I went looking on youtube for tutorials on how to style a 1920s bob and I couldn't find any! I don't know if they were hidden beneath all of the faux bob tutorials or if it's just too simple for anyone else to make a video for but I decided to make one. Here it is!
Showing posts with label 1920s. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 1920s. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 9, 2015
Monday, September 7, 2015
The Triple Berry Trifle Dress
Recently, I realized that I'd made it the entire summer without making a nautical dress. Such an oversight had to be remedied asap before the summer was over. And it just so happened that I found the perfect print for a 1920s nautical dress.
I'm pretty sure I've become pretty obsessed with making this cute, easy and comfortable 1920s dresses. I can truly see why women embraced these styles after more form fitted corset requiring fashions!
It took a bit of guess work to adapt the collar pattern to this one but I made it work. Reminder, adding this type of collar is easier if you add a seam to the center front.
I used a bit of red bias tape to add to the nautical feel of the dress. There's a bit of red in the print but it's not noticeable from a distance.
Originally, I had planned on making a scarf to go with it but it was too bulky under the collar. Instead, I decided on a big bow.
Nice long necklaces were popular in the 20s to accentuate the long, lean lines that were fashionable at the time. So I figured a bow with long tails would accomplish the same thing.
They are a bit unpractical though, trailing into everything I'm doing. They tend to drip into the sink, dishwasher, pots I'm cooking in, etc. But the bow is just attached with a safety pin so I can remove it whenever I need to.
I've been having gobs of fun playing around with 1920s fashions. I'm hoping to do some hair and makeup tutorials soon once I have everything figured out.
And I've gone and had even more of my hair chopped off for a shorter, more 20s bob. I adore short hair! So easy, so fun! These pictures were taken before the chop so you'll have to wait a bit longer to see it.
Do you have a favorite nautical piece? Do you reserve it for summer or enjoy it all year round?
I'm pretty sure I've become pretty obsessed with making this cute, easy and comfortable 1920s dresses. I can truly see why women embraced these styles after more form fitted corset requiring fashions!
The Triple Berry Trifle Dress: A 1920s Day Dress
Fabric: 3 yds of quilting cotton ($3/yd), .5 yds linen/rayon for trim ($10/yd)
Pattern: Festive Attyre's 1 Hour Dress Lawn Party edition with collar from Wearing History's 1940s sailor playsuit pattern
Year: 1920s
Notions: thread, zippper
How historically accurate is it? Definitely the wrong weight of fabric although the fabric content is ok. I ended up needing to add a zipper because I added two fish eye darts in the back to give it just a bit more shape. Because of my chest, I need more fabric in the front than the back and just a smidge of shaping in the back to get it to hang correctly.
Hours to complete: These dresses are taking longer and longer to make but still less time that I'd spend on a normal dress pattern so 2.5 hours or so
First worn: August 2015
Total cost: ~$15
It took a bit of guess work to adapt the collar pattern to this one but I made it work. Reminder, adding this type of collar is easier if you add a seam to the center front.
I used a bit of red bias tape to add to the nautical feel of the dress. There's a bit of red in the print but it's not noticeable from a distance.
Originally, I had planned on making a scarf to go with it but it was too bulky under the collar. Instead, I decided on a big bow.
Nice long necklaces were popular in the 20s to accentuate the long, lean lines that were fashionable at the time. So I figured a bow with long tails would accomplish the same thing.
They are a bit unpractical though, trailing into everything I'm doing. They tend to drip into the sink, dishwasher, pots I'm cooking in, etc. But the bow is just attached with a safety pin so I can remove it whenever I need to.
Guess every fashion needs some impractical features!
I've been having gobs of fun playing around with 1920s fashions. I'm hoping to do some hair and makeup tutorials soon once I have everything figured out.
And I've gone and had even more of my hair chopped off for a shorter, more 20s bob. I adore short hair! So easy, so fun! These pictures were taken before the chop so you'll have to wait a bit longer to see it.
