The opportunity has arisen for an evening at The Edison later this month. Described as "living history in downtown Los Angeles", The Edison is a destination lounge and supper club located in the basement of the historic first private power plant in Los Angeles, the Higgins Building. Some call it Steampunk, for which the retro-futuristic appointments might qualify, but the building was erected in 1910 and the décor is actually Art Nouveau to Industrial Gothic.
Known for vintage cocktails, the absinthe service complete with winged fairy, as well as the vintage styling, The Edison is one of LA's most unique night clubs. They feature live music, burlesque, and aerialists. Although it's said that period attire might get preferential treatment, the appeal of dressing to go with the vintage atmosphere cannot be underestimated. However, my usual 1890's-based attire just won't quite do.
And thus the current project. A 1910's evening gown, from (almost) the skin out. Let me just state for the record that there is nothing cheap about this project. I haven't thrifted anything, and almost nothing has been able to be purchased at a discount. This is an all-the-resources project. Because the occasion is worth it.
Patterns
I selected the Reconstructing History patterns for this project, RH1057 for the corset, and RH1090 for the evening gown. Reconstructing History patterns get a lot of grief, because they do - frankly - have some issues. Mostly, they're dependent on the users to be fairly experienced sewers, and to have had some further experience with researching what is being made. 
However, I actually like them because they describe the shapes, and - like my own draping work - start from historical forms (in many cases extant garments) to create the pattern. They're not like a Simplicity pattern, where every step is spelled out, and every detail specified. If one looks at RH patterns as part of the research involved in creating the garment, rather than as a sewing pattern, they work just fine. That being said, the sewer must be able to make inferences and do some fitting on the body. The corset pattern for instance, required two changes to fit me, one fairly substantial, and one minor. (I'll go into details later in the Dress Diary.)
One important note - I have been using the downloaded patterns from Reconstructing History. They are cheaper and very expedient. However, I've also had to spend a couple of hours assembling every one that I've used (and they never match up perfectly), and have decided that in the future I'll wait the few days and pay for the paper patterns to arrive via snail mail. It's just not resource-effective for me to do the assembly.
The extant garment as an exemplar
I decided to do the most straight-forward construction in the pattern which happens to be not only the most simple and direct, but more appropriate to the 1910 timeframe. (The white and black gowns on the pattern illustration are front and back views of the same gown.) The drapings got more elaborate and flamboyant as the 1910's progressed. I have to admit that until the fabric got here, I was looking at the more creative drapings, but the heavily embroidered netting that I fell in love with will work a lot better with the a-line overdress. |
| Janet Arnold's drawings of the Madame Hayward gown from Patterns of Fashion 2 |
(The gown lives in the Museum of London.) I'd like to see Arnold's notes; I've got a copy of the book coming from ILL. Honestly, the on-line scans that I've seen so far have been terrifically helpful, when they're of a high enough resolution to see well. I'm sure that there's much more to be learned from the book.
Kass also has published a blog post in which she mocks up the gown, giving some valuable insights into the finer points of assembling the gown. What she does not include in the pattern are things like how the sash is constructed, so it's back to Janet Arnold for that.
Fabrics
Speaking of that fabric - the original gown was made with silk satin for the undergown, and layers of embroidered and beaded silk netting as the draping. I spent a lot of time looking for a silk duchesse satin that would approximate the original, in any color. Any color. At less than about $50 per yard.
Colorado Fabrics may have been expecting me to set up camp that Saturday afternoon.
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| The satin is shown with the embroidered netting overlayed. This is the "bottom" edge of the netting. |
I went through every silk. Got my hands on duchesse, so now I at least know how it feels, the weight and snap, even if I couldn't afford it. Considered dupioni (lined), played with taffeta, dug through the bargain decorator rolls, because I've scored heavy silk there before. Nothing. I was about to give it over, when I found a glorious red satin in the full-price decorator rolls. It's not silk (cotton/poly) but it's got the right hand and weight for this gown; good quality at a not-quite-premium price of $20/yard. And it's a reasonable visual match to the duchesse.
And then commenced the search for embroidered netting. Not finding anything locally, I'd found this design from a seller in Singapore, and was really mostly just waiting to pick out the satin to decide on the color. The price was right, at about $12.50 per yard.
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| The "top" edge of the embroidered netting. |
And then a miracle happened.
It is a near match with the satin.
I had fears, buying from a photo on the internet. Would it be brownish (it had been described as "coffee"), or too pink? None of that. The netting is a tone darker than the satin, but the embroidery is almost exactly the same color. The embroidery is, however, really flashy. Bright gold and shiny stitching. Wow. More bling than I bargained for.
So, I hung it up above the sewing machine and spent the next couple of weeks looking at it. I read Kass's descriptions of draping styles at least 6 times. Light bedtime reading, you know. And I decided that the linear design of the embroidered netting did not lend itself to elaborate draping. Besides the high bling level really calls for a simple treatment.
And so, the Madame Hayward gown is the design. I'm planning one modification; using some of the embroidered netting to make kimono sleeves and adding some beaded tassels.
Foundation garments
Corset
RH 1910's corset pattern is fitted, but does not really change the shape of the body. It's also boned and has a traditional busk. I'm figuring that I need to make an 1890's corset soon, and this is a good way to get my feet wet.I went with the more thrifty option on the corset and used white cotton twill, rather than the much more spendy coutil. I know, it's a small amount of yardage, but I still got away with $6/yard rather than the $30 for coutil. Maybe on the next corset... I've purchased a lovely lace for decorating the top edge. I need to buy garters.
True to form, Kass expects that the experienced sewer will know that you don't really know the lengths of bones before creating the mockup of the corset. We measured the pattern markings and ordered what seemed to be right. I hope I don't regret that decision. I suppose if worse comes to desperate, I'll have to wear what I have now and change out the bones - if I have to - later.
Body linens
Truly Victorian has underwear patterns, but I'm thinking that I can draft a four-gore petticoat with an eyelet flounce. (Besides, I think I've spent enough cash on this project. I'm supposed to be the parsimonious Steampunk, after all.) So I went looking for eyelet with a finished scalloped edge. I tried the chain, and then went back to Colorado Fabrics. I'm a bit disappointed that the only real option was a poly-cotton blend at $15/yard. But I bought it. Probably didn't buy enough of it.
I have a 1890's chemise that is longer than the typical Edwardian camisole, but the shape is right. It does mean however that I will be leaving off the crochet cotton hem ruffle. Don't want any bumps.
And I haven't even gotten to dress accessories yet...
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