One of the things I did over Christmas break is watch the entirety of
Downton Abbey Season 1...in two days. I don't know how I'm so late to the DA party, because I love love love British period pieces, but there you have it. I am all caught up and ready to squee over Cousin Matthew tonight (that sounds really wrong, somehow)! Actually, no, I squee most over Lady Mary's spectacular, intricately beaded and draped evening gowns. I can totally see why the actresses who play the maids would be
jealous of Michelle Dockery for getting to prance around in those fab dresses.
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| From here. Aren't those starbursts just great? |
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| She looks classy even while slouching. |
So now I'm totally in love with Edwardian evening gowns -- enough that I started a whole
board on Pinterest just for my favorites! That, combined with the Titanic 100th anniversary and the whole Vintage Pattern Lending Library's
1912 project, and I think I might push back my Colonial period costuming idea in favor of something less...pannier-y. I don't know what kind of patterns VPLL will be putting out, but while I would love to make some kind of beaded confection of a frock, I think it might prove to be beyond my skill level. Considering that I just
started working with slippery fabrics last week, and I've never beaded anything in my life, I think I might have to start with something more like this afternoon dress:
I'm also trying to get the Janet Arnold costuming book sent to my local library (thanks for the rec!) so I can see what the patterns look like. I did find this
Butterick 4954 for really cheap, but it doesn't look quite right. Maybe just to get my costuming feet wet? Anyway, here's to hoping that one day, I'll have a dress like this:
Hah! Who am I kidding? Where would I even wear such a thing?
The Butterick pattern is more Victorian---a decade or so off ;).
ReplyDeleteBridges on the Body, a corset-making blog, is doing an Edwardian corset sewalong right now, too, you should check out :).
These are some really gorgeous dresses. They kind of boggle my mind. Beading's not hard---not any harder than embroidery, certainly---but it is time-consuming. :)
Heh. Downton Abby is just the best. "What's a weekend?". AMAZING. If you are looking for patterns, Sense and Sensibility patterns has a whole Edwardian and 1910's section, really beautiful stuff. I can't image when you would wear them (besides EVERYWHERE) but still, it's good to know it's out there.
ReplyDeletehttp://sensibility.com/
Love Downton Abbey.
ReplyDeleteRoger Ebert on Downton Abbey
ReplyDeletehttp://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/2012/01/for_an_hour_before_bedtime.html
Thanks for the link to the article!
DeleteI drool over Dowton :) I wish we still wore clothes like this!
ReplyDeleteJanet Arnold is some Serious Dressmaking, but I love love love the dresses she takes apart and uses. I can't wait to see what kind of stuff you come up with!!
ReplyDelete(I have a couple of DA inspired blouses up my sleeves...