The most significant doll in history is “Lady Barbie” which is with us over 60 years. As a “doll fashion icon“, she has extensive wardrobe. It contains ready to wear, sport wear, movie costumes, evening gowns… and… my favorite ones… historical costumes. There are also other “Lady Dolls” which have historical wardrobe also.
It is marvelous how detailed these small garments are done. Barbie doll is approximately 30 cm tall (11 inches) what can make sewing very small sizes quite challenging :-). Most of the sewing needs to be done by hand and using a glue is also required. You will be in need of enough time, a lot of patience, good eyes and gently hands.
Do you have any cloth left-overs to make a smaller version of your favorite historical dress?
BBC production about Historical dress reconstructions
Amber Butchart is a fashion historian, a book writer and broadcaster. She presented a six-part series on BBC Four about reconstructing historical dress based on well-known paintings.
Each episode contains a description of tailoring process and techniques from beginning to finishing touches. If you would like to watch the episodes and to know more, they are available on YouTube.
Here are all the episodes of the series with original painting and reconstructed gown.
Amber gets the credits for the series however I have to mention other historian and assistants who participated on the series. They are: Ninya Mikhaila – Historical Costumier, Florence Evans – Art Historian, Jenny Graham – Art Historian, Harriet Waterhouse – Costume Designer and Hannah Marples.
Have a pleasure of watching this series :-).
Which dress you will choose to master your tailoring knowledge?
Reconstructing historical costumes based on fine arts.
Web page YNA.CZ was founded by Kristýna Petříčková to present her work. Kristýna studied artistic industry and fine art. She taught at School of Art and at the University in Zlín. Currently, she is a Head of clothing design studio at the University in Zlín, Czech republic.
Her work is stunning with beautiful details. She reconstruct mostly historical dress from Medieval age and Renaissance.
Besides reconstructing historical dress, she is also interested in Czech national costumes.
A part of her scientific work is also organizing the exhibitions of reconstructed dress through out the centuries.
I feel I am going to start creating something really nice. Will you do it too with me?
Kostym.cz is the one of the most complex web site focusing on historical dress. The content is very wide. This page is not just about the European garments from Medieval age or Renaissance. It also includes information about far east, jew or gypsies clothing. You can read theoretical studies about the historical tailoring and pattern making advises based on historically accurate evidence, too.
Let me say that the web site has non-standard format. It is like flipping through a book or clicking on icons in OS Windows :-)):
This web site was founded by a married couple Martina and Martin Hřibs. I named them “The Scientists in the Field of Clothing”. They look very nice, do not you think?
Martina and Martin are very skilled in reconstructing historical garments through the centuries. They work is based on research of historical sewing techniques. And I can assure you that do everything to bring you historically accurate pattern and sewing techniques.
Martina and Martin organize a seminar “Clothing in history” every autumn in Zlín, Czech Republic. They invite the experts to present their studies. There is also printed outcome from this sessions including whole content presentations. Unfortunately, the presentations are in Czech language only.
As you see, M&M provide us valuable information. To spread your knowledge and get most recent updates, you can follow Facebook page. The web site and the Facebook page are originally set with Check language, but there is no need to be worry. All the posts are available also in English language :-).
Martina and Martin also unite another historical dress lovers and specialists. For example Hanka. She has 200 entries of sewing projects from Medieval age to Regency era.
Martina and Martin are very inspiring, do not you think?
I would really like to meet Cathy Hay in person as she is one of the most inspiring lady among historical dress sewing communities.
WHY?
Besides doing demanding projects, she brings support and motivates to sew historical dress on YouTube channel named “Cathy Hay” :-).
2. Cathy started to reconstruct Peacock dress worn by Lady Curzon. To show her progress with the project she started to write a blog “The Peacock Dress“. Do YOU have a courage to start reconstructing this dress?
3. Founder of award-winning sewing community “Your Wardrobe Unlock`d“. This community helps to create very ambitions sewing projects. There are also mentors such as Luca Costigliolo, Barbara Pesendorfer and Lowana O’Shea who will help you to achieve your dreams.
4. Your wardrobe unlock`d is connected with “Foundation Revealed“. It is a private interactive community, with mentor support and monthly live workshops. The site contains also members` works and results of competitions. The most of the projects are oriented to corset making.
1890s corset by Michelle Fitzgerald
Are you now motivated to start your dream project?
First I have found Angela on Youtube and watched several videos. I was impressed by her historical dress reconstructions, such as “Portrait of Doña Isabel de Requesens” by Raphael and Giulio Romano, 1518.
She presents her sewing projects step by step. Besides historical costumes, she does 20th century decades series, barbie series. She does hats, fantasy dress, she also makes fabric hauls and antique shops reviews.
Angela started to sew in her teenage and created dozens of dresses. Her great achievement is publishing her own sewing patterns under McCall`s.
The same way I love historical dress I love historical movies and books.
The question is: “How authentic movie dress design is?“
Let`s have a look on movie „The Scandalous Lady W“ staring Natalie Dormer as Seymour Worsley.
Seymour Dorothy Fleming (5 Oct 1758 – 9 Sep 1818) was notable for her involvement in a high-profile criminal conversation trial. She was rumored to have had 27 lovers while she was married with Sir Richard Worsley.
For comparison I picked Red Habit Dress, adapted from the uniform of her husband’s regiment. This dress reconstruction, I dare say, is marvelous from top to bottom. Also producers styled Natalie into the same pose as in the painting from 1775.
The costume design was done by James Keast. The other movie costume design projects, for example are: Victoria and Mr. Selfridge.
What do you think of dress reconstructions in movies? What is your favorite dress in this movie?
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