1920s London debutante dress - Historic Sew Fortnightly

All done. All photographed. Wow I'm not used to both! I finished my 1920s "deb" dress without a problem and through it on with a make shift slip yesterday afternoon. I pinned my hair up and didn't even put make up on except for the lipstick at the end. So excuse any blemishes, this was a spontaneous photo shoot.

First things first, I used this past patterns pattern from 1926 for the skirt. The first time I made the pattern I sized down the bodice because it is MUCH too big, but since then I managed to loose the front of my new pattern. So I drafted a new bodice pattern based off of a dress I'd made with the old pattern.

It's a great pattern, I love it.

I have already showed you my inspiration photos, but I'll throw them in for posterity's sake. (-;

1920s silk and lace gown

1920s silk and lace gown

1920s English Debutante

Some music: You're a Real Sweetheart 1928

The Challenge: White

Fabric: White silk chiffon, antique cotton lace

Pattern: Past Patterns #1965

Year: the pattern is from 1926 but I was not faithful to it, so maybe a bit earlier 1923-1926

Notions: Mettler cotton thread with silk finish in ivory, four white metal hooks and eyes

How historically accurate is it? All the materials are period,  I used an original pattern, and I think original techniques, so pretty darn historical!

Hours to complete: I didn't really count, but I made it in about a day

First worn:  July 20th for the photo shoot

Total cost: It was $18 for the pattern three years ago, $20 for the antique lace one year ago, and the silk was a gift. So in total $38

Adventures in the Cottswolds

Some people don't go for cold, wet, old fashioned, and relative isolation, but if that's how you're going to describe a cottage in Oxfordshire during a chilly English summer I will call it heaven! The whole time I kept talking about being a senior citizen and living there, but that is still a ways off (-:. Here are some pictures of a slice of heaven.

There was a field of sheep in our backyard.

I love sheep.

My hair looked pretty crazy but it was wet and I was cold!

My oxfords were the most comfortable walking shoes I've had before and very snazzy!

The neighbor's dog and I got along quite well!

I didn't want to go to too touristy of a place, but Bibury was just down the road.

I really just can't resist Antiques stores.

I loved our house so much I was ready to stay!

Adventures part 3

As a budding British historian I just had to take some day trips to the Baroque palaces of Hampton Court and Blenheim. I devoured Lucy Worsley's Courtiers last year and recently savoured the autobiography of Consuelo Vanderbilt ex Duchess of Marlborough. So these historic houses were at the top of my list to see.

A gorgeous bust of Consuelo, she was gorgeous, warm, kind, intellectual, and forward thinking! A real role model.

The Palace state rooms were full of tapestries in celebration of the first Duke's victory at the battle of Blenheim in 1704.

The Palace is truly beautiful.

The weather was magnificent and made everything that much more enjoyable.

Me in front of the entrance.

Doesn't this angle look like the Downton Abbey intro shot?

Having a snack in the gardens before heading home

I was very impressed by Hampton Court Palace! It was beautiful and very well presented and had so much more to see than just the Henry the 8th side. 

The gardens were beautiful even on  a cloudy day!

Hampton Court Rose Garden

There were so many types of roses and they were just in bloom.

King William II's staircase

Fountain courtyard

Fabulous special exhibition on "the secrets of the bedchamber".