TBT: Blue 1884 Traveling Gown (2006-2009)

It's about time I started working on posts of my wardrobe :3 It's not nearly as large as I'd like it to be (maybe this is a good thing), but there's still some good staples. Like most of my projects, a lot of them were finished at the last minute so there isn't a lot of in-progress pictures, or commentary written. I'll fill in what and where I can!

Blue 1884 Traveling Gown

2006

The Phantom of the Opera was coming to town, and I eagerly decided that I want to make a costume to go see it in. My mum, aunt, and three sisters all decided that they needed to dress up as well, so we went as an interesting mix of Civil War, Victorian, and Victorian-inspired menswear (my aunt had a delicious opera cape). I remember making the ruffled overlay for the bustle while watching a movie in which the main character needed to stick his hand up a bull's butt, and working on undergarments with my then-new serger (tiny rolled hems!) and rolled-hem foot of the sewing machine (less successful...)

My bustle when it was shiny and new.

I did give up on the bodice, however, and wore a modern dress shirt. I was trying to put the supportive boning in and it was being irritating, so I put it aside.

"Look wistful!" my sister said...

Photo of us minus sister behind the camera, inside the theatre post-show.

Myself, 3 of my 4 sisters, and my mum :3

The skirt is Truly Victorian 261 4-Gore Underskirt with bouffant. Undergarments are TV's combos and wire bustle with ruffled overlay.

2009

The first year we went on Alberta Prairie Railway Excursion out of Stettler, AB, I again decided that I was going to wear a costume, I already had most of it ready! I pulled the bodice out and managed to finish it. Alas... nothing fit me very well. I had to lace the corset down to my many-lbs-lighter measurement because I didn't want to take the time and fuss with fitting it to my new figure, not to mention I didn't have time to get or make a new corset. It was fine for the first several hours, though I had somewhat sillily gotten dressed before my dad picked me up and then drove 2 hours in costume... By the time we started heading back to Stettler after our visit in Big Valley, I couldn't take it any longer and had to change back into my normal clothes. My mum was the only one who dressed up with me that year.

Mum and me!

The bodice is TV 462 French Vest bodice.

I wore the dress one other time, in 2010, again having to take it off early because I wasn't feeling very well and the compression from the corset was very unpleasant and wasn't helping. I've not worn it since. I should probably sell it, least of all because it just doesn't fit anymore.

One of my favourite photos, ever. Photo by B. Yoner.