I got to attend the Fêtes Historiques de Saint Louis ball this year and I put together a Scroop Angelica gown for the event. It’s an Italian gown and was common in the 1770-1780 time period.
The process of making the gown was many steps. Here are a few photos of some of the stages of work from mockup to cutting pieces to fit.
First bodice mockup in green polka dots from my stash.When cutting the panels for the skirt, you need to add several inches between the top and the hem. I used the floor and several rulers and tapes.My feline assistant surveys my work.Bodice fitting check.Pleats and basting stitches.So. Many. Pleats. It took forever but I am so proud of them now that they’re done!Many many basted pleats.I initially had planned this gold petticoat but I didn’t like the color and I switched to a less brassy satin.I added ruched trim on the neckline.Hand stitching the trim and a nice close-up of other hand-stitching.
Matchy-Matchy and ready to go to the ball! I also made my wife’s outfit with less historical methods.
An action shot of my attempt to go upstairs!
At the ball while people were arriving.Amazing shot of a spiral-type dance that many participated in.Hair falling, feet sore, and very happy by candlelight at the end of the night.
Thanks for sticking around! I think there will be more 18th Century outfits in my future!
I’ve been a historical fashion lover for many many years. I fell in love with big Victorian and Edwardian dresses watching Mary Poppins, Oliver!, and Anne of Green Gables. I’ve been following other historical fashion sewists online from afar, but I decided that I was going to take the plunge and go back in time for the Soirée Doree, a ball organized by the Chicago Historical Costume Society. It was going to be the group’s first gala event, and it was going to be MY first event. I got my ticket in the Summer of 2022 and I got to work practicing and planning and ordering and sewing and trying and failing and trying and succeeding. The ball was March 25, 2023 and I’m very proud to say I attended in my emerald green me-made gown and the event was nothing short of magical.
Here I am posing on the grand staircase at Colvin House.
I swiped just the tiny part with me from the wonderful Princess Tess on TikTok.
I went around and around deciding what to do to make my gown. I tried a few things and scrapped those and tried again. The fabric I wanted got stuck in customs for over a month so I got this emerald jacquard that I’m now quite happy with! I bought myself a Red Threaded late Victorian corset to start off the process.
Then I picked my patterns. The skirt is the Laughing Moon 1890s 5 Gore Skirt. I chose to make the walking skirt as a practice and was able to use that for a daytime look for the time period as well. I made the version with the short train for the ball (more on that later).
The bodice is the Truly Victorian Ball Gown Bodice TV490. I was really nervous about using this because there are so few photos of larger bodies wearing it on the internet and I wasn’t sure it would work. It did. I made practically zero changes. I started off with a mock up to see if the fit would work. I made it with some scrap fabric and therefore it’s a bit of a patchwork. I made the top size on the pattern and did no modifications!
Enjoy this gallery of photos of the mock-up making process with scrap fabric and then the final fabric.
I started the skirt by making a wearable muslin of the walking skirt in some winter cotton shirting. It had a good weight and I thought it would make a good unlined wearable muslin. I did end up making quite a few modifications. I started doing a size 34 based on measurements, but I ended up going down several sizes for my final and made a size 26 at the waist and 28 at the hip. Then, I decided to add some black piping on the front seams because I knew I’d be adding black details.
Inspiration for the details and decoration of gowns at the time. I adore that Worth gown on the left.
Dress is made! Now it’s time to decorate! I did a lot more hand sewing than I normally do on this project. All hems were hand sewn. Then I added trim on both the bodice and the skirt in various places, as well as lace flounces on the sleeves both above and below. I’ve never spent much time on details like this, and I’m so glad I did!
And now it’s time for some finished gown photos!
Soirée bathroom selfie! I may have gone to the bathroom as soon as I got to the ball in order to get my composure and have a last-minute wardrobe check. Portrait at the soiree near the entrance.
Crafty Zenia 