1860s Half Mourning Dress of WIN!

[reine_de_coudre]

Longtime readers and friends will remember this dress from 2014, when I went back to Greenfield Village in Michigan to see Tim Eriksen in concert to see ktlovely and attend one of my favorite Civil War events. I was not happy with how the dress turned out, but instead of trying to sell it as soon as I got home (my usual MO) I was actually determined to

Comments

[starlightmasque]

Oh, wow! It's so beautiful! So flattering and elegant on you-- and your workmanship is divine!

[reine_de_coudre]

thank you so much! :D

[nuranar]

Oh wow. I'm so glad you didn't give up on this one - it's really gorgeous. And yay for the new cage! I really really have got to get myself a N&T cage. And I'm glad you went up a size. I've kind of found the insistence on 108" annoying; there's clearly so much variation in CDVs, aren't reenactors creating something too uniform? Maybe I'm annoyed at nothing. ;) But the larger skirt really looks lovely.

[reine_de_coudre]

thank you! i'm so happy with it, even if it is simple, and i'll probably wear it for remembrance day (with a smashing paletot of course)!

yes yes yes a thousand times yes about bigger cages!!! i completely agree with you about seeing variation in period images, and quite a few "larger" sizes. i feel MUCH more balanced and "correct" in this size. not that the 108" is wrong or anything, but i really feel this gives me a more accurate silhouette for a fashion-conscious woman. i'm definintely keeping my 108" for less fashionable outfits though. i will tell you that i got the 108" kit and was able to get 116" out of it, with wire leftover. i don't know the max you could do with that kit though. i'm sure they'd be happy to give you more wire if you wanted it! i'm curious about 120" but i don't have it in me to make another one any time soon!

[reine_de_coudre]

oh and for a 116" cage i have 200" in the skirt here.

[theladyrebecca]

Wow, I love the changes you made! I feel like you're one of those people who are going to give future costume historians problems, where it's hard to tell if it's an extant or a reproduction. :)

[reine_de_coudre]

aww thank you so much!! :3

[ashleylaurent]

Looking good! I especially love the cartridge pleating!

[reine_de_coudre]

thank you so much!