Do you have a favorite nautical piece? Do you reserve it for summer or enjoy it all year round?
Friday, September 4, 2015
The Mint Sundae Dress
Today I'm bringing you another 1920s 1 Hour dress. This pattern is so basic and easy that I can't help but want to make it again and again! I went for a very different look with my second one.
Overall, I am very happy with how this dress came out! This pattern definitely looks better in a more light weight, drapey fabric. The skirt shape is much more columnar which adds to the 1920s feel.
Originally, I had purchased this fabric with an Edwardain/19-teens dress in mind but I couldn't come up with anything that felt different enough from my other boarder print/embroidered/scallopy dress. I really need to start giving my costumes names so you know what I'm talking about when I refer to one of them. This is the Mint Sundae Dress.
So 1920s it was. I thought this fabric would be just perfect for a garden party type dress like those often worn by the ladies on Downton Abbey. It's light and airy and looks appropriately dainty for a woman who's not supposed to do anything more strenuous than eat hors d'oeuvres and make small talk.
The print placement took a bit of work to figure out. There was a lot going on and I didn't want anything odd going on like vines pointing to my breasts or the sheer part coming down to low (which is why this fabric never made it to a vintage 40s/50s dress before).
It's very light weight and airy for summer. I think it would be perfect for a summer wedding. For the first time in a while, I know several couples who are engaged so I might actually get invited to a wedding that I can just go to and enjoy!
One of the things I had to contend with on this dress was that there was a large section of sheer fabric on the border print. Should I underline it? Make a separate slip? Just position it carefully? I know in the decade previous, this would have been a nonissue. They just let their undergarments show through sheer fabrics. Of course, they also wore like 3-4 layers of underthings before they could get to the actual dress. I decided that I'd just be ok with my bra and slip straps showing a bit.
Really, you can't tell that much. Plus this dress is quite covered up as far as the rest of it goes. And the pearls make it classy. Pearls make everything classy.
Ah, I'm just so in love with this fabric! It's so pretty! It's so girly and delicate and not something I'd normally gravitate towards.
But it really works with this dress. Sometimes stepping out of your comfort zone helps you step further out of your comfort zone.
The Mint Sundae Dress: A 1920s Afternoon Dress
Fabric: 2.5 yds of embroidered cotton purchased at Costume College 2013 ($6/yd)
Pattern: Festive Attyre's 1 Hour Dress Lawn Party edition
Year: 1920s
Notions: just thread
How historically accurate is it? Fairly. I did serge my seams. While embroidery was popular on dresses, I'm not sure about the netting used in the embroidery section. I did make my own bias tape for finishing the neckline and sleeves and I thought that that was a very period touch.
Hours to complete: More than 1 one but the cutting took a while because I wanted to get the motifs lined up just right.
First worn: August 2015 to church
Total cost: ~$15
Overall, I am very happy with how this dress came out! This pattern definitely looks better in a more light weight, drapey fabric. The skirt shape is much more columnar which adds to the 1920s feel.
Originally, I had purchased this fabric with an Edwardain/19-teens dress in mind but I couldn't come up with anything that felt different enough from my other boarder print/embroidered/scallopy dress. I really need to start giving my costumes names so you know what I'm talking about when I refer to one of them. This is the Mint Sundae Dress.
So 1920s it was. I thought this fabric would be just perfect for a garden party type dress like those often worn by the ladies on Downton Abbey. It's light and airy and looks appropriately dainty for a woman who's not supposed to do anything more strenuous than eat hors d'oeuvres and make small talk.
The print placement took a bit of work to figure out. There was a lot going on and I didn't want anything odd going on like vines pointing to my breasts or the sheer part coming down to low (which is why this fabric never made it to a vintage 40s/50s dress before).
It's very light weight and airy for summer. I think it would be perfect for a summer wedding. For the first time in a while, I know several couples who are engaged so I might actually get invited to a wedding that I can just go to and enjoy!
