1896 Outfit for the Chula Vista Historic Homes Tour

I started with this blouse that I found at Goodwill for a couple of dollars.  I love the details on the front of the blouse with all the pintucks, the cuffs and 6 shell buttons and matching buttons down the front. 

To make it period, I folded down the pointed collar on the inside and sewed it in place.  For inspiration, I looked through several books on my shelves, especially this one:"Harper's Bazaar, Victorian Fashions & costumes from 1867 - 1898" by Stella Blum.  I added narrow lace to the pintucks to soften the effect.  Added bouffant upper sleeves  and edged the bottom of the seam with white cotton lace.  I applied lace in the inside of the cuffs and edged the outside with the same cotton lace as the upper sleeves.  Small note:  the same cotton lace, but in black adorns the bottom of the skirt.

Ren Faire Dress

The Finished Product

This dress is the same as the blue one, except I'm wearing a farthingale.  I'm not wearing the bun roll, it was a little bit uncomfortable to wear.

Making of the French Hood

I didn't document how I got to this stage in the construction of the crescent.  It was with a lot of trial and error to get the correct shape and looking at a lot of portraits and information.  Instead of using buckram, I used super heavy pellon that is adhesive on one side.  I cut 3 pieces for added strength.  It is very lightweight so that's not an issue.  My husband purchased #18 gauge wire and with that I wired the outside of the crescent and held it in place by sewing it to the form with heavy duty thread.

French hood

This is what it looks like after the wire has been attached to the crescent.

french Hood

I laid my finished form onto the fabric and cut around it, leaving enough for a seam

As you can tell in this picture, the fabric has been cut and stitched.  Notice the extra fabric on the lower edge.  this part will be handstitched closed.

This is what it looks like after all the stitching has been done.              Now the fun begins!

This shows the gold chain woven with  pearls.  Just the perfect item for the inner edge of the crescent 

Billament added

The billament was extremely easy to make.  I found some thin wire in my basket and after my return trip from Michaels and Joann's, I was able to come up with a beaded trim.  Try and get a close up look and you'll then be able to see the detailling.  I used gold thread to sew it on the upper edge of the crescent.                                                            In this photograph, the hood is already in place.  To hold the French Hood on my head, I sewed a piece of black elastic at both corners.  I can either  wear it with the strap under my chin or behind and under my hair.