Autumn in Cranford: The Accessories

Accessories

"Friends don't leave friends leave the house without accessories"

"I've always thought of accessories as the exclamation point of a woman's outfit"  Michael Kors

I love the accessories that go along with costuming.  It is my firm belief that when you decorate your outfits with accessores that fit the era of the outfit, it goes that much further to help your outfit look authentic and like you just stepped out of a fashion plate.  It also helps feed my OCD and "Shiny" Magpie issues...this could be a good thing or a bad thing.  

Anyhoo, I thought I'd share the accessories that I have chosen to decorate my Autumn in Cranford Dress with!

Pelerine

 Pelerines of lace and fine linen or cotton were worn over the day dresses in the Romantic era...a few examples can be found here, here, and here.

I am still debating on what I should wear at the top of my dress.  The fabulous lace pelerine that I found on eBay or the one that I made...the jury is still out...

I just love the way this lace one covers the wide shoulders!

Pretty, pretty lace!

Shawl

There are several instances I have found where a beautiful shawl, more than likely a carry over from Regency days, was worn on a cool day.  I found three lovely examples... one in a painting, one in a fashion plate, (top image of lady in black dress) and an extant example!! 

I followed the directions on to make a long shawl out of two smaller ones from Jen of Festive Attyre.  Her Regency Shawl Hack tutorial came in quite handy!  I found my shawls on eBay from this store.  They were thinner than I had assumed, but that's ok.  The two shawls went together quite nicely, but if you intend to do this, just be warned that my shawls were very slippery and took a lot of pins to keep them together while sewing.

Lovely jewel tone colors!

Works perfectly with the dress!!

Mitts

Another thing I noticed while researching the 1830s was that mitts were worn as well as gloves.  Some lovely examples can be found here, here, and here.

Kaila from Tea Cups and Frocks wore a pair of the most dainty mitts at Costume College and I about drooled all over them when I saw them!  She was kind enough to direct me to where she purchased them... Laci's.  They are made of silk and are hand knotted and are so fabulous!!!

Sadly when I wear them with my dress, you don't see very much of them!!

Reticule

For the requisite reticule, I will be resurrecting the one I made for my Elizabeth Bennet outfit I wore to Coco...Yay for things already on hand!!!

Boots!!

Ok, so I have been biding my time, waiting and waiting.  Finally the day came!  My birthday.  I told all who asked "What do you want for your birthday" that I would like funds to be pooled so I could purchase boots from American Duchess.  I was seriously ecstatic when I was able to order the Gettysburg Side Lace Boots!!!!  Then I was even more ecstatic when they finally arrived on my doorstep!  I think my mailman feared for his hand as I almost literally ripped the box from his grasp!  Ok, nooooooo, I didn't really rip them from his grasp... but I know that he knew I was serious about getting them inside!  THEN!!!  My son had the gaul to ask me if he could open the box!  Is he insane!!??????  Pft!!  No way son!   This is MY box that holds MY boots!  Get back!!  I rushed upstairs and calmly and gently opened the box that held the most fabulous pair of boots I have ever owned!!!!

And yes, I took pictures at each step!!  I am that geek.

Pretty powder blue box!!  Sigh!

The box is even beautiful and so very sturdy!

LOOK!!  Look!! Aren't they beautiful!!  They even smell good!!  

There was a fun gift inside.  A nummy sour apple sucker and a fun pin with a lovely Edwardian lady on it!  Again, the nerve of my son was astounding!  He asked if he could have my sucker!!  Has he taken leave of his senses?  Good heavens!!!  Hahahahaha!!!

Holy Monkey are these babies comfy!!  I ADORE them!  They fit wonderfully (because there is no toe box...didn't have a clue what that was but Lauren educated me....) so I ordered a size larger than what I usually wear to accomodate stockings and perhaps a insert.

Tra-la-la-la-laaaaaaaaa!!!  They work perfectly with the outfit!!  I am so very pleased!!!  I have plans to make many dresses from the 1830s to the 1860s so these sweet boots will get lots of use!!

Well, that is it for accessories for Autumn in Cranford!  Can't wait to put them all together!!

Be Blessed My Friends!!

g