To all who mourn in Israel, He will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the LORD has planted for his own glory. Isaiah 61:3

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

1863 Half Mourning Accessories

My most favorite words of advice concerning costuming came from a very lovely and talented milliner named Rita Smith.  While talking hats one day she spoke words into my life that forever changed how I looked at my costuming.  To paraphrase...If you want your hat (or costume) to look over 100 years old, you need to add to it elements from the past.  An antique ostrich plume, a vintage velvet rose, an antique brooch or buckle, vintage laces and trims.  That will make the hat (or costume) that you made "now" look like it was made "then"!  I glommed on to those words and ever since have striven, with the use of antiques and vintage pieces, to make my outfits look like they stepped out of a fashion plate or antique photo!

 A long time ago, I started collecting Victorian and Edwardian mourning paraphernalia and so have a lovely stash from which to choose my accessories for this dress.


One of the reasons I chose to make this outfit "Half Mourning" is because I love the look of the white on top of the black and because most of my mourning accessories have gold on them.  I have a few gutta-purcha and jet pieces, but I really love my other pieces!  The buttons on my bodice are probably glass, but look like jet.  They are faceted so they really sparkle!  


My fabulous friend Josie, purchased this beautiful antique lace collar at an antique shop in Texas.  In researching my accessories for this project, I found many inspiration photos...here and here


I was shopping at a local thrift store one day and low and behold these fabulous black boots literally jumped off the shoe rack and tackled me to the ground!  Huzzah!  They are leather and look as if they were custom made as there is no maker's mark on them and on both soles is a lady's name.  I couldn't believe my fortune when I saw they were $5.00!  OHMYGOSH!!  I barely contained my excitement as I knew they would be perfect for my mourning dress!  Research lead me herehere, and here.  I love the style and look of my boots and oh my good golly gosh are they so comfortable!!!


For a brooch, I really wanted to use this one, but I ran out of time to take it in to the Jeweler's Bench so it could have a pin affixed to the back.  It is a fabulous piece that I found on ebay a few years ago.  Morning Glory Jewelry is a wealth of information on Victorian Hair Jewelry!


If I can't get my hair brooch into the jewelers, I will go ahead and wear this vintage cameo.  I seriously doubt if it is from the 1860s, but it is antique and I have found several CW images where ladies are wearing huge cameos...In The Swan's Shadow has a fabulous image of a lady wearing a nice sized brooch.  Another gi-huge-ic brooch can be seen in this image from ebay.  It's not a cameo, but is nice and big. Here is another large brooch.



I adore these earrings.  I do need to take then in and have them converted back into drop earrings as the previous owner made them into screwback earrings...grrrrrr.....but that's ok!  Ruby Lane has a most wonderful pair of 1860 earrings!


I was the happy winner on this ebay handkerchief purse.  There is a most fabulous mourning site called 19th Century Art of Mourning.  On this site Georgia (I believe that's her name....) shares her fabulous collection of mourning things.  Here you can see a picture of her wearing a handkerchief purse like mine....and of course I'll have my deep black bordered handkerchief to wipe my tears away...


I will also be carrying my tear bottle to catch whatever tears escape my handkerchief!  Lachrymatory or tear bottles were used to catch the tears of widows or those grieving the loss of a loved one.  My bottle is missing its stopper, but it is still so very lovely!  19th Century Art of Mourning has this fabulous page of tear catchers!


Ebay came through a while ago with this great Memorial Die Cut.  It may just have to be clutched in my hand to remind me of my "cousin Joseph" who was "murdered by that vile evil creature who is going to be hung"!!!


For my belt, which will be made of grosgrain ribbon, I purchased this fabulous buckle for myself as an early birthday present!  It is made of Gutta Percha and is simply gorgeous!  I was shocked to see a similar one on the 19th Century Art of Mourning website...left hand side almost down at the bottom!  Too cool!



Finally, I will probably carry this 1860s ambrotype.  The lady and gentleman in the picture are very distant relatives of mine on my Daddy's side!  Pretty cool huh?  My sweet Grandad gave me about 10 of these for one of my birthdays!  Ah, he knew my heart so well!

Before Friday evening, I still have to tack down the lace collar to the bodice, sew on two pieces of boning to my side seams on the bodice, sew black lace onto the white undersleeves and attach to bodice and find some grosgrain ribbon for my belt.  Then, I think I'll be ready for Frightened Felons!  This is going to be such fun!!

Blessings!

g

8 comments:

  1. Aaah, so many gorgeous things! First - your dress is gorgeous and I'm in love with the collar as well. Second - your jewellery and other accesories made me green with envy! Your die-cut memorial thingy (it's pretty scary, though the "evil creautre" made me laugh) and ambrotypes seem to be most interesting. You're soo lucky to have them! And I still can't believe those shoes were that cheap!

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    1. Hi Eleonora!

      Thank you so much!! I just love antique mourning things...those ladies really made mourning beautiful..if such a thing could be said. They had a mourning "thing" for every normal day thing I do believe! I had so much more in my collection and for some stupid reason felt the need to sell some of it!! ACK!!! I'm with you, I was so shocked when the shoes were so cheap!! Goodness gracious!!

      Blessings!

      Gina

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    2. That's true, well said - it seems that because the mourning back then was a thing happening much more often and earlier, they did their best to at least celebrate it beautifully. Ahh no! Hope you didn't sell anything as pretty and cool as the stuff showed here!

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    3. Oh Eleonora! You would not believe the super fantastic things I sold...a couple of hair mourning rings, lithographs, family histories, coffin plaques....ACK!!! I am so sick with myself for doing so! But, there are more out there and I can slowly build my collection back up! Yeah!

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  2. I love your handkerchief purse. I saw one just like it in a display on Lisa's Victorian Mourning page and fell in love with it. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151254368470563&set=pb.273627150562.-2207520000.1382837763.&type=3&theater I posted a link to it and someone else said that was her's and she had loaned it for the display. I asked her for any other photos as I wanted to make one but never heard back from her. I never knew one was for sale. I bought some plastic rings and fabric to make one but don't know how to do the "crocheting" around the rings. I'm jealous.
    Loved reading about all your research. I've had fun doing mine.
    Val

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    1. Hey Val!

      Ya, the handkerchief purse is pretty cool. I got it off of ebay years ago and then found another one here in town that I gave to a lovely friend! If you want me to take some close ups for you I totally can do that! My eventual goal is to have a mourning dress in every silhouette! I have a late bustle and NFE....Now I just need what...7? Hahahaha...sigh....I really love Victorian Mourning. It is so very neat and in my opinion, made the time of mourning a very personal thing.

      Blessings!

      g

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    2. Yes please, I'd love more photos. I especially want to see how the rings are done.
      Oh lets see, I've got 1850, 1870s, & 1887 in mourning and soon will make a 1905 & 1910 one. I can be my own mourning lineup for a fashion show. LOL!

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    3. Ha! That is exactly what I want to do!!! Ok, I will get on taking the pictures! If I haven't done it in a few days please message me on facebook and remind me!!! Life sometimes takes my memory and throws it away!!! grrrrrrr......

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