I learned in February that my community orchestra's next concert--in May--was one at which the orchestra members were invited to dress up as some movie character. Hello! I knew right away I would go in a Regency outfit, some Austen female, who knows which (i.e., older, younger, married, unmarried, home wear, ball wear...).
Back then I was sane and I didn't consider...for long anyway...making my own dress. I went onto Etsy and found one for only $100. The seller would make it to my measurements. I bit.
But I started reading up on Regency clothing. You don't just wear a dress, you need underthings. A petticoat. A chemise. Stockings. At least! So I decided I could at least make a chemise. Thus began the Regency madness that has so far produced a chemise, stockings, stay, and petticoat. Of course, sometime in late March it became clear there would be no concert. But I was already on a mission.
Back then I was sane and I didn't consider...for long anyway...making my own dress. I went onto Etsy and found one for only $100. The seller would make it to my measurements. I bit.
But I started reading up on Regency clothing. You don't just wear a dress, you need underthings. A petticoat. A chemise. Stockings. At least! So I decided I could at least make a chemise. Thus began the Regency madness that has so far produced a chemise, stockings, stay, and petticoat. Of course, sometime in late March it became clear there would be no concert. But I was already on a mission.
Chemise: Simplicity 8579
And I got started. I used Simplicity 8579 for the pattern. I read a few blogs and watched some videos about making your own pattern (one of my favorite's: Bernadette Banner's) and saw that it was not, in principle, hard to measure out the pieces. However, I had purchased this pattern for the stay (more on that story below), and the chemise pattern came with it. No brainer, I'm not measuring out my own pieces. This was super easy. I did imitate some techniques used in Bernadette's video--I flat-felled all the seams and added a strip at the front into which I sewed the ribbon that tightens the front.(I did not hand sew!) I made it out of the same linen I used for my Archer beach cover up. I just love that fabric, and I love my chemise! I wear it to bed every night now, as is clear from the wrinkles.
Stockings: Jalie 2448, Altered
I bought some stockings on Etsy. Too small. Bought a larger pair. Too small. So I decided to make my own. I had a Jalie pattern that might work. I made up a pair, but the seams went down the sides of my leg. So I adjusted the Jalie pattern (cutting the mockup sock where I wanted the seam, cut out a new pair using the mockup as my pattern, and sewed them up. They fit great and are comfy.
I did try another pattern. It is generously made available free by Dreamstress. Hers look perfect (picture below), just like what I wanted, so I sewed up a pair and I just didn't like the lack of form on my foot. I did these after the Jalie version, so I decided to just use my modified Jalie's instead of perfecting my Dreamstress mockup. The picture below is Leimomi's version of her stockings.
The Dreamstress's version of her stockings.
Petticoat: Laughing Moon
The chemise was easy...so how hard could it be to make a petticoat? So I made that next out of a light cotton (voile?) that I had originally purchased for the chemise when I couldn't find inexpensive linen. This pattern was super easy to follow and it came together perfectly.
Stay: Redthreaded 1810-1830 Long and Short Stay
But then I realized what is the point of a gown and a petticoat if you don't have the right foundation? According to my sources, the stay would be required to give the proper silhouette, as they say.
First I bought the wrong stay pattern--the Simplicity 8579 above that I used for my chemise. Late 1700s not 1810. Got to keep my centuries straight. I thought I could adjust it to get the 1800s look. I made a mockup and realized it was not happening. Then I returned to the Internets and found Redthreaded and a beautiful stay pattern for the 1810-1830s. It blows my mind sometimes what a myriad of niches are thriving that are either made possible by the Internet or made easily discoverable by the Internet. Anywho.
I made a muslin. Oh god these are work. Boning (zip ties) for the straight lines and spiral steel for the curved lines, the lacing, the busk. From the muslin, I had a rough idea that it would work, so I made the real thing. And it turned out pretty nicely.
First I bought the wrong stay pattern--the Simplicity 8579 above that I used for my chemise. Late 1700s not 1810. Got to keep my centuries straight. I thought I could adjust it to get the 1800s look. I made a mockup and realized it was not happening. Then I returned to the Internets and found Redthreaded and a beautiful stay pattern for the 1810-1830s. It blows my mind sometimes what a myriad of niches are thriving that are either made possible by the Internet or made easily discoverable by the Internet. Anywho.
I made a muslin. Oh god these are work. Boning (zip ties) for the straight lines and spiral steel for the curved lines, the lacing, the busk. From the muslin, I had a rough idea that it would work, so I made the real thing. And it turned out pretty nicely.
Oopsie, my maid did not do the lacing very nicely. Oh well, next time.
Gown: Purchased Custom-Made for Me
And here is the purchased dress on top of all of it. I bought the gown on Etsy from Florentina Costuming. She did a beautiful job. Please ignore the wrinkles. I was too lazy to hang the dress up properly—obviously—or iron it after discovering I really should have hung it up.
Next: Sewing My Own Dress
As pointless as all of the activity has been and will probably ever be, I still want make at least one of my own dresses. My plan is to use one of the following patterns. If I get some nerve, I will try something from the Regency Wardrobe by La Mode Bagatelle. If I chicken out, I will use the Simplicity.
Look how many outfits you can make!
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