The Ornamented Being

2013 is shaping up to be ridiculously expensive, particularly April. 

I’ll be at a Napoleonic Ball in Northern England this weekend.Then I will be in Amsterdam in late February for an 1813 Ball. I need to finish up my pelisse and sort of the fur muff situation.

Then in very early March I have something involving 1912 but I’m keeping that under wraps for now.

April is the month that is going to be pretty bad. I believe the second weekend I will be in Bath for the Georgian Ball. I’ll need two ball gowns, possibly a day gown for Saturday, and definitely a picnic gown for Sunday.  I’m lucky because I already took care of my wigs and hoops over the break and I have shoes, and stays from my internship at Williamsburg. I can drape everything on the stand and pretty much get those done very quickly but it’s the cost of the fabric that s going to be the real kicker. 

The next weekend I will be in Malta for five days for a Napoleonic Ball and will need days gowns and evening gowns. I have a theme in mind and I’m really going to try to stick with that. I have three day gowns with bodices, sleeves, and skirts already made up that are folded up very neatly waiting to be finished. 

I fly back on Tuesday and that Saturday I will be at a Victorian Ball in London. I’m really worried about this one because I’ve never made a costume from this era. The amount of fabric needed for skirts is staggering. I’m hoping that someone will let me either borrow or rent their crinoline and if their corset fits I could even use that. If not I have a set of corded stays and I’ll be sticking with the 1840s. 

I need a job. 

All of this on top of working on my University projects!! I’ve been invited to attend quite a few Regency events later this summer so I will be re-using and upcycling my gowns. I always make gowns in a first stage so when I want to re-wear them I can add something else to make them new. Vaux le Vicomte is this summer so I won’t even worry about that just yet!

Edit: Sorry this ended up being so long. It was so refreshing to put my plan into words!

The Met says: “The silhouette of the 1910s is a revival of the Directoire and Empire styles, but here it is blended with a turn-of-the-century monobosom. Once again, a new silhouette was founded in reference to past style. The revealing neckline conforms to an unsupported bust, creating a soft, languorous silhouette.”

This is going to bother me so much, I recognize that motif from somewhere. Is it related to Marie Antoinette maybe? 

Edit: Ta muchly to laduelliste answered your question: The Met says: “The silhouette of the 1910s is a…

TThe motif of the three ostrich plumes is from the coat of arms of the Prince of Wales, adopted after the Battle of Agincourt

Edit again: I didn’t think it was a fleur de lys. I do know what that looks like! It reminded me of something from Marie Antoinette’s bed but now I’m thinking I might have gotten that confused with one of the beds at Hampton Court. 

(Source: metmuseum.org)

Three-colour gold tiara with swags of leaves and flowers surmounted by a row of large flowers formed by clusters of turquoises surrounded by cannetille work with a small diamond in the centre. It has been converted from a frontlet ornament of c.1805 and a French import mark and French design registry mark are on the loop at each end.

British Museum

c. 1805

First French Empire

(Source: Daily Mail)

After much debate I am pleased to announce that I will be attending the Regency Ball held during the Jane Austen festival in Bath on the 23rd of September.

I have started a mood board of ideas but they mostly revolve around gold and ivory.  These are just a few of my favorite inspiration pieces.  

The first is a detail of the Napoleon cameo in a portrait of Josephine.  The next photo is the entire painting of Josephine by Andrea Appiani.

I am very inspired by the gown worn in the portrait of Elisabeth Alexeievna by Jean-Laurent Mosnier, 1802 Russia and by Catharina of Württemberg, 1807. 

What are your favorite paintings from this period?

Just recently there was a small debate on whether or not antiques should be used or worn. One person spoke about antiques being relics that should be preserved and another about the sturdiness and strength of the object in question. My view on the discussion was that antiques (not all mind you) are meant to be well loved ( for example my beetlewing embroidery is the exception to this rule). All of the undergarments I use in my fashion lectures in Southampton are original and my favorite coral necklace is 100+ years old.

The reason I bring this up is because the embroidered panel (seen here unfinished) on my Consulate/Empire gown is an antique but instead of letting it lie in a tomb of artifacts I gave it a new life. Personally my feelings are that Antiques are meant to be preserved and loved. What is your opinion on that?

c. 1790

Buttons

Met

Dedicated to my dear friend, Miss Waterman.

Buttons

Met

ca. 1790

c. 1804-14

Waistcoat

Met