Now, I know what you're thinking. Emma isn't set in the 1820s, it's set in the 1810s. If you've been a regular reader of this blog you'll know that I hate the empire waisted fashions of the 1790s -1820s. It doesn't suit me even a wee bit. I can just get away with the 1790s, due to the fullness of the skirts, but as soon as 1800 comes around I can't wear anything without looking like a shapeless, large lump.
But guess what happens in the 1820s? Arguably a wee bit earlier, but especially the 20s. The waistline takes a dive! It slowly starts to creep down towards the natural waistline. I'm aiming for 1824, because the growing sleeves are a whole other pet peeve of mine. 1824 is that sweet spot, far enough into the 20s that the waistline ahs creeped down to a flattering level, but early enough that those awful precursors to Gigot sleeves haven't caught on yet.
One weekend I watched Emma, and then a few days later I was balls deep in a pair of corded stays. I don't know what happened, or how we got here, but here it is.
I, unfortuantely, didn't alter my corded stays, and they're a bit too large around the hips, and quite annoyingly poke out. You should just be able to see it at waist level. The other irritation is the false sleeves. I didn't measure the distance from the sleeve edge to my wrist, and therefore ended up pinning the false sleeves to my chemise, which also pokes out from beneath the dress sleeves. The only accessory that behaved was my adorable chemisette. Yes, chemisette collars from this era are usually a bit stiffer, usually standing up, but I'm not the biggest fan of that look, so I did a more laid back version, a more clown-esque one, if you will. I'm also low key impressed with my hair. I usually mees up big time, or rather my hair just refuses to comply, but not this time. I almost nailed it.
I was unusually restricted with this gown in the fact I physically couldn't buy any fabric for it. I possibly could've ordered some, but Lord knew how long it'd take to arrive with the way the UK post has been since lockdown. This was the perfect time to stash bust.
The only problem was that most of the cotton prints I have are not suitable for the 19th century, and all the silks I have are either not appropriate for the decade (duchess satin) or already ear marked for a future project. I had 3 options but I went for the last remaining floral cotton from Clothworks. I bought a lot of this fabric in all kinds of colours a few years ago. So far I've made a Victorian ballgown, a 1780s Italian gown, and now an 1820s day dress.
I also kind of wanted this dress to be versatile, i.e. detachable sleeves so I could wear it for both day and evening wear (should anyone fancy throwing an 1820s event).
I actually found it surprisingly difficult to find fashion plates on pinterest that were from the 1820s, even my research books were a bit thin on the ground. That's the issue with transitional years, between one extreme fashion trend and the next. The 1820s is this decade, after the empire lines and classical flowy fashions of the 1800s and 1810s, and before the ridiculousness that is the 1830s.
I ended up deciding on a design. What I was concerned about was the hem trim that was very popular during this period. All sorts was going on, from applique, soutache looking stuff, to puffs, poofs, and frills. I was also limited to fabric with this one since I'd bought a set amount with no way of ordering more since this print is discontinued. All the trim I saw on fashion plates looked complicated; most I couldn't fathom how to do. I did eventually settle on a mish-mash of a few different ones.
Then it was to mocking-up. I learned quite a valuable lesson with this project. Finalise your design before you start mocking up. I was torn between two bodice designs. One was the gathered front quite common on extant garments from this period. The second was a fitted bodice, with darts. I'd had issues with the darts on my petticoat for this project as the darts were such a weird shape to accommodate the bust.
I went with the gathered bust because that was, in my opinion, the easiest option and the most forgiving. I began the mock-up, and then when I fitted it began to mess around with the front panel, and settled on a bit of a weird design.
I'll admit, the tartan really grew on me, but thankfully I didn't have enough of this polyester monstrosity to do a full gown. It might be a bit difficult to see from the picture due to the print, but my idea was for the front panel to be in 2 pieces. The fitted "side" pieces that met near the CF, and a middle piece that was gathered, and would theoretically fan out from CF.
I also altered the back to be a bit more diamond shaped, since this seems to have been popular at the time. I usually have curved seams on the back, but I think I actually prefer the diamond look.
