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

Saturday, December 6, 2014

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!

g

22 comments:

  1. Oh, another stunning gown. I also love the inspiration plate and your "persona"! I'm trying to hide my fiery burning dispassion for steampunk, but I could really get into a character like that :D

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    1. Ha!! Love the "fiery burning dispassion for steampunk!" There is no denying your um...er...dislike for the genre! Usually if I want to attend an event that is not Victorian, but dress up, I make up a character that has an excuse to be Victorian! It's fun that way and I don't have to make any new costumes! Thank you for your lovely compliment!
      Blessings!
      g

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  2. Oh, Gina, it's more than beautiful! You look so gorgeous! I love the dress, colors, parasol, your hat, all! :)

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    1. Oh Gabrielle! Coming from you this compliment means so much as I think you are one of the most beautiful ladies I have ever seen so thank you, thank you, thank you!!!
      Blessings!
      g

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  3. You're like the only person I know (well, kinda) that looks good in those quirky 1880's bangs! I love the idea of combining several fashion plates and would gladly steal your gorgeous parasol. And I would never say pink and red would look so good together! Gotta love these throwback posts!

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    1. Thank you Eleonoroa! Actually the bands are part of a wig! My hair was short at the time, so had to make do. You will have to stand behind me to steal the parasol as it belongs to my friend...it is so fabulous!
      Blessings!
      g

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  4. I LOVE this outfit! The three points at the bottom of the bodice back really throw me over the moon with excitement, and help distinguish this dress from the so many late 19th century frocks out there!

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    1. You are so adorable Gabriela! Thank you so much for you lovely compliments, they really make me smile!
      Blessings!
      g

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  5. That is a stunningly gorgeous dress!! It is beautiful!! I think I need to make an 1880s gown!! :-)
    Beautiful job! Thank you for the inspiration!

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    1. Thank you so very much Esther! I think you need to make an 1880s gown too! You are welcome for the inspiration!
      Blessings!
      g

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  6. Oh it's beautiful, Gina! :O FABULOUS! WOW!

    Ruth

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  7. Gorgeous! I am in love with how perfectly the pleated lace worked. I had some, but had no clue what it would work for, so I gave it away. Now I wish I'd kept it. I love the lace drapes on your parasol as well!

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    1. Thank you for your lovely compliment Liz! I am so sad that you gave your pleated lace away! The parasol is acutally my friend's parasol...I kept trying to steal it, but she has an eagle eye when it comes to her things...
      Blessings!
      g

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  8. Gorgeous! I really love the combination of colors/materials and you look as fabulous as always! :)

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    1. Oh thank you so much Sanna! These colors are so beautiful together!
      Blessings!
      g

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  9. This is one of my favorite of your "pink" dresses. Being a natural red head who knows how to wear the right shades of pink well? Yeah- that is one of your super powers my friend! Ok so we got to squee and happy dance on the phone over the shawl- you will just have to enjoy my everlasting envy without a comment on that post though because my phone is doing some weird "open Java script?" thing then won't open. No idea- TBT for the holidays is a brilliant idea!

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    1. Whoo hoo! I LOVE this super power! I lived for years with people telling me I, as a red head, couldn't wear pink!! Well, I'm an adult and I do what I want where the pink clothing is concerned...as long as it doesn't make me look three shades of green....hahahahaha!!! Thank you my fabulous friend! Boooooo for uncooperative phones!! I have one of those sometimes....the TBT has been fun!! I get to see the dresses I made agian! hahahahaha!!
      Love you!
      g

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  10. Oh lord this dress is awesome! I love bustles and your bustle dress are my favourite! Your ,,Bee" dress, winter dress perfect! You look absolutely like 1880's lady, for me it's definitely ,,your era" :)

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    1. Thank you so much Karolina! I love bustle dresses to! They are so fun to wear! The Bee dress makes me happy!
      Blessings!
      g

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  11. Your dresses are so beautyful! I love watching Yours foto! Awesome!

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    1. Thank you for you lovely compliments Alicja!
      Blessings!
      g

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