Revisiting the blue robe à la Francaise

I made my first and so far only robe à la Francaise in 2015 but never wore it to an event until the Christmas ball last November. As I had reworked the trimming entirely, I thought to write a new post about it.
Initially I was happy about the general shape of the robe but the trimmings I first put on it did not feel right. So last year I finally got around changing them and the result is in my opinion much better, frillier, and definitely much more 18th century. The trims consist of  ruched robe fabric frills wit pinked edges, double edged wide lace pleated partly on top of that and partly winding around it, taffeta bows, and hand-crocheted-by-me trim on the sleeve frill edges. The petticoat is also decorated with the same lace and bows and to tie it together with the robe (since they are of different fabrics) I put a net ruffle on the hem of the petticoat. I might make a new petticoat later if I ever manage to find suitable fabric, but the one I have now works fine, too. I still have to adjust the engageantes, because I attached them too low under the sleeve frills and they reach my wrists, which they really shouldn't.
The photos below were all taken by Sanna of Rococo Atelier, and Mia did wonders with my hair.

I had some misgivings about having TOO MUCH frills and bows on this, but then I got over it. Too much frou frou in the 18th century? There is no such thing.

Looking at pictures of the latest hair styles.

The feathers refused to settle and kept turning into this very bunny ears type of an arrangement so I just gave up trying to fix it :P

1790s round gown and beaded bodice at the Spring Masquerade

My poor neglected blog! I've been busy with my dissertation and dance so I haven't done a lot of sewing lately, but just last Saturday I went to the 18th century Spring Masquerade again, arranged by L'Amusette in Tampere. Here's a couple of photos of me wearing the 1790s round gown and beaded bodice ensemble I made last autumn.

Photos by Sanna-Mari Karppinen & Nora Juusela

Sanna did the impossible and made me look pretty in the photos!

This was the easiest historical hairdo ever: I put my hair in pin curls wet, slept on it, travelled to the ball, took the pins out and poked at the curls a bit, wrapped the 2 scarves into a turban and added feathers. Thats it :)

Dancing "Gustavs Skål". I like our innovative hem tucking solutions. I pulled the train up under the bodice and out of its armscye on the right, worked like a dream.

Gustavian Day picnic - 2nd edition

Rococo Atelier: So, should we have the Gustavian Day picnic this year as well?
Me: Sure, why not.

The Museum of Old Vaasa: Yay, come on over, we'll throw in a free entry day just because! And guided tours in two languages! And we'll write a press release with pictures and publish it in the local paper!

This really is how it went. The weather was worse than the last time (fairly rainy throughout the day) but we had our picnic indoors and still managed to do a bit of croqueting and graces and dancing in between the showers of rain. So many of our reenactor friends travelled over from Tampere and even accross the water from Sweden(!!)  and we had a jolly old time.

Some pictures here, taken by Sanna of Rococo Atelier and Mia of Oh Gloomy Sundays

The house

If you decide to have a picnic but then it rains and you have to move the picnic indoors and eat at a table is it still a picnic?

Food!

The ground floor of the house has this spectacular vaulted cellar.

Croquet with style

Mia in her pretty pink jacket and petticoat

There was a little dancing too.

Sanna borrowed my new blue hat and chemisette.

Pretending to play an antique clavier (the maker's engraving says it was built in 1797 in St. Petersburg).

Rainrainrain.

Regency wedgies

A group photo of all of the properly attired people

Bye!

Gustavian day picnic

Earlier in the spring I and Sanna of Rococo Atelier started talking that it'd be nice to have a summer event of some kind that wouldn't require too much arranging, venue reservations or the like. We agreed that a picnic would be good and I proposed that we could have it as an open to all public event in the garden of the Museum of Old Vaasa in my home town.
The picnic was named Gustavian day so that people could wear either 18th century or early 19th century (i.e. Regency) clothes if they'd be so inclined. As always, the weather was the only variable we couldn't really control and over the week before the event the forecast changed a dozen times but in the end the weather yesterday was lovely, not too hot and it didn't rain, so for once we were in luck.

I'm so happy that the first event I arranged went so swimmingly and that so many friends took the trouble of travelling over for the day. There is a massive pile of photos, proceed with care.

Playing graces

Posing on the old well

We were trying to look like we were admiring the sights, the trees and the weather, hence the silly faces :)

One period engraving of paille-malle depicted this kind of stance, I swear.

Couture Mayah playing a very elegant game of croquet.

Bring it on :)

 

My non-costuming friend borrowed one of my dresses for the event and we were unintentionally colour-coordinated.

More silliness

The obligatory wedgie photo :)

Visiting the Museum of Old Vaasa. The house is the only private house from the 18th century left standing after the fire that destroyed Vaasa in 1852.

The first floor of the house was decorated in the Empire style. Observe the clavier piano.

Mia and the fabulous fireplace

Not touching, can't get mad.

Admiring the king's likeness in the dining room.

Sanna in her absolutely lovely Regency dress. She looked so perfect.

There was another piano in the second floor dining room. I believe this is a clavichord.

I really like this photo, the room was very quiet in colour, the walls were grey and the chest of drawers too. My red hat and shoes stand out wonderfully here.

Mia did wonders with my hair for the day

Mia and myself posing with the coat of arms of Vaasa

There were a lot of stairs in that house...

We also dropped by the former adminstrative court house of Vaasa, now a church, that was nearby. This is the only other house from the 18th century that didn't burn down. It's massive, spectacular and really quite beautiful. There was a wedding under way, so we couldn't go in.

Since we had people in both 18th century clothes and in Regency, we tried to re-enact this 1797 satirical print from the British Museum. "Ah, quelle antiquité!" - "Oh, quelle folie que la nouveauté..."

Pose, pose, pose

I was very happy with my clothes for the day. The good old fern dress never fails and the hat proved to be a good one.

Intercentury croquet match

All the empire dresses