The Costume College Gala

Guys!! I actually remembered to take pictures this year! I always get so swept up that I completely forget to take photos. I made such an effort this year!

I'll share about my dress in the next post. For now, here's a bunch of pics from the gala night. Everywhere you looked there was such amazing work to see!!!

A Day Dress for Tombstone

My favorite photo from the whole weekend.
My husband spent the whole event dressed, as well.
He looked awesome!

The second dress I made for Tombstone actually turned out to be my favorite! At some point (while pleating miles of silk), I panicked and decided there was no way I could wear a silk dress in the heat of the day, and I simply needed a cool, day dress. Good thing I did, because it was HOT! And we're from hot. We know hot. Good thing I thought ahead!

A Silk Dress for Tombstone

Back in May, my husband and I finally got to Tombstone, Arizona for the first time. We went for Wyatt Earp days, and it was such a blast! A long drive from Las Vegas, but we road tripped with our Airstream and made a two week trip out of it. It was absolutely fantastic, getting to explore Arizona.

When we first decided to go to Wyatt Earp days, we had many, many months before the event. There was no way we were going without dressing up! I could have worn the 1885 dress I wore to Calico, California, last year, but I had so much time before the event, I decided a new dress was totally doable. I settled on 1880 because Wyatt Earp went to Tombstone in 1879, and the famous OK Corral gunfight was in 1881. Also, I wanted to do a silk dress, because I didn't have one.

In planning the silk dress, I looked at sooooooo many extant dresses and sooooo many paintings and photographs and fashion plates. I saved them on a Pinterest Board called "1880ish Inspo", if anyone wants to browse. I settled on what is often referred to as a "dinner dress". It's not a "ball" gown, but is often of silk with ornate trimming, but with longer sleeves and a low neckline.

More Costume College!

Oh, I am just the absolute worst at taking pictures! I never remember to actually get out my camera! I must say, though, there were so many amazing gowns and outfits throughout the whole event this year. I didn't even get a picture of all the things I wore. So bad! But here's a few of the weekend.

I started on Thursday with a Riding Habit fitting workshop. I wore my same 18th century undies, but here's a couple pics of the fitted waistcoat. I can't wait to start this when I get home.

    

Thursday night, for the pool party, I wore my white linen 1930's beach pants and a new black crepe de chine halter. I had my hair marcelled, but totally forgot to take a picture until I was getting undressed. Whoops! I totally love these pants. I have worn them so many times since I made them!

Vogue 7464 Goes to Kentucky

When I'm not sewing, my other passion is horses. 

This year we were lucky enough to attend the Kentucky Derby, which has been on my list since, well, forever. The tickets we got were actually for two days, the Oaks day and the Derby day. I bought a hat for the Derby (I found a totally rad one and couldn't pass it up), but for the Oaks day I decided to make my hat.

Pink is the color of the day for the Oaks; it's the Race for the Lilies. So, pink it was!

The Gatsby Ball

This past weekend I had the good fortune to be able to attend Dardanella's Gatsby Inaugural Ball in Washington DC. But never fear, dear readers, there was nothing political about it! 

Just a lovely, non-partisan, 1920's themed ball held in the beautiful National Portrait Gallery. There was live music, dancing, cocktails and even the chance to tour the museum and see portraits of Presidents past. 

Highclere Castle's Vintage Garden Party

A couple months back I received an invitation to buy tickets to Highclere Castle's Vintage Garden Party. There was no passing this up! My husband and I have loved watching Downton Abbey for years, so naturally, we had to go!

Goldfield Days

Between Reno and Las Vegas is Goldfield, Nevada. The first weekend of August is Goldfield Days. We traveled up from Costume College and opened our historic building, The John S. Cook Bank Building, for the weekend. Opening the building for Goldfield Days is our building's biggest fundraiser for restoration all year. This is the first time we have dressed for the occasion. It was a blast! I don't think we will ever not dress up for it again. The guests loved it and I think we added to spirit of the event.

Our building was built in 1907. We went for early teens again. I copied a period dress I bought on eBay. It has to be one of my very favorite dresses I've made.

A bit more from Costume College

Off to the Thursday night pool party! I wore some new Wearing History pants I made out of very lightweight wool. I love this pattern! They are just the best pants.

We had an absolute blast staying in our Airstream by the beach. It was kind of a bummer to drive back and forth to the Marriot every day, but I think the view was worth it! It was only about a 20 minute drive through the canyon. And we were able to have our pups with us!

I didn't dress up fro Friday, but Saturday morning I got up and into the 1770's early so I could make it to my limited class, which required one to come dressed in stays and petticoat. For fun, I went the extra mile and dressed completely in 18th Century undies. I wore my new stays and shift, a Marseilles cloth petticoat, striped linen bedgown (which I love love love!), dimity kerchief and Sarah Juniper shoes. I also dressed my hair. I had brought a wig, to make it easy, but I decided I hated it at the last minute. Surprisingly, my hair only took about fifteen minutes. I teased the crown, smoothed hair over it, and strategically arranged my shoulder length hair into buckles with a curling iron. I'm shocked, but I have had better luck making historical styles out of shoulder length hair than I ever did with hair down my back! I didn't bring any period hair dressing supplies with me, so I used hairspray and brushed on some face powder.

