EMBROIDERY Dress with matching EMBROIDERED Vest PHENOMENAL

Nude-tan, crepe-backed silk satin lines the interior of the dress which closes by hook and eyes at the hidden side. Yards of expensive, dual-finished edge Reticella needle lace defines the low cut dress yoke of the dress portion above the bust, and fully around the skirt hem. The upper hip length vest also has the Reticella needle lace lining around the vest opening and bottom. The shoulders of the flapper dress have a sheer, ruffled lace-edged shoulder flounce that peeks out slightly from beneath the vest for modesty's sake. On the vest, the shoulders have rows of gentle gathered smocking. The dress must be worn with the vest as the under layer dress back has no net or embroidery there. This was done purposefully so the vest embroidery would not have layers that competed in embroidery busyness- this way you could see the pretty pattern clearly. This magnificent 1920's dress would be perfect to wear at the annual Gatsby picnic located at the Dunsmir Mansion in Oakland, California, or a 1920's dance, 20's wedding or flapper party. You should allow for at least 1"- 2" looser in bust and waist so this dress fits properly- flapper gowns were not usually tight.

Condition:

This is truly the dress that time forgot! This 20's gown has an extremely pristine and very clean appearance at first glace. Even up close there's only a VERY, VERY minor almost imperceptible "bleed" of slight yellow color from the floss onto the netting on the vest and dress plus the silk underneath very slightly- all just looks like part of the bold pattern, so can only be seen if backed against black material. I had to take many photos so that you could even make this out at all. One slightly darker 1" round watery looking tannish spot on one side near waist/ hip seam juncture- one tiny age spot on one shoulder flounce (see close-up) most sellers wouldn't even mention this. The overall "health" of the fibers of this gown is truly amazing. Yes, this dress can be worn safely if minor precautions are taken such as underarm guards, and using napkins when eating/ drinking and airing between uses (plus not storing on hangers). I know it sounds simple, but these types of things really help keeps a gown like this at it's best. All hooks and eyes strong and accounted for. I think there might have been a silk organza or Georgette lining at some point that might have been removed. If that is the case, it was removed so well, this does not distract at all. One 1/4" puncture on the netting on skirt that could easily be mended. A few net pinholes, but in all, the net, embroider and silk is 99.9 percent intact. Really in Very Excellent, museum quality.



For ordering, go to "Order this item" toward bottom of page.

Taken from http://antiquedress.blogspot.com/

Islamic Fashion..

Islamic Fashion: Where More is…More.

My sister sent me a link about Turkish fashion week the other day. As usual, a link leads to a site that leads to another site and then maybe a blog, perhaps an online store…the cycle goes on. After hours of exploring, I came across an interesting announcement on a blog, “Christian Lacroix 100% Silk Scarves Today @ ideeli.” I found it interesting to see that societies that are more rigid or strict don’t just take the easy road when it comes to dressing. I’m not going to lie…if I had to think about how to cover up every inch of my body and still look trendy, I would pull my hair out. Islamic women are clearly skillful in throwing in commercial style, trends, brands and designers into their every day looks.

In Islamic societies, fashion is not overlooked. It is in fact, very much alive. Though Islamic women dress much more modestly, the latest trends still make their way into these cultures (in their own unique ways of course). While scrolling through some Islamic style blogs, I was surprised to see how similar my ideal looks for a casual Friday, date night or a weekend stroll were with theirs. The fashion in these regions are far from dark hues and baggy shapes. Every year, the runways of Islamic Fashion Festival hail colourful shades from all across the colour spectrum and silhouettes that are more shape defining.

Designers and retailers are beginning to (or if not already) cashing in on this, as in the case of Christian Lacroix’s silk scarves. It’s interesting to see how fashion unfolds in its own way around the world and very refreshing to know that not all fashion trends are governed by what the West considers the norm.

Taken from http://boyzfashion.blogspot.com/

Silk Ball Gown

Rare 1820s Raspberry Silk Ball Gown

Evening dresses of the 1820s were decorated with all types of fancy borders including rouleaux, the bands of bias cut fabric stuffed with wool or cotton that would provide additional body and shape at the hemline. In addition the hemline is decorated with a pinked silk ruffle above the rouleaux and above that a scalloped flounce accented with satin appliques that appear to be flower buds about to open. The dress has a slightly empire waistline with the bodice fitted with a series of three vertical darts on both sides of the bust.

