I recently got to go to my first historical event as part of the Indiana Costuming Society. We had a lovely picnic and went for a stroll. The amazing pictures were done by Lisa Renee Wilson photography!
There was so much food for us to enjoy, and everyone looked so lovely!
After eating we went for a stroll around the grounds which was a fun chance to really show off our lovely gowns. We had quite a few people stop us and take our pictures along the way too.
My lovely roommate Emma borrowed one of my gowns and came with me to this event which made it extra fun! It also was nice to have someone I knew since I had never been to one of these events before. Everyone there ended up being so nice though and I had such a good time making some new friends.
Then entire group looking very dignified.And also a little less dignified!
We also got a traditional shoe shot to show off our lovely shoes!
It was a lovely day and I can’t wait to go to more events in the future!
Meeting new people and joining a group is terrifying at first, but it feels so good to have a group of friends who enjoy making historical clothing just as much as I do. I encourage you to jump in and join a group near you. You’ll end up with people you can have fun with and who can help mentor you in your work.
This thing about historical costuming is you often spend a lot of time and effort into making beautiful pieces that no one ever sees. The undergarments for historical garments are incredibly important for achieving the correct silhouette of an era and historically, they were often quite pretty. Because of this, I wanted to be sure and get some good photos of them too. Warning, by 18th and 19th century standard these pictures are horribly scandalous! You’ll see my stockings, gasp!
First up we have the 18th century undergarments.
I couldn’t resist a little mirror primping photo!
This is my absolute favorite corset I’ve ever made. It’s so comfortable and I think it’s also really beautiful.
My embroidered pocket is one of the pieces that I am most proud of but is never seen. I hand embroidered this pocket myself and absolutely love it, but since pockets are worn under the skirts, I’m normally the only one to ever appreciate it.
My beautiful stockings are also and item that aren’t often seen but that really complete the outfit. These ones are made by American Duchess.
Now onto the underthings for Frankendress, my not historically accurate 1865 ballgown.
I actually use the same shift for most eras since even though there were differences, they were minor enough for me to get away with it and the shift is never seen. A new era also meant a new hair do! Once again I have some amazing stockings that go with this outfit.
My corset is not historically accurate. It is actually a modern, commercially made corset that was gifted to me. It ended up being too large so I ripped it apart and used the materials to remake the same corset in my size. While it isn’t accurate, it was once again cost effective and also gives me the same general shape I need for most of the Victorian Era.
It’s enormous!
Lastly we have the hoop and petticoat, which are just wonderful giant! You can actually fit about 4 people underneath this skirt (yes, we’ve tested that theory, it was very funny). The petticoat is so ruffly and beautiful that I often wish I could wear it and the corset out in the open like this, however, that would be much too scandalous!
Every now and then it’s nice to give the undergarments some love since each piece is so important to making a truly beautiful historical garment. Looking like you stepped out of a painting is largely to do with silhouette and that is all achieved through good underthings so give your underthings some love today!
My last dress for the Wellington Inn photos was my Sac Back Gown that I made out of Colonial Williamsburg fabric. I’ve had this gown for a while now but really hadn’t gotten any great photos of it yet so now was the time. My wonderful mother was the photographer for this gown.
I loved this little piano in the parlor so I had to get a photo by it.
We also had to be sure to get a photo of the lovely pleats that give the Sac Back Gown its name.
This is probably my favorite picture we got of this dress. I feel like it looks so elegant.
And we also of course had to get a nice detail shot of the lace and ruffles. It took such a long time to gather all the material for the ruffles when I made this dress.
Lastly, a few outdoor photos for fun and to show of the gorgeous house! I am so lucky to have been able to get photo in such a beautiful location. Often historic places can be found in our own backyards if you do a little looking.
While at the Wellington Inn I decided to also get some pictures done for Frankendress (my 1865 ballgown) so I would have some nice photos of it. This gown is so big and makes me feel like a real princess or Scarlet O’Hara in Gone With the Wind.