One of the things I had to contend with on this dress was that there was a large section of sheer fabric on the border print. Should I underline it? Make a separate slip? Just position it carefully? I know in the decade previous, this would have been a nonissue. They just let their undergarments show through sheer fabrics. Of course, they also wore like 3-4 layers of underthings before they could get to the actual dress. I decided that I'd just be ok with my bra and slip straps showing a bit.
Really, you can't tell that much. Plus this dress is quite covered up as far as the rest of it goes. And the pearls make it classy. Pearls make everything classy.
Ah, I'm just so in love with this fabric! It's so pretty! It's so girly and delicate and not something I'd normally gravitate towards.
But it really works with this dress. Sometimes stepping out of your comfort zone helps you step further out of your comfort zone.
Friday, August 14, 2015
Downton Abbey 1 Hour Dresses
After the success of my 1 hour dress, I've been day dreaming of more! I thought I'd try and find some inspiration from Downton Abbey and I found quite a few dresses that could be recreated using the 1 hour dress pattern.
This delightful white summer dress is darling! Add a peter pan collar and drapey bits to a dress made in cotton voile or lawn.
This version features a boat neck and gathers on the side panels. While I suspect this dress was hand embroidered, you might be able to find some pre-embroidered fabric.
This dress would take a bit more effort to get to with the sailor collar and set in sleeves but you could merge a sailor blouse pattern with the 1 hour dress pattern to do something similar.
Sybil is rocking out a cute printed version of the 1 hour dress. It's a perfect pattern for a great print or fun embellishment. This one features longer sleeves and a matching underskirt which works for the earlier period when Sybil was still on the show.
Edith's, Mary's (seen above) and Rose's could all be made with the 1 hour dress pattern. Edith's dress features some pretty embroidery and a cute collar. Rose's dress has a slimmer skirt and has a great beaded pattern on it. And check out the cute bows at the hips!
The really key to these dresses is picking a light weight drapey fabric and then adding a special detail like embroidery or a print. With additional neckline and collar variations, the possiblities are endless! Which should I make next?
This delightful white summer dress is darling! Add a peter pan collar and drapey bits to a dress made in cotton voile or lawn.
This version features a boat neck and gathers on the side panels. While I suspect this dress was hand embroidered, you might be able to find some pre-embroidered fabric.
This dress would take a bit more effort to get to with the sailor collar and set in sleeves but you could merge a sailor blouse pattern with the 1 hour dress pattern to do something similar.
Sybil is rocking out a cute printed version of the 1 hour dress. It's a perfect pattern for a great print or fun embellishment. This one features longer sleeves and a matching underskirt which works for the earlier period when Sybil was still on the show.
Edith's, Mary's (seen above) and Rose's could all be made with the 1 hour dress pattern. Edith's dress features some pretty embroidery and a cute collar. Rose's dress has a slimmer skirt and has a great beaded pattern on it. And check out the cute bows at the hips!
The really key to these dresses is picking a light weight drapey fabric and then adding a special detail like embroidery or a print. With additional neckline and collar variations, the possiblities are endless! Which should I make next?
Wednesday, August 12, 2015
HSM August: Heirlooms and Heritage
I am finally back on my costuming game! Between the super hot weather and not having any costuming events coming up, I haven't really been much in the mood for costumes. But I decided to just go for it anyways.
The August challenge is Heirlooms and Heritage. You could make something that your ancestors might have worn or make something using heirloom techniques. So I decided to make a 1920s dress in honor of my great-grandma Elizabeth and her aunts.
My great-grandma (the one not facing the camera) and her aunts on a picnic in the 1920s.
I've always been nervous to do anything 1920s because the ideal silhouette is exactly opposite mine. But I thought this would be a great time to try it out. I didn't have a specific event to wear the dress to so if it was a wash, no big deal.
To style this dress, I added some vintage crochet gloves and a long pearl necklace. I was going to wear my American Duchess 23Skiddos but changed my mind after we decided to do the shoot on the beach. Maybe next time!