The neckline is rounded and set off by delicate hand made lace and satin trim. The satin is carried around the neckline and extends in layered "petals" across the puffed short sleeves. Each petal is edged in lace and the sleeves are decorated with the same bud shapes and scalloped edging as is found at the hemline. Back closure with hooks and eyes. The sleeves are lined with a fine silk gauze that is deteriorated but this is not noticeable when on display.

The condition of this gown is remarkable! There is no shattering of the silk and only a few minor holes about the size of a pencil eraser are noted, a couple of which have been backed with tiny pieces of matching silk. There are also a few scattered and minor organic discolorations of the silk which do not detract and should not be unexpected on a piece of this age. Faint crescents of underarm discoloration are also present but again, do not detract. No noted weakness or deterioration of the fabric other than noted.

Taken from http://antiquedress.blogspot.com/

Mme. Grosfield COUTURE 1912-1915 Silk Evening Gown

This Edwardian gown is elegantly tasteful and just stunning to view the amount of neat, well finished and meticulous work done here. It's better finished than many of the old designers I've seen over the years. There's a tremendous amount of fine hand work on this tasteful evening gown. The gown is made of a thin, soft, fluid, drape-able black silk satin charmeuse, with ultra-fine, hand-woven, Chantilly, (flowered) shadow lace Bretells (think "over-straps.") on the shoulders, both edged in jet beads that any serious lace lover would just love to have! There's a dual sleeve, the upper layer made of shirred, sheer black silk Georgette, the lower, inner sleeve of form-fitting, fine, shadow lace with petite black sequins.

The dress back has very meticulous pleated draping of the diaphanous silk Georgette over the cream shadow lace layered inside, as to show the insides through tastefully, much like a "see-through" sheer postcard popular back then. This was a very clever and handsome dress back treatment design by this dressmaker.

Cream inner bodice is made of cotton, micro honeycomb net with silk, hand re-embroidered lace over an inner panel of jagged cream hand-made, flowered shadow lace. There's many jet beads, plus iridescent, silvery gray/blue/pink hue, plus black gelatin sequins. Large, faceted, jet-glass beads are suspended from ebony shirred silk Georgette. Two rectangular black/silver sequin appliques' decorate the lower bust with loosely suspended shadow lace with more dangling jet-glass beads. It has a front opening bodice of original aluminium type hook and eyes, in fantastic condition. Inner bodice is made of cream tissue china silk, just in phenomenal condition as well. The silk gro-grain belt is specially "fitted" to sit round on the waist with the dressmaker's tag in fanciful script stating, "Grosfield" "Chicago" in, golden-yellow silk brocade woven into cream silk satin. It's attached with cream silk thread in a herringbone pattern.

The wrapping, side opening belt is gathered self-fabric, with hard, "tulip" shaped, self-fabric wrapped belt ornaments- very tasteful and clever additions, and the height of fashion throughout this period (1912-1915). There's 3 distinct layers to the skirt. The top layer which you see in the photos, has been precisely and finely pleated in a "tulip" shape, and has a very slight and very even overall brownish-black hue considered "off black." The back waist is slightly higher behind than front as per my (1912-1915) date for this gown. Cornflower blue silk taffeta peaks out from the overskirt edge folds. Second layer that reaches the feet (on a petite woman... ankle or 3/4 length on a tall woman.) is soft black, round hem. Bottom layer (kind of a slip of heavy weight, jet black silk twill back) reaches the floor also with large, round scalloped edges. If this a slip, it is a very heavy-duty one. Either way, this creates a well layered skirt effect.

Condition:

Happily, this beautiful Edwardian gown is in superb condition as far as lace Edwardian gowns go, both inside and outside. I have only seen a tiny pinhole on one sheer Georgette shoulder, a tiny lace break in a bit of lace on a sleeve I couldn't find again, and 1 1/2" pinky sized slightly lighter spot on outer skirt outside hip bottom that is nearly impossible to see. The (inner) Grograin belt might have had a mend slightly over the years. All the hardware (hooks/ eyes and snaps) is there, and in perfect working order with no obvious problems. Even the laces feel good (and with old lace, especially black, that is usually rarely the case.)

However, even with all the good stuff about condition to say... I will not recommend wearing this gown. (This is a rare early couture designer gown...) I always try to encourage people not to wear any old designers. The rare ones (such as this) can have a big following at later eras, and need to be well preserved, documented and studied for future generations.