I thought I was done, and so I began to cut out the lining layer of the bodice, in the same red cotton print I used for my 1780s Italian zone-front gown as I had quite a bit left over. I cut it all out and constructed it, tried it on, and then changed my mind. This design didn't look right.
I know it doesn't have the gathered panel in yet, but I just didn't like it, something about it just wasn't very 1820s. So, I looked in some of my costume books, one in particular that I'd forgotten about, and found a design I really liked. It was from earlier, apparently about 1816-1819, but to me it was pretty much perfect. It had a gathered front panel, the one I'd originally intended on.
Thankfully, this was just the lining, so all I had to do was cut out the front panel again, which I did, adding in the weirdly shaped darts. Then it was time to cut out the outer fabric and assemble.
This was just with some rough gathering at the waistline and neckline. I wanted the gathering to have this fan shape, like a V pattern, but I've never been able to successfully do this, despite my front panel looking exactly like the one in Waugh's The Cut of Woman's clothes...I don't know what sorcerery they used to use, but it's lost to me.
I ended up running another row of gathering stitches just underneath the bust, just to get that bust curve defitnition, and I re-did the gathering at the neckline, trying to manipulate the gathers into that V I wanted. All in all I was a lot happier with this bodice design, it looked a lot more 1820s than my first attempt. I was also surprised by how well I liked the colour. I was worried that the fabric might be too modern to look 1820s, and don't get me wrong, it is, but colourwise, I think it passes.
I then toyed with where the waistline should actually sit. I'd purposely made the bodice a bit longer than intended so I had room to play with it. I made a small fake waistband (a staple of 1820s fashion) and pinned it on the bodice. I think it needs to be a bit higher than in these pics, but not by much otherwise we're getting into unflattering territory.
And the one you've all been waiting for....These shoes are perfect for this decade, but man, they hate staying tied...
And the unders...
The Story...
I was unusually restricted with this gown in the fact I physically couldn't buy any fabric for it. I possibly could've ordered some, but Lord knew how long it'd take to arrive with the way the UK post has been since lockdown. This was the perfect time to stash bust.
The only problem was that most of the cotton prints I have are not suitable for the 19th century, and all the silks I have are either not appropriate for the decade (duchess satin) or already ear marked for a future project. I had 3 options but I went for the last remaining floral cotton from Clothworks. I bought a lot of this fabric in all kinds of colours a few years ago. So far I've made a Victorian ballgown, a 1780s Italian gown, and now an 1820s day dress.
I also kind of wanted this dress to be versatile, i.e. detachable sleeves so I could wear it for both day and evening wear (should anyone fancy throwing an 1820s event).
I actually found it surprisingly difficult to find fashion plates on pinterest that were from the 1820s, even my research books were a bit thin on the ground. That's the issue with transitional years, between one extreme fashion trend and the next. The 1820s is this decade, after the empire lines and classical flowy fashions of the 1800s and 1810s, and before the ridiculousness that is the 1830s.
I ended up deciding on a design. What I was concerned about was the hem trim that was very popular during this period. All sorts was going on, from applique, soutache looking stuff, to puffs, poofs, and frills. I was also limited to fabric with this one since I'd bought a set amount with no way of ordering more since this print is discontinued. All the trim I saw on fashion plates looked complicated; most I couldn't fathom how to do. I did eventually settle on a mish-mash of a few different ones.
Then it was to mocking-up. I learned quite a valuable lesson with this project. Finalise your design before you start mocking up. I was torn between two bodice designs. One was the gathered front quite common on extant garments from this period. The second was a fitted bodice, with darts. I'd had issues with the darts on my petticoat for this project as the darts were such a weird shape to accommodate the bust.
I went with the gathered bust because that was, in my opinion, the easiest option and the most forgiving. I began the mock-up, and then when I fitted it began to mess around with the front panel, and settled on a bit of a weird design.
I'll admit, the tartan really grew on me, but thankfully I didn't have enough of this polyester monstrosity to do a full gown. It might be a bit difficult to see from the picture due to the print, but my idea was for the front panel to be in 2 pieces. The fitted "side" pieces that met near the CF, and a middle piece that was gathered, and would theoretically fan out from CF.
