All Hallows' Eve in 1863 Mourning

Last Friday, our costuming group was supposed to attend Frightened Felons, which was of course my "excuse" for making my 1863 mourning ensemble.  Well, life and sickness decided that perhaps that evening would not be a good idea to attend an event that a dress was planned around.  So I was not able to attend and therefore not able to wear my new 1863 mourning dress with all my fun goodies...that was made to attend Frightened Felons!  Our group has decided that after one of our members gets her dress complete, we will try again for an occasion to wear our Victorian mourning.  

However, the trees here in the valley are so beautiful right now and I knew they would be a fantastic background palette for the mourning colors, that I really wanted to have a photo shoot at one of the local cemeteries...Dry Creek Cemetery.  It is quite a large cemetery and was started in 1865, two years after Idaho became a territory.  There is a "pioneer" section in the 130 acres that is now the current cemetery and that is where I wanted my pictures to be taken (no chances of houses or cars making their way into my photographs...).  Of course we are just going to make believe that the dates on the tombstones are much, much older that they really are... (ie, not from the 1920s or the 1890s...You get the picture...)

I wanted to make a cemetery wreath like the ones I have seen in photographs from the Victorian Era, so I made one from silk flowers and a styrofoam wreath.  The flowers I chose were white roses (Innocence and purity), white freesias (Innocence) and white lilies (Purity).  I really like the contrast between the white flowers in the wreath and the black of my dress.

Another neat-o accessory/antique I have in my collection is an 1850 German prayer book.  At the last minute, I thought it would be a nice addition to my mourning ensemble.

I wasn't sure if I would use the veil as I didn't want the gathering on my bonnet to be hidden, but after putting it on, I noticed that it was sheer enough to let the gathers be seen.  Yeah!!!  

Reading a mourning letter.  This one is from Sherwood, England of all places and dates from the 1890s.  Still a very neat piece of mourning history.

Yes, I am very much aware that this is a little corny, but I was trying to use all the items I chose to accessorize my outfit with...too bad I didn't have any Visine to fake my tears...

I am so happy that we were able to squeeze this little shoot in between freezing applesauce and picking my oldest son up from school!  Thank you God for holding the rain for us while I hurridly posed and Mom hurridly took my pictures!  And thank you for giving me a Mom that understands me and is willing to partake in my silliness!  I am blessed!!

Be blessed my friends!!

g

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 here, here, 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

1863 Half Mourning Bonnet Complete!

Yeah!!!  Today whilst watching my new found favorite TV series on Netflix....Beauty and The Beast...I added the modesty curtain to the back of my bonnet, thusly bringing an end to construction on my 1863 half mourning head covering!  Wanting to continue with the using of fabrics from my stash, the bonnet was made from dupioni silks in black and off white, antique lace, antique black ostrich plumes and antique wide ribbon ties.  I am super happy with how it turned out as there was an awful lot of gathering done and I didn't pop one thread!!!  Miracle of miracles!!  There was not one drop of blood shed on this bonnet nor was one blue word uttered!  Will wonders never cease!!!  I was kind of in shock at the ease in which this project went together....maybe the Wicked Witch of Sewingland was taking the day off?  Whatever the reason, I am so happy that it is ready to wear!

Inside view...not sure if this is how the bonnets from the 1860s was finished, but I really like finishing bonnets from the 1880s and 1890s in this fashion....so that's what I did!

Look at all that gathering!  And NOT ONE OF THOSE THREADS POPPED!!  Huzzah!!!  It was awesome!

Fun looking back....not certain this is era correct, but that's ok....

I had a lenght of antique silk ribbon, so I made a squishy bow out of it for a decoration....

I'm waiting on a fabulous gutta percha buckle for the belt of my outfit and when I get that I'll write a post on my fun accessories for this ensemble...I soooooo cannot wait to get it!!  Yeah!

Blessings!

g

1863 Second Mourning Bonnet Inspiration....

Next Friday evening is Frightened Felons at the Old Idaho State Pennitentuary.  I am so excited to attend again as I love our Old Penn. Two years ago, our group attended in mourning and that sort of set our "theme" of attending in mourning costume.  You see "We are here to see that that malcontent who shot our Great Uncle Jeremiah is hung from the neck until he is dead!!!!"  When we went two years ago, I wore my 1886 bustle.  This year, it will be 1863!  This week I have been working on my bonnet.  I had wanted to use my fabulous black crepe that my awesome friend Kat sent me.  But I think I am going to be using that for a 1912 mourning ensemble.  So, I had to combine the wonderful images of Fanny Thornton's beautiful bonnet from North and South and a couple of extand bonnets.

Fanny's bonnet has a most wonderful white shirred silk inside the brim.  I can't tell if it is gauze or solid...I have chosen a solid for mine.

Another image of Fanny and her marvelous bonnet.

Ok, so the back crown....yes....this I love and have re-created this affect on mine.  I also very much like the use of ostrich plumes on this bonnet.

I found this lovely bonnet on Pinterest...alas, the pinnter did not leave a trail to the original site so I cannot site the reference!  If anyone knows where it came from, I would love to know!!!  I really am so in love with the caning on this lovely piece.  One day I will make a drawn bonnet, but not  this time....

Here is another lovely piece.  A black drawn bonnet from etsy.  While I am not making my bonnet a drawn one, I really like the effect that the drawing gives the bonnet.

Aaaaah....here is one from the MET that is shirred.  So very beautiful!!!  

So....Mine will be having elements from a couple of different bonnets....Fanny's lovely white silk on the inside of the bonnet brim, the round medallion look on the back of her bonnet, and shirring on the outside of the bonnet like the extant bonnets!  Sadly, I was in too big of a hurry to photo the making of the bonnet, so there will just be completed pics of mine...I will attempt to be better next time!!!

Blessings!

g

1863 Damask Rose Semi Sheer Gown

Yesterday I got to wear my 1863 Damask Rose dress to The Museum Comes To Life and I LOVED how it turned out!!  That is the reason for soooooo many pictures in this post!!  The whole outfit made me exceedingly happy and giddy and pretty!!  Can't wait for another event to wear it to!

My sweet Mama and I with President Lincoln.  I LOVE love love how her dress turned out!  We had fun in our sheer dresses!

I would love to have this painted...it reminds me so much of Tissot's paintings of ladies in their dresses!!

We Wear History  attends The Museum Comes To Life!

All in all, I was super pleased with this outfit!  I felt like a princess!

Blessings!

g