If you really desire to wear this gown, then only with hesitation I would recommend wearing UNLESS the form-fitting lace on the lower portion of the undersleeves are carefully removed. (The inner sleeves are completely handmade and ultra fine in nature... I just fear if the lace undersleeeves were worn, the aged fibers might tear although they seem healthy enough, they may catch, or break from stress just being formitting/ aged and the superfine in nature.) Then, the gown is carefully worn with proper undergarments underneath, and moisture guards to help keep the moisture away to keep the inner laces healthy and from any body moisture causing possible color bleeding to the cream areas of the insides. Also a few inches of looseness around bust and waist would be desirable to help keep stress pulling at bay.

This fabulous Edwardian designer gown would be a fabulous museum display on old couture designers, wonderful to make patterns from, and is delightful in a collection due to terrific condition, and it could be worn as long as the step as I recommended was followed. A really, really terrific early designer couture evening gown!

Price is: $525

For ordering, go to "Order this item" toward bottom of page.

Taken from http://antiquedress.blogspot.com/

Bridge Dresses

I had quite a clear image in my mind what this dress was going to look like, so it was easy to get the materials that I wanted. I looked quite extensively for crinkled, beaded silk chiffon and came across some very interesting fabrics, but the right one wasn't among them. So in the end I decided for crinkled white silk chiffon without any beading, and purchased the beads myself. The underlayer I imagined was made from china silk, and luckily the week when I went fabric shopping, my favorite shop had a discount on silk. I found the perfect 10mm Habotai and bought a bit more than I usually planned 'cause it wasn't as wide as I hoped. That way, I ended up with 8 metres of beautiful silk. Of course not all went into the gown, I still have about 2 metres left.

It was white, so it had to get the cream tone that I wanted for the underdress. After some experiments with tea and various silk dyes, I had good results with Dylon cold water tea dye. The fabric came out of the dye bath exactly that cream color that I wanted, and the dye was very easy to work with. I dyed by hand in a small container, but you can also use it in a washing machine. So...using my old side-seamed pattern that I took from my Blood Red Dress, I cut the underlayer (had to cheat a bit because the width of the silk required a little seam on the left side from the bottom up to about mid-calf...but better than a center front seam. The back piece has a center seam) and the four chiffon layers. The top layer is only loosely attached to the two other layers by a few stitches. I created a tie by cutting four long pieces of my silk chiffon, sewing two of them with right sides together on three edges and then turn them "inside" out. The open, small end was pinned into the seam of the top layer and sewn down with the fabric. That way, the tie disappears into the waist seam and when it's pulled back and knotted, it pulls the fabric back as well. At the moment, I'm struggling with the cowl neck...this looks easier than it is. I need to find a way to attach it without being bulky... Also, the sleeves are still missing little drapey cowls, and the train will be bag-lined with my leftover silk. That's the last I will do on this dress, 'cause this will be easy. The, the beading can start ;-) Here are some preliminary pictures nevertheless....

The tea dyed fabric (back piece with center seam)

The tea dyed fabric, front and back sewn together

The silk lining attached	A very see-through muslin
The three layers....finally!	Side view (train still unlined)

And finally a first quick picture of me in the dress, from a fitting. But please forgive me, I looked so awful in this pic, I *had* to photoshop out my face! People say I look a lot like Arwen these days

Finally, I've found a way to attach the cowl that doesn't look goofy...
Photos will follow, and a detailed description how I did it. I really begin to like this dress




The dress is almost finished. The cowl is attached and I've even started beading. I will change my sleeves though for a longer version and solve the 'sagging sleeve' problem at the shoulder with this. I first thought the shoulders had little cowls as well, but it seems it's just a bigger piece of fabric sewn to the dress at the outer corner,so that it sags in the middle...a bit like the neckline of the Dream Dress, if anybody knows what I'm talking about :-)

Nothing new on my dress,just an observation....
I noticed Uma Thurman's dress at the Golden Globes looked a lot like the Bridge Dress..at least the neckline. Still, it reminded me of the Bridge Dress at once. And she looks pretty in white.

Here are finally some pics of my finished Bridge dress, not many, but I'll take some more soon.

This was taken at RingCon. I'm to the outer left. The other elves are from our group at the RingCon board. :-)
I'm wearing the Arwen wig here, and -though you can't see it - the Evenstar and Bridge headdress. I'll add some notes on the headdress soon, and some more about the dress, also pictures on the dressform.

Taken from http://antiquedress.blogspot.com/