My sister had decided to celebrate her 45th birthday with an 18th century party. And of course I ws going to go. (Her hudband's birthday was celebrated with a 19th century dinner in 2023, you can see my 1830s outfit here)
I got rid of my old 18th century stays, made after Nora Waugh's interpretation of the Diderot drawings from the Encyclopédie, when I lost all that weight six years ago. Which probably was a bad idea, since I gained it all back again. (Link to a good blog post about Diderot's and Nora Waugh's stays)
But in any case I wanted a slightly later type of stays, and decided to do somethin that I have never done before: not only buy, but actually USE a commercial pattern. I have bought patterns before, but never actully used them ;)
I had heard lots of nice things about Scroop Patterns, and their Augusta stays , and also seen a lot of people making them on Instagram, so I ordered them. This was another first for me too: This is the first pdf-pattern that I have used (mostly because I normally make my own patterns)
And I am so happy with the pattern. I have a weird body: narrow straight shoulders, large boobs, a very wide rib cage that angles out at a 45 degree from under my boobs in front (the combined effect of arthritis and pregnancies), a very non squishable waist thakns to a titanium net cover all of my stomach after a hernia, a long torso and high hips. But the stays fit me without alteration, I think thanks to teh clever placing of the boning. To make them more comfortable I chose not to lengthen them, but becauase of that long torso they still look proportional.
Stays, all hand sewn. Because I am insane, and because I was influenced by Myra Lea (link to her Instagram) while having lunch in Stockholm in October.
I am also wearing Scroop Patterns free pattern for a false rump here, and a petticoat that I made from a decorative bedsheet with a wide broderie anglaise flounce that I found at a charity shop.
Actually, everything in this costume except the silk, which was a left over from another project, the pink ribbon, the boning, the fabric for the blue pettitcoat and stomacher, the yellow ribbon and the plumes is bought from charity shops.
The shift is a linen bedsheet, the inner fabric of the stays in hand woven linen fabric, probably intended fro towels, and the gown is a rayon satin that probably was made for furniture.
The fabric for the blue petticoat is deadstock fabric from Gårda Textil, a local fabric shop which has a lot of both vintage fabric from their own history, and more newly aquired deadstock fabric. I cannot guess when it is from, it could be any time between the 50s and the 90s.
The trim around the sleeves and neck is probably from the 1940s, and I bought it at a charity shop over twenty years, intending to use it for an 18th century gown. Sometimes things just take time.
The cap was made for my very first 18th century costume in 2007. But it wasn't properly starched and mounted, just gathered with a ribbon. Now it is very much starched, it feels like paper, and luckily survived being carried on public transport a slightly rainy evening.
2007:
I haven't done any serious backcombing since the 1980s, and it was much easier then, with a layered hair cut. My hair is too long all ocer but the cap hides the not do good looking back of the head where I mostly pinned hair in place.
Then I added powder, both normal powder and some rice flour, because I didn't have enough powder at home. As a first attempt I think it looks good enough.
And it lasted through five hours of dinner party, the cap photos above are taken when I was leaving.
And this is from the tram on my way home. Still raining a little.
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