After the class, I changed into my yellow silk gown for the afternoon. I attended a very full class, so I got a bit wrinkly smooshed into the seat. I'll have to get better pictures of it one day, because I really like the dress, and it fits well.

Sunday morning I was totally exhausted, but wanted to make it to one of the 9am classes. Laying in bed, hitting snooze, I decided it was just as easy to put on early 1900's as it was to put on jeans, and it was the last day anyway, so I put on the Robe de Madras for the class. I like this dress, but hated it on me that morning. I should have taken the time to accessorize properly and do my hair, but I was just too tired. I had a cap with me, but was holding it when someone snapped my picture in the Starbucks line. 

When I packed, I wasn't sure how much I would get to actually wear. I am pleased to say, I made the effort, and wore everything I brought, except my teens evening coat. When I left for the gala, I totally forgot to bring it! But it was fine, because I would have been hot anyway and then had to carry it around. I'll try to remember to post about it soon.

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An Edwardian Robe du Soir for the Coco Gala

All of Costume College was great, and the gala was definitely the icing on the cake. So many gorgeous gowns to drool over!

You know what happens when you're having fun? You don't take enough pictures! Ah well, I was happy to at least get my dress from most angles.

And I really loved both making and wearing the gown I chose. The gown was mostly based off of this 1913 - 1914 gown. I had some serious time constraints, so the fabric had to change, as finding the perfect coral silk was difficult. Also, the silk satin I chose was much too drapey for the more structured skirt on the original, so I used the skirt pattern from Ageless Patterns #1362, which I had on hand. That worked beautifully, and gave me more time to play with the rest of the gown, but more on the construction further down.

Rotten Row

When researching riding habits, inevitably, one comes across any number of prints and paintings depicting Rotten Row and riding in the Row. Rotten Row (corrupted from Route du Roi, or the King's Road) is a bridle path in Hyde Park, that was thee place to be seen riding in London, most famously during the 19th century. Riding there in the morning was quite a social, and fashionable, experience.

Much to my delight, one can still go for a ride there! I booked an early morning ride, before the joggers and cyclists came out. The park was beautiful and misty and quiet. I could not believe we were right in the center of London!

Not quite side saddle, but I'll take what I can get! I got to ride a cute little Irish Cob named Buzz. 

And there it is, Rotten Row. Check one off the bucket list!

Now I'm quite inspired to make a riding habit. I can't believe I haven't made one yet! Goal for this year, I think!

The Wallace Collection

The Wallace Collection was definitely a highlight of this London trip, and I can't believe I have never heard of it before! 

The Collection is housed at Hertford House in Manchester Square, which is the former townhouse of the Seymour family, Marquesses of Hertford. It's a little off the beaten path, just north of Oxford St, but very a walkable distance from the shops. 

The house is beautiful and full of some very well known pieces of art. And... it's free to go in! 

Off to England! A short trip on the British Pullman

To leave Paris, we boarded the Orient Express and had a lovely breakfast on our way to Calais. In Calais, we took the Chunnel to Folkestone, where we boarded and took off for London.

The British sister train of the Orient Express is the British Pullman. There are also trains in the North that go up to Scotland. Oo next time, I hope! 

Versailles: The Petit Trianon and Marie Antoinette's Hamlet

My favorite part of Versailles! The Petit Trianon was beautiful. I love me some Marie, so it was just fantastic to be there.

The Hamlet, her faux village, was very cool, too, if a little spooky, but that might have been the misty twilight.

Versailles: The Palace and the Grand Trianon

Ah, Versailles. Can I even begin to illustrate the amount of people? I don't think I have ever been anywhere more crowded. These pictures don't do the crowd justice. Inside the palace especially, we were quite literally elbow to elbow. Worse, even. But once we stepped out into the gardens, it was so spacious and lovely. The Grand Trianon and Petit Trianon were a much better experience. They are a bit of a walk from the Palace, so most of the tour groups don't venture there. Much nicer! I mean, how can one mentally "travel back in time" when one is being poked with a selfie stick? Quite.

Le Louvre!

No preface needed. Have fun!

Off to Paris! Night two on the Orient Express.

Off to Paris! Our second day journey on the train was lovely! I covered the big stuff in my post about our first night, so here I will just share some more eye candy on the way to France.

Vienna: The Hofburg Palace and the Kunsthistorisches Museum

I just can't resist a horse or two!

My husband and I were walking to the Hofburg Palace, when a coach and horses crossed our path. Well, what better way to show up to the Spanish riding school than by carriage! Quite in the spirit of it.

Touring the Gardens of a Renaissance Villa

Following yesterday's theme of Italian eye candy, let's go to Cernobbio and explore the grounds of a 16th century Lake Como Villa. 

The Villa d' Este has been a hotel since the 1870's, but started as a Cardinal's lake house. In the early 1800's, Caroline of Brunswick took up residence at the villa and when a new building was erected on the grounds, she took the remains on the 15th century convent that once stood there and moved it above the gardens. Quite a hike, but very cool to explore!

Wandering Through Venice

Good morning, Venice! Let's have a wander through the alleys and canals. We'll meet in the afternoon for a drink!

I would love to make this a post about fashion history, but architectural eye candy will have to do.  Enjoy!