Miss Nora Kerin, edwardian stage actress. 1907
Sneak peek there ;) Yes the Edwardian adventuress ensemble is finished! However, I'm not showing you yet (I'm mean, I know, sorry folks) because today I want to talk about the skirt for this costume and show you some extant examples from contemporary photos that inspired me when I decided how to draft my pattern. I knew I wanted something on the shorter side for an Edwardian skirt as I intend the finished ensemble to be very adventure ready as opposed to having an elegant sweeping trained style seen in more formal gowns. The adventuress needs to climb over rocks, sketch hieroglyphics, and hop off and on the boat moored over on the Nile... you get the idea. Seeing this amazing image of a young woman in a shorter length skirt was encouraging. The street style snap is one of Linley Sambourne's photographs (check out more snaps here) and I find this young woman's entire outfit rather inspiring. It's so nice to get a candid more casual photograph from such a "posed portrait" time period! It seems her skirt has seams down the front which is something I certainly took note of as well. These lovely ladies by the seaside are just so elegant aren't they? These skirts are a bit longer but still short enough for walking about. I like how this photo gives a good idea of the sort of drape of the back of this style skirt. Then there is this group again. They may be posed but it is far from a studio setting! It seems they are perhaps doing some serious hiking in their finery! The slightly flared skirts with princess seams down the front seems to be the style of the day, and these look to be made of sturdier fabrics and at a shorter length conducive to walking and hiking. I also love the addition of sash/ribbon belts at the waist with nice buckles! It's an accessory I copied for my costume and I even managed to pick up an authentic gold buckle sash pin on Etsy! My antique buckle pin! So once again, like the shirtwaist before it, I drafted the pattern for the skirt myself. I know drafting patterns isn't for everyone, but I truly enjoy pattern making. For me it is a fun challenge to take some muslin and paper and go for it! The worst that can happen is I fail and end up having to buy a pattern, so I am a great advocate for just giving it a go if you have a general idea of pattern making and the period of fashion in question (and muslin to spare for mock ups). The image above (from a great free online pattern- here) shows the basic idea I went with for my skirt. I drafted this skirt by draping a piece of muslin on myself (while wearing my Edwardian corset) marking the center front, waist, and side seams, then pinching out the excess from the curve over my abdomen with a small dart at the waist. Once I transferred these basic lines from the muslin onto paper I used the slash and spread method to open the dart fullness into an A-line shape for the skirt. Then I separated the skirt into three panels along where the darts had been. I doubt that will make sense to the non-pattern drafters out there but hopefully it's intelligible! Now I cannot in good faith really recommend drafting on one's own self, as moving around does distort and disrupt the measurements, best case scenario you have a friend to help but that isn't always possible. I have always drafted historical patterns on myself (since I can wear the correct corsetry, unlike my dress form who doesn't squish) so it is something I am comfortable doing after all the years I have been costuming. I think with trial and error and some muslin to try things out you can achieve a lot on your own for sure. I did end up checking my pattern by trying it out in inexpensive ivory cotton, and since it worked I finished it and it became my petticoat for this ensemble! I actually did make a mistake somehow in the finished skirt when I pleated the back. Somehow I ended up with 1 less pleat than I'd meant to have, so the back was too large and overlapped farther at the center back than I had intended. It worked on the day but I will fix it by taking off the waistband and adding another pleat to the back. Opps! I did pleats on the back of this skirt, but I think for more formal skirts I will continue to use the tilted-circle skirt shaped Edwardian skirt pattern that I used for my black and white evening gown from a few years back. Also, I need to spruce up that gown and wear it again because I am still in love with that dreamy flocked fabric... The costume is now finished and I promise you all will be seeing photos soon :) The darn shirtwaist took me forever to finish as I decided to hand stitch the lace onto the front and it took me ages, so believe me I am glad it is done! I think I'll be making another skirt to wear with the shirtwaist in the fall, something in wool and more formal, and possibly for a suffragette inspired Halloween costume ;) Hope everyone is having a wonderful week so far!
Just in case you hadn’t noticed, I’m pretty enamored by the Edwardian era. Obviously I love Titanic, but Somewhere in Time, Tuck Everlasting, and Downton Abbey also have a special place in my heart. I love the layered skirts, the … Continue reading →
Stockholm, Paris, Moscow, Tokyo, Istanbul, London. You’ll find street style blogs for almost every major city. Amateur and professional photographers hang around outside fashion shows or just prowl…
So I am planning on putting together an Edwardian adventuress ensemble, the sort of outfit a lady might wear while sketching Egyptian ruins while on a Nile cruise in 1907. I already have an Edwardian corset so I am planning on making a white cotton shirtwaist, a kakhi or brown walking length skirt, and a brown belt/sash. I'll also need a new walking length petticoat but that is more boring. I will be drafting the patterns for these items myself, and I can't wait to get started this upcoming weekend! The first piece I want to make is the shirtwaist. I found the illustration below on Pinterest which should help me with drafting the pattern, but they seem pretty straightforward over all. Hopefully they will have a nice lightweight cotton at my usual fabric haunt this weekend. I may end up also needing to make a simple corset cover or camisole to wear underneath too depending on how sheer everything turns out. I really like this example with the lace or net fabric as a yoke and the standing collar. I'm pretty sure I will try and draft my own shirtwaist with a similar style line, hopefully I can find a suitable cotton lace/eyelet fabric or I'll perhaps have to make the yoke fancy with pin-tucks! Have any of you made an Edwardian shirtwaist before? If so, do you have any tips for me before I dive in?
Edwardian fashion was characterized by the new S-bend corset and pouter pigeon shape. It was an era of luxury with elegant dresses and expensive fabrics.
London photographer Edward Linley Sambourne captured everyday street style around the turn of the 20th century...
These trousers were named after Katherine Wilson Sheppard - the most prominent member of the women's suffrage movement in New Zealand and the country's most famous suffragist. DETAILS - Fabric: 85% wool 15% polyester (Ukraine made). (250 gr/m) OR 100% thin weight linen (130-150gr/m) Сertificate Oeko-Tex Standard 100 - Two side pocket - Fasten on buttons - Production times - 20-21 days. Thank you for understanding SIZING are shown in the picture in the gallery If you want to make an order in individual parameters - please choose the options "size" - "Individual" We can also sew this model according to your parameters. We can change the length of the skirt. To do this, please write to us, and we will clarify all the details. You can choose any color from the last two pictures. ! Please note that actual colors may vary due to your computer resolution and monitor color restrictions. CARE Hand wash 40℃ / 104 °F No Tumble Dry Gentle Cycle Do not bleach DELIVERY Worldwide delivery. Every parcel has a reliable package and is sent by Ukrainian Post The shipping period depends on the country of destination usually it takes: - EU: 5-8 weeks - USA: 4-5 weeks - Canada: 6-10 weeks - South America: 6-12 weeks - New Zealand, Australia, Japan: 6-8 weeks - Other countries: up to 8 weeks If you want to order express delivery, please write to us first. Thanks We can also offer express mail services for an additional fee. To do this, please write to us in private messages. thanks !!! Please note that actual colors may vary depending on your computer and phone resolution and monitor / phone screen color restrictions !!! Also, the color may appear slightly brighter or more saturated because the monitor is backlit, but in reality the fabric is not backlit. Consider this, please Please note - I am not responsible for possible customs taxes that your country takes on parcels. Check before ordering what is the maximum amount of goods that can be bought and shipped to your country without customs duty. If the order amount exceeds the amount of customs duty, but you want me to indicate a lower price for the goods - please write to me about this before paying for the order. If you have any questions regarding this item, just message us. Thank you for your attention to our shop!