So, last year I did a project what was the most complex and the lengthiest thing I have ever done. I signed up for international larp in sweden and because Nordic larp has much higher costume standards than the ones I am used to, I wanted to make really nice and in some level historically accurate dress. The time period was 18th century (they had specific year that I cannot remember it anymore). So, after doing some searching of what kind of dresses were worn on that time, I found some fascinating pictures of Robe à la Française. I like that "cape" like thing at the back so I was sold even thought it looked so complicated. Why not. On that moment I had around 3 months till the event.
First thing that I decided was that I will need pattern for the dress. I would have improvised but I wasn't sure about the bodice nor the sleeves (I always think that I could improvise everything else, expect sleeves).
After googeling around, I found that Simplicity had amazing pattern (3637) that had right kind of dress.
So, I knew what kind of pattern I wanted but getting it was hard as it was out of print and not too many copies were around. In the end, I managed to find one from french ebay and I paid for it much more than I planned but I was fixed on the idea of getting this pattern - I had tried few simplicity patterns before and they were not that simple but it felt good to follow instructions.. And this whole project scared hell out of me anyway. Making that kind of dress.. :S What was I thinking (I actually even considered buying one dress from etsy at first but then.. I started to feel sorry for my money.. to spoilt it: I think I spent almost the same amount of money in the end for all the parts and pieces of this project + huge number of hours but it was worth it).
It was also sure for me at the beginning that it is not only going to be dress. There is going to be underdress, corset, panier etc..
First I planned to buy the panier as it sounded quite complicated to make myself and I wasn't sure I could get anything that would be suitable to make it. In the end, as the cost quite a lot, I decided to deal with it in the end. If nothing else works, the plan was to get myself the "usual" panier that wedding dresses have and use ribbons to force it to be in the (almost) right shape.
So, I knew I will be making four different pieces for the project but I had no idea what design the dress will have. What colors, what materials etc.. I ended up making a sketch for myself to get the concept of the char..
So.. that was the original idea. Black and red combination was crossed out by my mother who told that on those time no proper lady wore red so.. in the end.. I decided I will go to the fabric shop and see what I can get.
I ended up with a velvet like green fabric that looked to be more light but I needed to buy a lot of it. I think the pattern's envelope said I needed around 20 meters of 115 cm fabric. That sounded way too much for me. The fabric I got was 145 cm wide and I only got 10 meters of it. I actually planned to have more draps at the back than the pattern had (the drapping of the dress was the most magical part for me that made me wish to make it.. and when I looked the pattern and some projects other people had made, I thought no.. I want more.. and i found online tutorial that had more draps and used it.. in the end, I think, I decided I will have as many draps as much fabric I will have left). Anyway.. 10 meters was enough and I had two full lengths for drapping and for one set of unsuccessful sleeve cuffs. (and even if the fabric felt more light than real velvet, 10 meters of it is really heavy).
I also got really nice light white linen for the underdress. For the peticoat I got fancy silver/grey curtain fabric with nice little flower ornaments. That was actually great find. So the dress was changed from red/black to silver/green. Interesting choice as I would have never thought about it before but that was the best I could come up.
