IMPORTANT NOTE! Most of us who stuck through this project completed our ensembles in 2014 and 2015. Therefore, I’m not going to add anyone else to this page. There is a Facebook group for this project, and a few people are still planning their dresses, so you may want to join there if you’d like to play along!
Want an over-the-top, crazy/huge/fabulous 18th century ensemble? Who doesn’t! Well, I’m making one for the Costume College 2014 2015 gala, and you’re invited to join me!
How It Worked
Make a court ensemble — men’s or women’s, doesn’t matter — from any country, from any period of the 18th century. It can be historically accurate or complete fantasy, you decide!
Want to Play?
Make an 18th century court ensemble! The deadline is Costume College 2014 2015, but you don’t need to attend Costume College to play! Just post photos and information on your outfit on your blog, Facebook, Flickr, wherever by then! I’ll do a round-up post on all the finished outfits, and also let people know if you’re blogging about your project as you go.
If you’re coming to Costume College 2014 2015, then it’s court dresses for the Gala, baby!
To make sure we don’t end up duplicating each other, send me an email if you’d like to stake a claim to a particular outfit, whether it be extant or in a painting/fashion plate/whatever.
Participants & Claimed Outfits
Resources
I’ll be blogging about 18th century French court dress over the coming year. In addition, check out:
- Andrew Schroeder: 18th century court dress Pinterest board
- Chateau de Versailles: Fastes de Cour exhibition site
- Demode: 18th century French court dress Pinterest board
- Fashion is my Muse: 18th century court dress research
- Isis’ Wardrobe: robe de cour project
- Kitty Pridden: Women’s 18th century court dresses Pinterest board
- Koshka-the-Cat/Fashionable Past: 1782 Court Dress project
- Lisotchka: 1700’s robe de cour Pinterest board
- Sanna K: 18th century: court dresses Pinterest board
Fastes de cour et ceremonies royales (French Edition)
The Cut of Women’s Clothes: 1600-1930
Dressed to Rule: Royal and Court Costume from Louis XIV to Elizabeth II
Magnificence of the Tsars: Ceremonial Men’s Dress of the Imperial Russian Court 1721-1917
Court dress collection: Kensington Palace
Queen of Fashion: What Marie Antoinette Wore to the Revolution
Mrs. Delany and Her Circle (Yale Center for British Art)
Participating Bloggers
- All the Pretty Dresses
- Anaria’s Costumes
- Artisan Alchemy
- Aylwen Historical Costuming
- Before the Automobile
- Beyond the Hourglass
- BJD Couture
- The Costumer’s Closet
- Costuming Drama
- Crow’s Nest
- DIYlettante
- The Dreamstress
- Dressed in Time
- Ett Folk, En Drägt
- The Fashion Historian
- Festive Attyre
- Fleur de Lysa
- A Fractured Fairytale
- The Friporium
- Geek Mom in the Trenches
- Genteel Musings
- Gilded Garb
- Historic Gowns
- I Know My Stitches
- Idle Hands…The Ms-Fits’ Workshop
- Ill-Clad and Half Mad
- Isis’ Wardrobe
- It Came From the Stash
- Izodiea
- Jenny la Fleur
- Last Minute Costumer
- Madame Seiver Sews
- Maggie’s Costume Wardrobe
- Michaela de Bruce
- Mistress of Disguise
- Mode Historique
- A Painting Sprung to Life
- Pohjan sodasta Suomen sotaan – elämää 1700-luvulla
- The Lady Rebecca
- Rocking the Frock
- The Quintessential Clothes Pen
- SaharaZara
- A Sartorial Statement
- Sew 18th Century
- Sew Impossible
- So Steady as She Sews
- Some Babblings
- Starlight Masquerade
- Teacups & Taffeta
- Trystan’s Costume Closet
- Victoria Sews
- Ye Olde Dressmaking Closet
- Where When Why
Ok… So I have changed my mind and it’s go big or go home. The dress I chose, though I adore it, is just not huge enough. I have some seriously sparkly silver fabric that is begging to be put over some huge panniers. I just wanted to let you know, as a courtesy, since I “claimed” a different gown. I can’t wait to start on this 🙂 Too fun!
Caroline
Hello! I am so new to historical sewing, but I would love to participate. I’d like to claim this dress: http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/2001.472
I’d like to lay claim on this bad boy: http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3575/3792810418_5c960c891d_o.jpg
I’ve claimed this one at http://aylwen.blogspot.com.au/2013/10/18th-century-court-ensembles-project.html but am not sure if anyone else has because there are so many links now. I want to do one like this one http://demodecouture.com/?attachment_id=7212 but haven’t been able to find one that hasn’t been claimed.
Hello, I would like to try as well. I have sent you an email, and am hoping that you receive it.
I’m not sure where I got it. So, I’ve uploaded the image onto my blog. It is the first photo on the right.
http://thesassycountess.blogspot.com/
Sorry, I have changed the gown I am making to one I’ve seen in Leeds, UK. I have just posted at http://aylwen.blogspot.com.au/2014/03/18th-century-court-gown-work-in-progress.html with the details.
Hi Kendra,
I’d like to join the group for CosCol! I’m not making an exact gown, but it is very close to a blue and pink version of this: http://www.pinterest.com/pin/366410119654618164/
Hi Kendra,
I sent you an email, but just to say it in the comments as well, I plan on doing this gown for the gala: http://www.pinterest.com/pin/414260865696080917/
Thanks!
I would love to see all the finished dresses compiled into one place! Does that place happen to exist?
Not yet, but you’re right, we need that! I’ll start getting organized for a way to do that.
Hi Kendra – I’m on the list as a blogger from way back in the beginning, but my dress isn’t pictured in the claimed list. It is this one: https://www.pinterest.com/saharazaram/18th-century-court-gown/
Sorry about that, I’ll add you right now!
Thanks!
Hi Kendra!
Can I participate in “18TH CENTURY COURT ENSEMBLES PROJECT”?
I do not have a blog and I work a my personal interpretation to this dress ( I now is in the list, but I try in any case):
http://a-l-ancien-regime.tumblr.com/post/19890081252/maria-feodorovna-by-alexander-roslin-1777
Thank!
Did that happen? I’d love to see it!