My hair didn't really cooperate with the wind on the beach though. I definitely need a cute white hat for this dress. Guess I need to go hat shopping!
It might be a bit overdressed to go to the beach but I couldn't resist a bit of wading. I pretended I was with the staff at Downton Abbey when they all went to the beach!
I'm still not 100% sure about how I feel about the shape of this dress on me. It definitely doesn't do my actual waist any favors. On the up side, it's ridiculously comfortable. It'd be perfect for a day of classes at Costume College (especially Sunday when you're super tired). I think I'll try again in a more drapey fabric. It should fall closer to the body and be more flattering.
But I did really adore this print and don't feel bad about caving into quilting cottons. And there is nothing that makes me quite as happy as wearing bright, cheery fabric!
The August challenge is Heirlooms and Heritage. You could make something that your ancestors might have worn or make something using heirloom techniques. So I decided to make a 1920s dress in honor of my great-grandma Elizabeth and her aunts.
My great-grandma (the one not facing the camera) and her aunts on a picnic in the 1920s.
I've always been nervous to do anything 1920s because the ideal silhouette is exactly opposite mine. But I thought this would be a great time to try it out. I didn't have a specific event to wear the dress to so if it was a wash, no big deal.
The Challenge: Heirlooms and Heritage
Fabric: ~3 yds quilting cotton ($7/yd)
Pattern: Festive Attyre's 1 Hour Dress Lawn Party Edition- Since I've made a corset pattern she also posted for free online, I know that I'm a bit smaller than her so instead of adding seam allowance to the pattern, I just used it as if it already had a 1/2" seam allowance. It worked pretty well though I did shape the side seams just a bit for a slightly more flattering shape. I ended up making the narrowest part to my exact bust measurement to make sure I could still get in and out of the dress. I made 6 knife pleats on each side and also added piping at the waist, neckline and sleeves for a bit of pop.
Year: most 1 hour dress pattern's I've seen have been 1924/1925 and that seems to match what I've seen in extant dresses and ads from the period
Notions: piping ($5)
How historically accurate is it? The quilting cotton is not the correct type of fabric to use for this sort of dress. It would really be better with something more light weight and drapey. I also used my serger to finish the seams which would not have been available for home seamstresses at this point. The pattern itself is drafted from period directions so it's good there.
Hours to complete: more than 1! I did run into some issues (having to run to JoAnn's, breaking a needle on my serger and then having to rethread it) but it's definitely a pretty short project. I know I'd be much faster sewing it up the second time around.
First worn: to church and then for photos on the beach
Total cost: ~$26
To style this dress, I added some vintage crochet gloves and a long pearl necklace. I was going to wear my American Duchess 23Skiddos but changed my mind after we decided to do the shoot on the beach. Maybe next time!
My hair didn't really cooperate with the wind on the beach though. I definitely need a cute white hat for this dress. Guess I need to go hat shopping!
It might be a bit overdressed to go to the beach but I couldn't resist a bit of wading. I pretended I was with the staff at Downton Abbey when they all went to the beach!
I'm still not 100% sure about how I feel about the shape of this dress on me. It definitely doesn't do my actual waist any favors. On the up side, it's ridiculously comfortable. It'd be perfect for a day of classes at Costume College (especially Sunday when you're super tired). I think I'll try again in a more drapey fabric. It should fall closer to the body and be more flattering.
But I did really adore this print and don't feel bad about caving into quilting cottons. And there is nothing that makes me quite as happy as wearing bright, cheery fabric!
Friday, March 6, 2015
Dressing for Evening
Our new church runs a k-8 school and this past weekend they had their charity gala and auction. I can't say no to an excuse to get dressed up for a night out so off we went! We didn't want to lug around the big fancy camera all night so you'll have to excuse these iPhone photos.
