and mock up before I could make just to double check before cutting the lovely printed linen. It is trimmed in a cotton/poly blend tassel furnishing trim along with the blue velvet ribbon.
To finish the ensemble I made her a white silk reticule and added 5 tassels from the trim (all that I had left). And I whipped up a hat based on a Lynne McMasters Pattern. It's made of buckram, and wire then covered with a mull layer and white silk dupion. I trimmed it with the blue velvet ribbon, paper flowers, velvet leaves and a little foam and feathers bird.
I am really pleased with how the whole ensemble came out and my mum loves it, so it's a huge win. And quite frankly, it's about time I made it up, I've had the fabric sitting in my cupboard for a couple of years with the promise of making it up for her. I guess I just needed an event to sew for.
Wednesday, January 14, 2015
Undergarments on display
On Sunday 11th January, I headed to the Queensland Museum at South Bank to visit the Undergarments exhibition with the Australian Costumers Guild. It's an exhibition brought to Australia by the Victoria and Albert Museum, so it was quite the exciting event to attend. Of course, as I was in attendance with the ACG, we dressed up for the occasion. Many ladies in the group decided to wear vintage fashions, however we did have one Regency lady, two shameless ladies in bustle undergarments and two in full bustle kit. I was one in full bustle. I considered just wearing my undergarments with the other ladies for half a minute before I remembered that my victorian corset is mid-bust and there is a very great risk of accidental exposure. Plus, I do love my whole victorian outfit. I think it was lovely for the other visitors to the museum to see a couple of bustle gowns in full wear. To see how it all moves and the silhouette that you get from the undergarments on display.
The exhibition itself was fantastic. There was a really great range of period undergarments on display. I pretty much had my nose pressed to the glass trying to get a look at the stitching, seam lines and construction techniques. The only disappointment was that the book for the exhibition was simply the previously published Underwear Fashion In Detail book by V&A - which I bought on pre-order a couple of years ago. Don't get me wrong, it's a great book, but I always buy exhibition books, so it was sad not to get this one.
After viewing the exhibition, a number of us headed over to the cafe in the art gallery for lunch. We chatted more about what we had seen and discussed which ones we all want to try our hand at making. As it happens, I am currently drafting up a couple of period corsets, so it has given me a couple more ideas for how I would like to finish them.
Overall, it was a lovely outing. I didn't get a lot of photos (no photography inside the exhibition), but I will share the few that I did take, and of course the group photo from my cousin.
The exhibition itself was fantastic. There was a really great range of period undergarments on display. I pretty much had my nose pressed to the glass trying to get a look at the stitching, seam lines and construction techniques. The only disappointment was that the book for the exhibition was simply the previously published Underwear Fashion In Detail book by V&A - which I bought on pre-order a couple of years ago. Don't get me wrong, it's a great book, but I always buy exhibition books, so it was sad not to get this one.
After viewing the exhibition, a number of us headed over to the cafe in the art gallery for lunch. We chatted more about what we had seen and discussed which ones we all want to try our hand at making. As it happens, I am currently drafting up a couple of period corsets, so it has given me a couple more ideas for how I would like to finish them.
Overall, it was a lovely outing. I didn't get a lot of photos (no photography inside the exhibition), but I will share the few that I did take, and of course the group photo from my cousin.
Saturday, April 26, 2014
Easter Sunday Picnic
On Easter Sunday, I frocked up in my tartan 1870s bustle gown and headed out to Fort Lytton, Brisbane's own historical site for a Victorian Picnic organised by the re-enactment group 19th Century Queensland.
It was a lovely outing and nice to see so many people show up, despite the fact that it was Easter Sunday. It was odd for me to be there without my parents who I usually drag along to these things, but alas, they were tripping away down Sydney way for the Easter break. It was a relaxing afternoon, sitting in the shade, chatting to friends, snacking on sandwiches and tea. We rounded out our afternoon with a promenade around the grounds.
I didn't get as many photos as I would have liked, but there were many photographers on site, so there are a good number of photos floating around on the internet out there.
The day was still a bit warm for all the layers, but I was really happy with how my new bustle frame and petticoat held out my skirts. And I always love the opportunity to wear my bustle dress. Thankfully, being made of linen, cotton and silk, it at least breathed in the weather. I styled up one of my new lace front wigs to go with the outfit and my hat. I even topped off my outfit with a little mouse brooch that I used to wear to Sunday School when I was little.
It was a lovely outing and nice to see so many people show up, despite the fact that it was Easter Sunday. It was odd for me to be there without my parents who I usually drag along to these things, but alas, they were tripping away down Sydney way for the Easter break. It was a relaxing afternoon, sitting in the shade, chatting to friends, snacking on sandwiches and tea. We rounded out our afternoon with a promenade around the grounds.
I didn't get as many photos as I would have liked, but there were many photographers on site, so there are a good number of photos floating around on the internet out there.
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