1911 Lingerie Dress Plans

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Like everyone, I have a plethora of historical clothing I'd like to make in an ideal world where fabric is free and a seamstress does the tricky bits for me.  Yesterday, though, I set some concrete goals for myself for ... well, I'm calling the goal "Dress U 2013," but obviously I'd like to be done a bit before that.

Goal One: An early 1910s lingerie dress with silk slip.

I've been in love with the lingerie dress for a while, and with the 1910s as a whole.  Lingerie dresses by definition don't need expensive materials, which also suits my wallet.  The idea of a colored silk slip underneath came to me from my 1902 McCall's Magazine (which is early, but I plan to do more research to find out if the idea continued into the next decade):
The white swisses, with black embroidered dot and inlays of black lace, are particularly effective over linings of rose pink or delicate green, but the prevailing mania for black and white makes a white silk slip the best investment for any one who can not afford several.
- from What to Wear in Summer: Pretty Fashions for Hot Weather

I'm not sure what I'm going to use for a pattern.  I own several lingerie dresses, and one in particular seems like it might be a good choice:



I'd like to look through the extant lingerie dresses at the Chapman, when I'm on a break, and see if any of them would be more suitable to copy, but this one seems like a good choice.  It's simple, and with the tight skirt, high waistline, bloused bodice, and cut-in-one sleeves, it's perfectly emblematic of the style.  I also think it might be flattering for me (fingers crossed).

Comments

  1. ZipZipJune 9, 2012 at 8:58 PM

    I like the potential model dress! Kimono sleeves are so flattering, too.

    Look forward to hearing more about the project,

    Natalie

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. CassidyJune 10, 2012 at 4:49 PM

      I've taken the pattern and gotten the fabric, so I should be able to start soon ... but now I have another project - I'm making the dress I'm wearing as a bridesmaid in my dad's wedding! So hopefully I will have progress on one or the other shortly.

      Delete

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