1880s natural form walking suit

I have one word for this project. Meh. I lost interest in working on it halfway through and forced myself to finish it. I honestly don't know what it is with this suit. Maybe the colour is not my favourite, but as I had a lot of the lighter colour fabric in stash I thought I had to use it. The bodice has some fit issues and I think I need to put bones in the seams and darts to reduce the annoying wrinkling. Then again it might just be the character of the fabric. So, meh. I'm half-heartedly planning to make a hat to go with this, I have black straw braid for it.

I'm wearing my late Victorian corset and chemise, plus a little sleeveless undershirt with a ruffle collar. I revised my natural form petticoat because in its earlier form it showed under the shorter skirt. I cut the hem straight, removing the slight trainage on it and put a drawstring to gather the back of the skirt around mid-thigh level. I'm also wearing a small bumpad under the skirts.

Some I-don't-even-care photos here. Whatever. :P

The symmetry of the buttons is off. I have to reposition them. If I ever get around doing it.

1910s photo shoot

My photographer friend and I had a day out some weeks ago, first taking photos of the walking dress outdoors and then in the studio, photographing the 1910s evening dress. My friend is still working on the studio photos, but I have the outdoors photos and I just wanted to share because they turned out very nice. My home town has several early 20th century buildings, built either before 1910 or in 1910s, so we could take our pick really :)

Edit: I got the studio photos today and added them here :)

Onwards to photos! All photos @ Suvi Korpi

It was very sunny and very windy too.

There's this late 19th century wooden gazebo in one of the parks in town. I think it used to be a kiosk.

Wetplate edit :)

We had a bit of trouble with the 1910s houses in the city centre because there are so many cars everywhere. In the end we took a couple of photos in the gateway of one of the more impressive houses and moved on to quieter streets.

A sudden musical number :)

The house itself looks like this, it was built in 1910-1912.

It has the most amazing bug decorations.

This is on the front steps of a local upper secondary / high school. It used to be a girls only high school until the 1950s.

It looks like I'm hailing a taxicab.

A taster of the studio photos.... :)

But wait, there's more!

I sort of get the fuss about ankles now.

There's an Art Nouveau painting/drawing like this, I'm certain, but can't find it now.

I love the train on this dress!

Shetland shawl for sale

I'm selling this 100% wool shawl, hand-knitted by me!

It is new, and has never been used or worn.
The yarn is roughly fingering weight and the colourway is emerald. The shawl pattern is a combination of traditional Shetland motifs.

Measurements: 210cm X 65cm

Price 400 EUROS (mailing costs and possible customs fees not included in the price!)

The shawl would be a lovely addition to any reenactor's or costumer's wardrobe from Regency era onwards, and it would work as an everyday accessory also.

See? It's bigly big.

Traditional Shetland motifs here.

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