A Most Beguiling Accomplishment

Yesterday I made my first visit to do research for my thesis!  I went to the New York State Museum and met with Connie Frisbee Houde, who took me up to the collections.  I saw, sketched, patterned, and photographed: - a yellow silk damask anglaise with an en fourreau back, ca. 1750.  Pretty standard as far as they go, with little unexpected or ground-breaking - it was still amazing to see up close and handle, though.  Such a beautiful gown (if not my favorite shade of yellow).  There was also a yellow taffeta quilted petticoat, maybe worn with it: the ground is all-over quilted in a geometric floral pattern, and there are more naturalistic flowers all over it. - a gown from the later 1820s with bodices from the 1810s and the 1790s. I think it may have originally been an anglaise in the 1770s, as there are some weird long pieces on the back of the 1790s bodice and the sleeves are elbow-length and curved at the bottom, with stripes running around th...

As I seem to have misplaced a large bag full of fabric, I'm planning to purchase some sale ($5!) linen from Fashion Fabrics Club in order to make my future Rev. War gown.  I went back to look at my posts on the polonaise , the levite , etc. to check which cut of dress I might go with, and I remembered that I never really did a post on the anglaise - not looking at fashion plates and everything.

Yesterday I attended the first half of the symposium Frontier Style: Culture and Fashion at the Edge of Empire, Mohawk Valley of New York, 1700-1800 at the Fulton-Montgomery Community College in Johnstown.  I did buy the collected papers over the mid-afternoon break, but I took notes before then - and then the penultimate presentation was from Mark Hutter , and he didn't have a printed paper so I took copious notes.  In hopes that some of this might be of interest, I've written up my notes here.

After wearing my 18th century outfit for four or five hours yesterday, I think I've learned some things about fit, etc. that I can take into account the next time I make something. Shift: - the neckline should be much wider, like almost-falling-off-my-shoulders wider Stays: - the problem I'm having, shape-wise, seems to be stemming from the fact that the armscye is too large and there's nothing pushing my bust in from the sides, just up from the front.  This is a good thing to notice - I boned every channel with one reed, and am not having any problems with breakage - the reeds are starting to mold to my shape with body heat, which is really cool Petticoats: - my underpetticoat is just too long.  If I tie it under my stays, it shown beneath the top petticoat; if I tie it over, it interferes with the top one somehow - my top petticoat is too wide in the waist, so the it slips down below the waistband of the underpetticoat (when tied over stays) - the pocket sli...

This morning, as Mom and I drove to the Old Stone Fort Museum for their Stone Fort Days re-enactment, I was still finishing up the hem on my fichu and sewing on the twill tape ties for my hat.  But since it was more than an hour drive to get there, I had more than enough time to finish and get everything in place. In the parking lot, with everything in place.  Hands strategically in front of the worst spot on the jacket, arms in the only position the sleeves look right in.

It feels really, really good to see all of the finished pieces.  (Well - I think I need a kerchief, but that's quick.)