My walking down the grand staircase moment!
We even got some photos of what I like to call the “grand entrance.” It’s that moment in every movie where the heroine comes into the ball and everyone watches her float down the stairs.
These two photos make me look like I’m listening to my suitors or something! I absolutely love this couch I was sitting on and my skirt took up most of the space on it.
The pictures we took on the porch felt especially Gone With the Wind to me.
It ended up being a happy coincidence that the trim on my dress matched the purple flowers they had planted outside!
I also just adore the pillars on the front of the house.
We also got some great detail and shoe shots of this dress too.
I also couldn’t resist using the parasol with this dress too.
During the photo shoots for both of my gowns it was fun to see people’s reactions when they walked by since we were in public. People were all really excited to see the gowns and loved asking questions or just admiring them. I even had one person hang out of their car window as they drove by who screamed “YOU LOOK BEAUTIFUL!” It’s a wonderful feeling to have fandom strangers acknowledge your passion and it goes to show that doing what makes you happy will often make others happy too.
The exhausting life of a costumer!
Finally, after a long day of taking pictures sometimes you just have to drape yourself over a couch!
I hope whatever you do brings you and others joy today.
I had some wonderful pictures taken by Katharine Smith Photography (you can find her business on Facebook here!) she is a great friend and does beautiful work! We went to a bed and breakfast called the Wellington Inn that isn’t 18th century (I believe it was built in 1905) but it still provided a beautiful setting to take pictures in. They also made amazing breakfast.
Without further ado, here is the big reveal!
A side-by-side 0f the painting and my version of the dress.
I unfortunately didn’t have any harps to pose with, but I stood next to a piano since it’s another musical instrument.
Me, attempting to be an accomplished lady.
The reason the portrait shows Rose at a harp is because showing that you had musical talent meant you were a well bred, accomplished lady. Keeping with the same spirit, I sat down and showed off my piano skills (which look rather better than they sound).
I also brought a pretty white parasol with me for some of the outdoor photos. It isn’t historically accurate at all, but it pretty and matched the outfit. Many women did use parasols to protect themselves from the sun, they just looked a little different from the one I had on hand.
One of my absolute favorite parts of this dress is the incredible train. It flows so nicely behind me and just made me feel fabulous. It also allows the dress to show off even more of the beautiful striped fabric.
Here is a more close up photo of the fichu I had made the morning of the photo shoot. I am happy with how it turned out and I feel like it really brought the outfit together.
Katharine also got a nice detail shot of the sleeve (or rather, sleeves since the dress is made to have two sleeves per arm) with its pretty lace.
My hair was vaguely historical. I recently got the American Duchess’ Guide to 18th Century Beauty and I did a simpler version of one of their hairstyles from the book. I am still learning how to properly do hair historically and this was one of my first times using pomade and powder. I didn’t want to attempt the hairstyle shown in the painting because 1) my hair is very straight and hates being curled and 2) it looked much too advanced for me at the moment. One day I will conquer it though!
We also did a couple photos without the fichu so I could have some pictures of the top of the dress. The front of the dress is hidden by the fichu in the painting, so it was up to me what I wanted on the front. I choose to do some simple ruffles to give it a little flair.
American Duchess shoes and stockings
I also had to take a nice photo of my American Duchess shoes because these are my favorite shoes ever and they deserved their moment in the spotlight.
Lastly, this was my favorite photo of the day. It shows the beautiful front steps of the Wellington Inn, the amazing train on my dress, and I just felt like a true lady in it.
Stay tuned for more photo shoot posts as I went to the Wellington Inn with three different dresses, so there is more to come!
This project started as just a test to see if I could make something based on an actual historical portrait and ended as a true testament to what you can make with the resources you have. This was by far, one of the most cost efficient gowns I have every made, costing less than it is to buy most modern clothing today. It just proves that a little can go a long way.
History On A Budget 