Just a few Bonnet Tutorials

Headware can make or break an outfit. Bonnets were often THE fashion accessory of the day

Here are a few tutorials if you are feeling brave enough to try them.

Twila patterned this bonnet off of one in a recent book. There are 2 more posts on making this cute bonnet. While we are at Twila's blog, check out the Strawberry reticule, for fun!

More tutorials on the net

MLS Designs

The Merry Dressmaker

A member of the Regency Society of America

Izodiea on Livejournal

A member on Burda

Jane Austen Center

Simplicity

Girls dress patern inspiration

Today I spent some time pulling together some images of Printed Cotton Children's Regency Era Dresses.
I had to use originals as my inspiration as the majority of Fashion Plates and Paintings show white, sometimes solid color dresses.

So Here are the inspiration dresses so I can start drafting a pattern

The first pink original found on ebay on Jessamyn's Regency Costume Companion article on Children's Clothes

Next comes a boy's dress from Massillon Museum, Massillon, OH, which was included in Kent State Univeristy Museum's 2006 exhibit Fashion on the Ohio Frontier a better view can be seen on Maggie May Fashions
Tidens Toj shared the pattern for their child's dress.

Then there is this lovely roller print one found on I-like-historical-clothing, which seems to have sold on Vintage Textile

Wisconsin Historical Sociey has another long sleeve dress with buttons on the upper cuff.

Vintage Textile has this lovely dress with long sleeves under the short puffs.

Last is this pink one, for which I have the reproduction fabric from the Lady's Repository Museum

I also have a few saved from e-bay to inspire me.

So far the plan is this: short sleeves with longer lowers that can be buttoned on (or permanently attached if so desired) the back will have ties or a button band. I am wanting a gathered front, but maybe the flat front would be a nice change to see?

Regency Shift/Chemise pattern

“ladies used to wear shifts; they now are called chemises: shoes are turned into sandals, stays are corsets, a girdle is a zone, a band for the head is a diadem, a gown is a robe,” quote by Althea Fanshawe  in 1806

 Well I made my pattern and I made a mock up and now it is ready to share with you!
First off this is not a pattern fro the Historical Accuracy snobs. If you want complete historical accuracy, go buy a pattern from one of the well known pattern companies.

This pattern is one that I personally developed based heavily off of Museum of Fine Arts Boston 99.664.51 and by looking at the instructions in The Ladies Economical Assistant (1808) by Kannik's Korner and The Workwoman's Guide (1838-40) and many other shifts and period diagrams for shifts.


This pattern is multi-sized, but has not been tested for all sizes. Read more bellow

Pattern links for women's regency

Today I ran across this lovely resource t hat has complied most of the regency patterns on the market for women.
In the Long Run Women's Regency Pattern Directory includes some online patterns as well as those in books in it's list.

Other links for today include
Sensibility's comparison chart between S&S's original pattern and the Simplicity version. This link is to the internet archive of the page since it has been take off the main page. (no wonder I couldn't find it the other day!)

Oregon Regency Society's blog post on stays is a good overview of different styles available on the pattern market.

Patterns at the chain fabric store

Your local JoAnn or Hancock will carry these patterns. Often they go on sale for $1 or $2, sometimes 5 for $5 or 10 for $10. Opinions are mine.

Simplicity
2354 Women's "colonial dress. quite a bit wrong, pass.
3635 Women's 18th century undergarments to be worn under 3637 Shift, stays, panniers. Rather good for the usual offerings
3637 Women's 18th century gown to be worn over 3635 Rather good for the usual offerings
3644 Children's Pirates of the Caribbean Pirate (licensed by Disney) costume. The coat and waistcoat are actually not that bad, the breeches are not good, the shirt is not a period cut. 
3677 Women's pirate costume. complete fiction, no pirates allowed at the party.
3723 Women's "colonial" costume, quite a bit wrong, pass.
3725 Girls version of 3723, pass
4055 Women's Regency gown patterned by Jennie Chancey of Sense & Sensibility Unfortunately the corresponding undergarment pattern 4052 has been discontinued. Very good for the usual offerings.
4092 Women's 18th century gown styles after PotC Not as good as 3637 (calls for a zipper!) so pass it up.
4923 Men's 18th century costumes styled after PotC Not as good as 3644, the pants are still very wrong.

McCalls
6139 Women's and Girls "colonial" dresses Don't bother

Butterick
3072 Men's "Revolutionary War" costume. Forget the hat. the pants are still wrong, shirt is not a period correct cut. could be reworked to something better.
4254 Corsets for the 18th and 19th century. You want View A or B. there are some issues with these, but overall it isn't a bad pattern. View B was also included in pattern 4484, which also had other undergarments, now Out of Print

6630 Women's "regency" gowns Not terrible, Simplicity 4055 is better though

You may also like to read some other reviews

Jessamyn covers the regency patterns (including ones from other companies I have not included)
Greater Bay Area Costumer's Guild has an excellent pattern review section.

Clothing for Mothers of Young Children

Mainly I am referring to clothing for the expectant or breastfeeding mother.
There have always been young mothers in society, but what they wore has not always been passed from one generation to another. In some cases their normal clothes were adjusted to their needs, in other cases specialty clothing was made.

Fashions of Motherhood by Colonial Williamsburg discuses the maternity fashions of the 18th century.

Much has been written about how convinent a high empire waisted dress is for the expectant mother, to this day it is the staple of Maternity wear. The fashions of the Regency time were far more forgiving to the growing figgure than those that preceded it for centuries.


As a mother myself I have looked into what was worn and even tried recreating some items.

My advice to Guests who will be, or may become pregnant is that the Regency fashion is likely a better bet for you as it is easier to adjust to a changing shape and can be easier for nursing too.
For Nursing mother, I would suggest you look for the "Drop Front" or Apron Front" style of gown.

Jennie Chancey of Sense and Sensibility patterns gave a way to modify her patterns to be a drop front.

The Hungarian Chick has one of the best blog posts on this type of gown that I have seen, check out the pattern list on the bottom!