1880 NFE Fushia Flower Day Gown

In 2006, I had the fabulous opportunity to attend the Steampunk World's Fair in New Jersey with my very dear friends Josie, Beth, Kat, Judy and Kelsey.  I had a very memorable time with these ladies, taking in all the costumes and accessories the Steampunk community had to offer.  While I appreciate the Steampunk genre and its attire, it is not something that I want to start making outfits for.  So, for my attire, I chose to attend with the persona of a very wealthy lady patroness who wanted to finance a scientific expedition to Egypt or Deepest Africa.  Thusly, my wardrobe for the weekend was, in my mind, what a lady of my station would have worn.

My dress for the Tea Party was the Fushia Flower Tea Dress.  I had been at a gardening store and saw some gorgeous fushias in the shade of pink and burgundy and knew I had some silk at home in the same shade.  While perusing fashion plates for ideas as how to make my fushia dress look a bit flower like, I found the inspiration for the perfect skirt and bodice!!

SPWF 2006

Inspiration #1

Fancy Dress image.  I can't remember where I found this plate, I thought it was from one of my research books, but I can't find it anywhere.  Aaaaanyways, the skirt was the inspiration for the Fushia Flower dress.  I have plans in the future to make the fancy dress in full, so to that end, I made the skirt (TV221) so that the bottom ruffles are removable.  The over skirt is a shortened version of TV324.  In the plate, it appears that the back bustling is a huge bow.  I wanted more for my bustling, so I made the Butterfly Train also from Truly Victorian.

I also made the dress on the right...The goddess Demeter.

Yes...a bubble shot...my inner 7 year old is breaking out!!

Inspiration #2

Demorest 1880

For the bodice of the non-fancy-dress dress, I had to think of something that I could wear that was more day wear.  I turned to my friend Lady LaSalle.  She has a digital library full of fabulous fashion plates from a whole lot of eras...it's awesome!  I knew when I saw the pink paisley dress on the left that that was the one I would use for the bodice.  The back peplum reminded me of the fushia flowers I had seen in the gardening center!  Perfection!

I also loved the lacey sleeves, collar and sweet bows on the sleeve cuffs and at the top by the neck!  So very girly!

I think the back of the dress looks very much like a fushia flower!!  The pattern I used for this was a modified TV420.

Beth loaned me her parasol that exaclty matched my dress...she wouldn't let me keep it though.....

Close up of the fabrics....dusty pink and burgundy silk dupioni, some sort of krinkly window pane cotton and poly lace that was perfectly pleated!!!

Like I said above, one day I will complete the fancy dress bodice and the fashion plate will be complete!  Until then....

Be blessed my friends!

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