Now that the hoop skirt, corset, and petticoat are all finished, I can finally show the complete costume for my Victorian LARP event!
Before I started making it, I spent a long time looking for images of dresses that matched what I had in mind. I wanted authentic Victorian clothing, not a fantasy or steampunk outfit, and specifically something reflecting the fashion of the period we’re roleplaying in (1869). Furthermore, the costume had to suit my character: a 17-year-old lady from the upper class. It also needed to be practical for daytime wear and travel, since our characters are on a journey to Australia. So, no evening gowns or fancy dinner dresses. (Of course, ‘practical’ is a relative term when it comes to Victorian clothing… after all, you still wear a hoop skirt, petticoat, and corset underneath!)
Sewing the dress was a real challenge, since I only had a picture to go by. I had to draft the pattern from scratch.
Naturally, I didn’t delude myself into thinking the pattern would be perfect on the first try. Even though I could ask my sewing teacher for help, there were some tricky aspects involved. Take the sleeves, for instance, with their quintessentially Victorian shape: they feature a completely different sleeve head and a curved line. And what about the shoulder seam, which extends down over the shoulders to create an exaggerated hourglass silhouette?
So, I started by making a mock-up using an old duvet cover. I only needed one for the skirt, but I made no fewer than three mock-ups for the bodice before I dared to cut into my pretty woolen fabric! Perhaps I really ought to learn pattern drafting… it would probably save a lot of time.
I also kept changing my mind as I learned more. Just when I finally had a pattern that fit, I’d notice that a particular seam actually ran slightly differently in real life. And it turned out the ruffles weren’t on an overlay after all, but were an integral part of the blouse! *sigh*
But once I had the pattern sorted, the garment actually came together quite quickly.
Here is the final result:
The photoshoot was at the same time a trial run for me, since it was the first time I wore everything together. I’ve noticed I still need to make a few adjustments here and there. For example, the petticoat needs shortening because it’s peeking out from under the skirt. I may also make the bottom hoop a bit smaller, which should make the skirt drape into nicer folds. Unfortunately there’s also a bulge in the back of the bodice: it seems to be a tad too long. It hung perfectly straight on my dress form, though. But otherwise, it’s turned out much better than expected: not only can I stand, but I can also sit and breathe!
Here are some close-ups of the outfit on my mannequin. It’s easier to photograph that way, though since I can’t put a corset on it, I obviously can’t get the skirt and blouse fully closed at the waist.
For the first time, I used fabric-covered buttons. They’re incredibly handy if you want buttons that match your garment’s fabric! Plus, making them takes a fraction of the time compared to hand-sewing round medieval-style buttons.
Time spent: 51 hours and 45 minutes (a large portion of it went into making the mock-ups)
Cost: €82,80 (the buttons, tape, and hooks cost next to nothing; the fabric accounts for the expense)
To be honest, I’m quite proud of this outfit, especially my sewing work. As I mentioned, the design isn’t entirely my own creation, since it’s based on historical images.
And that’s exactly what I’ve learned from this: my sewing skills have reached a level where they are no longer the main factor limiting the quality of the costumes I can create. I’m more constrained by my ability to come up with a design beforehand. That really is a skill in itself. Hats off to all fashion designers. Hopefully, I’ll keep getting better at that, too!
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