It’s hard to stick with my resolution of posting 5 times a week when you let your DNS registration expire! oops! Back in business now. I was going to tell you to watch Downton Abbey because the Edwardian costumes are stunning and it’s a highly entertaining series (Maggie Smith is snobby FTW!), but you’ve probably already figured that out.
Instead, I’ll bypass that and get to the 12th Night recap and final Florentine photos! The event was fun, as per usual with SCA events, mostly for hanging out with good friends and not because the event itself offers anything of interest. I’m sorry, but it’s true! I’m not into court or fighting and the dealer’s room was podunk. I’m fine with the SCA being about making your own fun, and I do, but there really isn’t too much to report beyond, “Ran around a hotel for a weekend with friends and wore costumes and saw lovely costumes.” I did take pictures, though!
The 1540s Florentine dress went relatively smashingly. The bodice fits now, although there are still wrinkles in the bodice — but these are “bodice moving around as I wear it” wrinkles, not “bodice layers aren’t laying smoothly” wrinkles as before. We couldn’t get it laced closed enough to hide any of the placket, so there’s some placket action in back. The sleeve trim looks MUCH better at the back seam, as it’s actually now a continuous spiral (yay!). I made a new girdle that was REALLY pretty, but apparently the crimp beads that I used to end it weren’t strong enough for the weight, and it broke as I put it on. I also made a jeweled-hair-band-thingie that I liked but really, what I want are ouches (stones in gold settings, like you see on many girdles) for a period correct look — I ended up using a lot of pearls, and I think it looks rather bridal.
I bought a bunch of jewelry findings for my Tudor gown I never really finished (but wore anyway, oy…). Still have the box o’ flat-backed-jewels and superglue if you ever feel like playing around BEFORE ordering a bunch of stuff from FireMountain that you didn’t end up using. (Or just start saving up for PewterReplicas!).
Katherine – I’d love to paw through what you’ve got and see how doable it is! I re-checked Pewter Replicas and they only currently have one ouch style listed — wonder if they’ve stopped making them?
You looked lovely!
You could try Sapphire and Sage, although their stuff doesn’t look quite as authentic as Pewter Replicas does.
Thanks Andrew — I hadn’t heard of them before! Their Jane Seymour ouch looks pretty good, and you can choose the stone and setting, which is nice.
*Gorgeous*
And I rather like the pearls…
I bought a lot of the same base findings as Sapphire&Sage, but wanted to use glass/crystal instead of acrylic “stones”. Never got around to putting them together…
Haven’t found the Jane Seymour ouche base though, that one’s pretty!