Orange silk taffeta robe a l'anglaise
Jun. 30th, 2015 09:27 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
elizabeth_mnOk, so here's the dress post to wrap up all the details.
The dress ended up fitting quite well, so yay! The front closes with pins. The back poofs are created by tying two twill tape ties together on each side. One is at the side back waist and the mate is about 12" up and 24" in from the front opening. I tied them with about 6" distance. I liked this method because I didn't have to worry about having a pretty cord that matched, and also I can wear it in the future as a plain open gown if I like.
I am wearing it over a shift, my green cotton twill stays, my new divided bum pad (I did end up moving the two pads a little closer together), a linen petticoat, and a sheer cotton petticoat with a woven stripe. On my feet are a pair of Fugawee Annas and some white clocked stockings from Jas. Townsend. I also have two pockets tied on and a cotton lawn neckerchief. My hat is a plain straw that I retrimmed with orange flowers, a white feather, and a strip of green silk faille pinked and used like a ribbon. I wore glass pearls in my ears.
There was some slight wrinkling to the front bodice, which annoyed me, but eh, I can live with it.
For the trim, I cut 1.5" strips with my rotary pinking blade and used graph paper as a pleat guide. I made 1/2" box pleats spaced 1/4" apart.
Here's the inside. You can see the twill tape ties for the poofs.
Once again, for reference: The pattern is the J.P. Ryan Robe a l'Anglaise available here. This and the two petticoats are entirely hand-sewn. The entire project is under the tag orange robe a l'anglaise. You can find more construction details and progress photos there.
Ok, so the hair. I relied heavily on Kendra's 18th century hair book. I more or less followed the directions for Miss Nettlethorpe, though mine turned out shorter and wider. And some of my front hair fell back and down instead of going up, but since the rats were all covered I didn't mess with it.
She tells you to make two tiny buns as anchor points on your head, but my hair is really too long to do them easily, so instead I made a tiny little micro braid at the back of my ear to ear crown part, then coiled that up into a tiny oval braided bun. That seemed to make a solid anchor for the rats and things.
I realized that my forehead height/shape only bothers me in profile view; that's when you really notice the weird shape. But I think I could live with this hairdo even without a hat.
I know it's not terribly huge by period standards, but it did get a little heavy, and there is a slight back angle, so by the end of the day I couldn't wait to take it down.
I am very glad I did a trial run of this 'do! It went together more confidently the second time. But still, I used SO. MUCH. HAIRSPRAY. I used Bed Head Hard Hold, and it worked quite well, but it was murder to take this hairdo down at the end of the day. I had to sop a ton of oil into my hair just to get a wide tooth comb though. It was another day before I had the time to wash it and it felt gross and sticky.
I've been thinking about how to do this differently for costume college, because I am going to want to do my hair again differently the next day. I've thought about using a waxy/oily pomade instead, since I oil my hair regularly anyway. Or maybe if I just use a very light amount of hairspray it will comb out better.
I ended up using the glued buckles I made with braiding hair. They stayed together very neatly. I took the braid ends and looped and pinned them, then made a really quick bow to cover the elastic.
Here's one with the hat.
I was very pleased with how this hairdo turned out!
In fact, I was very pleased with the whole look. I think this is the most "complete" I have ever felt in 18th century costume. I had appropriate hair, hat, shoes, and accessories. The only really off thing was my glasses. I had planned to take them off for a few photos but I completely forgot.
This project reminded me that I am still kind of a beginner sewer in a lot of ways. This is the first garment I have hand sewn in silk; it's the first time I have made Big Hair. I have a lot farther to go! But I have this feeling that I am finally starting to get there. If that makes any sense.
The dress ended up fitting quite well, so yay! The front closes with pins. The back poofs are created by tying two twill tape ties together on each side. One is at the side back waist and the mate is about 12" up and 24" in from the front opening. I tied them with about 6" distance. I liked this method because I didn't have to worry about having a pretty cord that matched, and also I can wear it in the future as a plain open gown if I like.
I am wearing it over a shift, my green cotton twill stays, my new divided bum pad (I did end up moving the two pads a little closer together), a linen petticoat, and a sheer cotton petticoat with a woven stripe. On my feet are a pair of Fugawee Annas and some white clocked stockings from Jas. Townsend. I also have two pockets tied on and a cotton lawn neckerchief. My hat is a plain straw that I retrimmed with orange flowers, a white feather, and a strip of green silk faille pinked and used like a ribbon. I wore glass pearls in my ears.
