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Bill has been kind - or foolhardy - enough to agree to make me another period costume suitable for English Country Dance.

I really should have pictures of my first costume scanned. We found a beautiful long brocade coat at a costume shop, and Bill made me a full velvet skirt skirt and a contrasting brocade bodice and a lace jabot for a blouse I already had. It's an incredible ensemble, but very hot to dance in, with all the layers of brocade and velvet. So this new costume is going to be lightweight cotton.

I've been poking around online looking at patterns and styles. There's probably a 150-year span of history in which these dances were done, mostly the 18th century, but also including the end of the 17th and the beginning of the 19th. Lots of clothing options to choose from.

Empire-waisted dresses were popular during the time period, especially in England, but they really don't suit my figure. I'm finding myself drawn to American Revolutionary War era dresses, which take this basic shape, or the paniered style which is relatively flat front and back but has side hoops. Here are some other pattern examples: a jacketed gown, a short dress which might be more practical for dancing, another shorter dress (the one on the left), and an utterly ravishing example of what a dress can look like when it's finished.

This is going to be such fun.

Re: where to wear a red velvet cotehardie

Date: 2002-02-21 01:17 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] wcg.livejournal.com
Local SCA group? Folks doing living history or mideval reenactments? There must be groups around there (you're in Britain now, if I recall correctly) who'd appreciate it and find it entirely appropriate for their activities.

I imagine you could wear it to the local goth club, and nobody would mind.

Re: where to wear a red velvet cotehardie

Date: 2002-02-26 05:22 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] kjersti.livejournal.com
Yes, I'm in Britain and yes, there are relevant groups - it's more a case of insufficient time to get involved at the moment.

It's not that anyone would mind if I wore it to a goth club, it's just that I'd die of heatstroke after 1/2 hour :-) This is a very heavy thick velvet dress...

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