I decided to go with the 1920s feel of my new do and try another 20s inspired look. I didn't have any 20s inspired evening attire so I pulled out this 50s dress, which is my favorite. It kind of feels like a robe de style with the fuller skirt and hip accent. Plus, I've shrunk a bit so the waist is now a bit big on me.
Add on a string of pearls and people automatically think roaring twenties. I did draw the line at the crazy fringe dress.
I spent a lot of time on Pinterest trying to figure out what to do with my hair. I also raided my accessory stash nut no luck. So I went with a simple sparkley bobby pin. A bob is a lot like a pixie in that it goes with everything.
I got tons of compliments all night! Everybody was dressed nicely but vintage has a way of standing out. I also wore gloves for most of the evening but we snapped these between courses at dinner and I forgot to put them back on! *facepalm*
Part of the evening involved a silent and live auction. The bidding on most items went pretty high so we didn't bid on anything but there was a cruise raffle we entered. Alas, we didn't win that either!
We still had quite a fun evening and hope to attend next year as well!
P.S. I also wore this dress to a charity gala in Ohio. Check it out here.
I decided to go with the 1920s feel of my new do and try another 20s inspired look. I didn't have any 20s inspired evening attire so I pulled out this 50s dress, which is my favorite. It kind of feels like a robe de style with the fuller skirt and hip accent. Plus, I've shrunk a bit so the waist is now a bit big on me.
Add on a string of pearls and people automatically think roaring twenties. I did draw the line at the crazy fringe dress.
I spent a lot of time on Pinterest trying to figure out what to do with my hair. I also raided my accessory stash nut no luck. So I went with a simple sparkley bobby pin. A bob is a lot like a pixie in that it goes with everything.
I got tons of compliments all night! Everybody was dressed nicely but vintage has a way of standing out. I also wore gloves for most of the evening but we snapped these between courses at dinner and I forgot to put them back on! *facepalm*
Part of the evening involved a silent and live auction. The bidding on most items went pretty high so we didn't bid on anything but there was a cruise raffle we entered. Alas, we didn't win that either!
We still had quite a fun evening and hope to attend next year as well!
P.S. I also wore this dress to a charity gala in Ohio. Check it out here.
Friday, February 20, 2015
The Hats of Downton Abbey Season 5
It's been a while since I did a good Downton Abbey post. So it's about time for one! I've warmed considerably towards 20s fashions lately. And I adore hats so hat's it is today.
I've always adored the cute 20s close fitting cloche hats. I think that they are flattering on just about anyone.
Plus they tend to be rather easy to find in modern reproductions. You can always retrim a store bought hat to look more period or to match your outfit.
And, of course, a bob goes perfectly with a cloche!
Don't have short hair? Never fear! Plenty of ladies faked the fashionably bob by pulling their hair into a low bun at the back of the neck. Wear with or without fingerwaves for a smashing 20s look!
While wool cloches were rather popular, straw ones are perfect for summer.
Don't be afraid of fabulous trims! A multicolored ribbon on a neutral colored hat will go with so many outfits.
Neutrals like black or dark red will go with many different outfits. The idea of a pop of color is not new.
Go with a matching hat for a classically put together look too!
Do you have a favorite hat from season 5?
I've always adored the cute 20s close fitting cloche hats. I think that they are flattering on just about anyone.
Plus they tend to be rather easy to find in modern reproductions. You can always retrim a store bought hat to look more period or to match your outfit.
And, of course, a bob goes perfectly with a cloche!
Don't have short hair? Never fear! Plenty of ladies faked the fashionably bob by pulling their hair into a low bun at the back of the neck. Wear with or without fingerwaves for a smashing 20s look!
While wool cloches were rather popular, straw ones are perfect for summer.
Don't be afraid of fabulous trims! A multicolored ribbon on a neutral colored hat will go with so many outfits.
Neutrals like black or dark red will go with many different outfits. The idea of a pop of color is not new.
Go with a matching hat for a classically put together look too!
Do you have a favorite hat from season 5?
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