There was some slight wrinkling to the front bodice, which annoyed me, but eh, I can live with it.
For the trim, I cut 1.5" strips with my rotary pinking blade and used graph paper as a pleat guide. I made 1/2" box pleats spaced 1/4" apart.
Here's the inside. You can see the twill tape ties for the poofs.
Once again, for reference: The pattern is the J.P. Ryan Robe a l'Anglaise available here. This and the two petticoats are entirely hand-sewn. The entire project is under the tag orange robe a l'anglaise. You can find more construction details and progress photos there.
Ok, so the hair. I relied heavily on Kendra's 18th century hair book. I more or less followed the directions for Miss Nettlethorpe, though mine turned out shorter and wider. And some of my front hair fell back and down instead of going up, but since the rats were all covered I didn't mess with it.
She tells you to make two tiny buns as anchor points on your head, but my hair is really too long to do them easily, so instead I made a tiny little micro braid at the back of my ear to ear crown part, then coiled that up into a tiny oval braided bun. That seemed to make a solid anchor for the rats and things.
I realized that my forehead height/shape only bothers me in profile view; that's when you really notice the weird shape. But I think I could live with this hairdo even without a hat.
I know it's not terribly huge by period standards, but it did get a little heavy, and there is a slight back angle, so by the end of the day I couldn't wait to take it down.
I am very glad I did a trial run of this 'do! It went together more confidently the second time. But still, I used SO. MUCH. HAIRSPRAY. I used Bed Head Hard Hold, and it worked quite well, but it was murder to take this hairdo down at the end of the day. I had to sop a ton of oil into my hair just to get a wide tooth comb though. It was another day before I had the time to wash it and it felt gross and sticky.
I've been thinking about how to do this differently for costume college, because I am going to want to do my hair again differently the next day. I've thought about using a waxy/oily pomade instead, since I oil my hair regularly anyway. Or maybe if I just use a very light amount of hairspray it will comb out better.
I ended up using the glued buckles I made with braiding hair. They stayed together very neatly. I took the braid ends and looped and pinned them, then made a really quick bow to cover the elastic.
Here's one with the hat.
I was very pleased with how this hairdo turned out!
In fact, I was very pleased with the whole look. I think this is the most "complete" I have ever felt in 18th century costume. I had appropriate hair, hat, shoes, and accessories. The only really off thing was my glasses. I had planned to take them off for a few photos but I completely forgot.
This project reminded me that I am still kind of a beginner sewer in a lot of ways. This is the first garment I have hand sewn in silk; it's the first time I have made Big Hair. I have a lot farther to go! But I have this feeling that I am finally starting to get there. If that makes any sense.
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Date: 2015-06-30 03:15 pm (UTC)Ooh so lovely! Your hair and the dress and everything! I might have to pick your brain at CoCo about 18th-c mantuamaking techniques!
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Date: 2015-06-30 03:58 pm (UTC)You can pick my brain if you want, but there are so many folks who will be there that are WAY more knowledgeable than I am. But I can point those people out to you! :)
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Date: 2015-06-30 05:07 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-06-30 03:57 pm (UTC)I am also super amazed by your hair skills. I know you don't like the profile, but I think in the picture it really shows the exact spot of where the hat will go at just the right angle, so I think you nailed it.
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Date: 2015-06-30 04:00 pm (UTC)Hair-doing has been long hard road for me. I am just barely beginning to pick up some basic hair skills. It's tough!
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Date: 2015-06-30 09:32 pm (UTC)For the buckles I used method 3, braiding hair and glue. I found it MUCH easier than the weaving hair method. Can't wait to see your wig!
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Date: 2015-06-30 07:33 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-06-30 07:45 pm (UTC)Everything turned out so fabulous!Â
And a few wrinkles are what historically made dresses do, and silk taffeta always doubles the effect in pictures. I wouldn't worry about those little wrinkles at all :)
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Date: 2015-07-01 02:04 pm (UTC)And thank you! I love orange.
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Date: 2015-07-01 08:29 am (UTC)The piano Teacher
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