I also altered the back to be a bit more diamond shaped, since this seems to have been popular at the time. I usually have curved seams on the back, but I think I actually prefer the diamond look.
I thought I was done, and so I began to cut out the lining layer of the bodice, in the same red cotton print I used for my 1780s Italian zone-front gown as I had quite a bit left over. I cut it all out and constructed it, tried it on, and then changed my mind. This design didn't look right.
I know it doesn't have the gathered panel in yet, but I just didn't like it, something about it just wasn't very 1820s. So, I looked in some of my costume books, one in particular that I'd forgotten about, and found a design I really liked. It was from earlier, apparently about 1816-1819, but to me it was pretty much perfect. It had a gathered front panel, the one I'd originally intended on.
Thankfully, this was just the lining, so all I had to do was cut out the front panel again, which I did, adding in the weirdly shaped darts. Then it was time to cut out the outer fabric and assemble.
This was just with some rough gathering at the waistline and neckline. I wanted the gathering to have this fan shape, like a V pattern, but I've never been able to successfully do this, despite my front panel looking exactly like the one in Waugh's The Cut of Woman's clothes...I don't know what sorcerery they used to use, but it's lost to me.
I ended up running another row of gathering stitches just underneath the bust, just to get that bust curve defitnition, and I re-did the gathering at the neckline, trying to manipulate the gathers into that V I wanted. All in all I was a lot happier with this bodice design, it looked a lot more 1820s than my first attempt. I was also surprised by how well I liked the colour. I was worried that the fabric might be too modern to look 1820s, and don't get me wrong, it is, but colourwise, I think it passes.
I then toyed with where the waistline should actually sit. I'd purposely made the bodice a bit longer than intended so I had room to play with it. I made a small fake waistband (a staple of 1820s fashion) and pinned it on the bodice. I think it needs to be a bit higher than in these pics, but not by much otherwise we're getting into unflattering territory.
And then I hit the dreaded sewing drought. I think it was more of a burnout. Over Easter I'd been sewing so much, starting projects every which way, and then it all came to an eventual head when my internet went out for 3 weeks. When sewing I usually listen to podcasts or audio books, and I just found that I didn't want to sew in the silence.
The sewing room languished for a few weeks, and then near mid-June I came out of the drought, but with a new twist. I wanted to hand sew. Not everything, but I didn't mind hand sewing the bodice, then the opening, then the waistband, and it just kept on going. I even hand sewed on the sleeves.
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And that was where I noticed quite an obvious problem. The arm scyes were too wide. By this I mean that the arm scye under the arm was far too low down. It's not really that big of a deal, but I don't have full range of motion, and it does look a bit weird if I raise my arms. I think the reason I didn't notice was because I always tried this on with a chemise, which has short sleeves, therefore I couldn't feel where the arm scye hit, and I forgot in all of my faffing to look.
Then it was onto the skirt. I had a surprisingly easy time with this. I took the pattern out of The cut of Woman's clothing. I think the garment is dated to about 1816/1818, but in my opinion it looks a bit later than that. It has three panels, two of which were gored, and the back just a rectangle. Easy.
I didn't even have to add that much to the original measurements, which was a strange experience. But believe me that was the quickest thing about this skirt. The 1820s is a time of hem decoration on skirts. Look at any fashion plate from early in the decade and every dress has some kind of trim, be it drills, pin tucks, soutache, lace, you name it and it was on a hem. Extant garments, obviously, show a bit simpler hem decoration, but it's still there.
I contemplated a few things, copying an extant, going for the simple two frill option, but I wanted something more 3-D. Because I knew I was putting trim on the skirt I left the side back seam open, laying the panels out flat so I could put the trim on evenly. My God did it feel like a lot of trim, and all of it had to be gathered by hand, and applied by hand.
The only nitpick I have with this gown is that it's a bit too long. If I ever attend an event with this I might unpick the skirt and reset it to be a bit shorter, but all in all it's a relatively nice gown, barring that I can't lift my arms higher than my shoulders because of the very low armscye.
