Recreated by La Signora Onorata Katerina da Brescia.
Inspiration: |
This was the original is an extant 1909 day dress from Denmark. (found at http://www.demodecouture.com/realvict/19 It appears to consist of a underblouse, underskirt, and over dress. This could be a separate skirt and bodice, as examples can be found in Janet Arnold's Patterns of Fashion 2. Various extant examples can be found on the internet as well. Some good sites with pictures of extant dresses can be found in the Bibliography. This was to be worn at the Costumers' Guild Christmas party and then again next year in September for a Edwardian picnic. Last year's Christmas party, the temperature was in the mid-40 deg. celcius, so I intended on making the dress from linen and avoid a corset if possible. Comfort was the primary concern here. In 1906, a dress designer Paul Poiret created dresses with an elevated waistline allowing for no corset. This allowed Paris houte couture to follow. (Kyoto Costume Institute) Similar colours to linen I already have can be seen in the colour fashion plate (right) from 1912-1914 Fashion Plates From le Gazette du Bon Ton. This (though a few years later, is the same basic shape bodice with multiple overskirts). |
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| Materials: I used linen I had in my material stash and 'unknown' blend that would give the lined effect. The hooks were also from past projects. The only thing I had to buy was items to make selfcovered buttons, and flat buttons for the closures of the underskirt and over skirt. The pattern was generated by making a toile of calico. (above right). The bias for the blouse was made from the same linen as the dress. |
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Under Layers and Patterns: A blouse 'based' on a contemporary photo: though a little later (1913), shows the lines... but with the neckline in the original inspiration. ( ). The underskirt was based on patterns in Thornton's Inertnational System of Garment Cutting. This was also used to draft a pattern for the sleeves. This was used for both the blouse and the dress bodice sleeve.   |
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| The seams were hemmed down, as seen in extant examples and in POF 2. (right) Finally, the underskirt was closed with a 'button flap'. This is seen in a 1913 mountaineering skirt pattern found on La Couturiere Parisienne site. It can also be seen in examples of underclothing (extant pic centre right, from Jenny La Fleur's site: Vintage Threads). Far right is my button flap. |
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