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So what do you think?

This is the brown, gold and pale blue brocade fabric that I bought this weekend. There’s only 4.5 yards of fabric (at 50″, possibly 60″ wide), so it’s not enough to make a whole dress.

So here are my ideas:

On the left is a late 1890’s evening dress (possibly 1896 or 97?) from the Bowes Museum in the UK. The center front and center back skirt panels would be made of the brown brocade. The brocade would also trim the bodice and sleeves (I could possibly make the bodice body and/or bodice sleeves out of the brocade as well). The rest of the dress would be made of brown or light blue satin.

On the right is a day dress from 1882, which I might adapt to be an evening dress. The brocade would be used for the bodice and back skirt drape, with brown satin for the underskirt and front double apron, and light blue fringe on the double apron drape. I might adapt this to be a bit later in the 1880’s, and use the Truly Victorian tail bodice pattern.

What’s your vote?

I found 4.5 yards of fabulous Chinese brocade fabric (brown background with gold and blue flowers) for $3/yard in the LA Garment District on Saturday — now I am consumed with what to do with it! I’m thinking of an 1890’s dress with the bodice and front and back skirt gores made of the brocade, with the other skirt panels and sleeves made of brown or blue satin…

Of course, I really should get busy on all my other in-progress projects! I’m hoping to get to work on my 1796 dress next, but I’ve promised to make a friend a Regency dress for the Jane Austen ball (Feb. 1st), so that has to be finished first. We’re making a reinterpretation of one of Charlotte Lucas’s dresses from the recent BBC version of Pride and Prejudice — the dress will be made of a lightweight purple satin, with a narrow black stripe organza overlay on the bodice, sleeves, and skirt.

And, of course, I still have to repair my 1874-77 dress in time for Gaskells on Dec. 20th!

My 1874-77 evening reception dress is done, but not without trauma. I’ve also posted pictures from the 11/30/02 SDI ball.

Oh my god, it’s the motherlode!

There’s a new book out called Fashion: A History from the 18th to the 20th Century that features the collection of the Kyoto Costume Institute.

This book is ABSOLUTELY AMAZING! It’s 768 pages (I swear, it’s a phone book!) and practically every page is a gorgeous, glossy, full color photo of a costume from the KCI’s amazing costume collection. There’s 4 chapters on the 18th, 19th, first half of the 20th, and second half of the 20th centuries, and they each take up roughly 1/4 of the book.

Best of all, this book reprints many images (it might even be all of them, I’m not positive) from the “Revolution in Fashion” and “Evolution of Fashion” books (which are incredibly expensive and incredibly hard to get), so if you ever wanted either of those, here’s your chance.

Even better? It’s only $40.

Far From Heaven = purdy 1950’s costumes! Go see this amazing visual fiesta with costumes designed by Sandy Powell (Wings of the Dove, Orlando, End of the Affair…), and read her interview on the official site (click on “Behind the Scenes” and then “Costume Concepts”). This film a great example of how costumes can be used in a very obvious way to illuminate the story, rather than slapping the actors in some off-the-rack boringness!

My favorite is the blue dress worn by Julianne Moore in one of the early scenes, which has vertical pleats in the skirt that offer a flash of green as she moves.