So how could I forget, but I did! In Paris I went fabric shopping. First, I had bad guidebook directions so instead of walking out of the metro and turning right, where I would have run into all the fabric stores directly, I believed my guidebook and trekked waaaaaaay up the Montmartre hill only to find lots of tourists and a view of smoggy Paris. Once I’d made my way back down the hill I did find the fabric, finally. The only thing that I found that was new and exciting was, as I’d suspected, printed cottons in some really good approximations of 18th c. indiennes. I hemmed and hawed and finally went for a red and blue floral print on an ivory background — they did have something that was a dead ringer for this toile de jouy, but I decided it was too busy for my taste.
Now I’m in London and shall be off tomorrow to the V&A to see the Maud of Norway exhibit and then in the evening shall be meeting “Kate in England” (who posts on this site). Then Tuesday I have my appointment with the Museum of London, where I’m hoping to look at the construction details on 1780s zone gowns.