Completed: Patterns of Fashion Regency Undersleeve/HSM Nov. ’22

Back when I made my first regency gown, I meant to make detachable undersleeves for it. Alas, the fabric yardage was off and I did not have enough to do so. I went a little overboard buying extra of the fabric for my new regency gown, so I decided to finally make undersleeves. Photo by…

Completed: Fashions Revisited 015 Chemisette/HSM Feb. ’22

After making a fichu, it opened my eyes to historical neckwear. As you immerse yourself more and more in a period, you become more attuned to what pieces make an outfit look more finished and a chemisette is one of those pieces. I decided I wanted to take my white dress I made in the…

Completed: Laughing Moon 115 Chemise/HSM May ’22

For the May Historical Sew Monthly challenge the theme was "Protection." I decided to tackle this theme literally and make a new chemise (mostly because I really needed a new one and it was the only challenge that seemed to fit when I made up my list!) Chemises/shifts protected the body from chafing from the…

Completed: Black Snail 0119 Regency Gown for HSM June ’22

Photo by author. June Challenge Theme "At the Museum: Be inspired by the items and research available in museums and archives." Fabric from extant gown. Image from Augusta Auctions. My object of inspiration was the textile in this gown, which was previously part of the Suddon-Cleaver Costume Collection. Below you can see the gown in…

HSM July ’22: Regency Bodiced Petticoat Research

For the Historical Sew Monthly July challenge I am making a bodiced petticoat. The challenge's theme is "geometry." I had already started this garment as part of my ongoing thesis research, but I will need it for an event later this month to go under my newest regency gown. Having this type of deadline is…

Completed: Regency Sleeveless Spencer

Photo by Rebekah Markewich. I'm so pleased with the overall look I've been developing with my regency accessories and this sleeveless spencer has really been the cherry on top, I think. Other accessories seen in the photos include a fichu and bonnet I had made previously, a necklace (actually made from 18th c. beads!) which…

Self-Fashioning and Jane Austen 2: The Mystery of the Surplice Gown

This is a series of posts exploring quotes from Jane Austen's letters which reference fashion and dress. "I have had my new gown made up, and it really makes a very superb surplice. I am sorry to say that my new coloured gown is very much washed out, though I charged everybody to take great…

Self-Fashioning and Jane Austen 1

Dear readers, my spring semester is a few weeks shy of being over, and I have barely been able to post because of a research project I am working on. I have been doing a content analysis of Jane Austen's letters to explore how she navigated her identity through dress. I cannot write more here,…

Review of My First Chemise and Short Stays

It is amazing that these little garments were about 10 years in the making. I was so nervous about messing up that it delayed me from completing them for a long time. I started the chemise in 2010 and completed it in the fall of 2012. I've since made one in a week, easily, as…

The Regency Redingote Project: Research – Primary Source Images

*Please note that the original title of this project was "The Regency Spencer Project", and that post titles have been updated with the name "The Regency Redingote Project" to reflect the evolution of the project* The first step in starting a new project is research, research and more research. When I teach design I explain…