My 1830 Dress!!!

I have already done a post about my dress in a blog that I write on with my sisters (do check it out, it's a fashion-based blog: http://ragtradesisters.blogspot.co.uk/ ), but I thought I should write about it on my own personal blog as well.

So, as you may well know, I began working on this dress. To refresh your memories, I have links to the posts I wrote up about them: http://mairiglasgow.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/mostly-about-dress.html is the first one, and this as well: http://mairiglasgow.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/slow-steady-dress-progress.html

After Sister Hicks left, I admit I was apprehensive. I wasn't sure I could make myself finish the dress, and could imagine it languishing for another several years. But somehow I managed to work on it. The pieces of the skirt had been sewn together already, but I pinned the pleats in place, sewed the skirt to the bodice, and hemmed the skirt (as well as finishing touches like hooks & eyes, and making sleeve-puffs for the full 1830s sleeves).

Here are the last stages of the process and the result!

A sleeve-puff in progress!

Sleeve-puff complete! 

A close-up side view of the pleated skirt (left), the waistband (centre) and the bodice (right).

A closeup of the inside of the hem. 1830s hems were very high up on the skirt (even higher than this) and reinforced with muslin.

The stitches seen on the outside. 

My underclothes: shift, stays (corset), petticoat & sleeve-puffs!

 I wanted to do my hair accurately. Unfortunately my hair didn't want to curl, and it was longer than when I'd tried doing this hairdo last time. But I gave it my best.

An expert example from the BBC "Wives & Daughters" of 1830s hair. 

Though the dress isn't right, this is more what I was hoping my hair would do. Oh well!

I *did* get the crazy hair-loops & ribbons of the 1830s though! 

I got more of an 1840s look. Meh.

I wore my dress to Stake Conference! Here I am posing with Mercy.

A cat outside church! It looked just like the "church cat" that hangs out at the branch building in New York!

Having a nice wander round the Botanic Gardens on the way home.