The finished 1780 Zone Front Dress

I finished the 1780 gown this past Monday and I really meant to get pictures up sooner but as usual when you have a project that kind of takes over your life for almost a week I had to catch up on everything else.

All my inspiration and research is here, on my pinterest board for the dress. My hair is kind of a mess... I tried my best to get  a simple style with some height in the front but it didn't turn out well haha!

I didn't have time to add trim to it, but I'm thinking of going back to add it. My only concern about the trim is that when I added the small bit to the hat it frayed pretty horribly and I don't want to add it to the skirt and have the same thing happen.

I do really love how the dress came out. The silk purple lavender fabric was wonderful to work with I would recommend Renaissance Fabrics to anyone, especially if you want a fabric you know is accurate and 100% silk or whatever! I still just love the colors of the dress too, I'm so glad I went with purple and white instead of blue and pink!

I like the look of the skirt down but I love that it's so easy to loop up onto the buttons in the back if I want too! I also ended up using the purple velvet ribbon for the hat because as much as I really wanted a belt on the waist it just didn't look that great on me :( Maybe I'm too short waisted for it.

It's really pretty hard getting a picture with this hat on because it was at just the right angle to always cover my eyes.

There's perhaps a little too much wrinkling for me on the bodice and sleeves but I am pretty sure I've read somewhere that's pretty common to see in period paintings.

and without the handkerchief tucked at the neckline

... and a pug to complete the outfit 

Fabric: White Silk and Lavender Silk and linen lining

Pattern: self drafted

Year: 18th Century, 1780

How historically accurate is it? all hand sewn and accurate silk fabric and linen lining so I want to say it's really pretty accurate

Hours to complete: lots, a whole week of sewing any minute I could

First worn: for pictures

Zone Front Part 3

I need to have my dress done by tomorrow to take pictures of it but thanks to horrible awful sleeves, I spent the last day and night trying to get my sleeves right and it put me super behind schedule on my dress! 

I literally have made 11 different sleeve patterns trying to get it right, I tried everything. Originally I planned to do long sleeve, but the one I tried fit horribly so I went to a elbow length sleeve. What I really wanted for that length was the kind with seam at the elbow like the jacket in Costume Closeup. Unfortunately that sleeve pattern didn't fit the first time I made the jacket and no matter how I tried the pattern I couldn't get the size right this time. So I just finally somehow got a basic sleeve with no extra seams. I don't love it as much but at this point I'm just glad it works. 

I did cut out the skirt and made buttons (first time ever! I lovee them!!). 

I plan on putting two buttons on the back to loop up the skirt with. I also ended up with plenty of fabric to trim the skirt with! Now I just need to decide on how to trim it, and the bodice, sleeves, and hat! Tonight's probably going to be a long night trying to get this finished up but at least I'll have pictures soon! 

1780 Zone Front Dress Part 2

I've discovered that to enter my dress I've got to turn it in by January 15!!! I'm a little nervous because I just ordered the fabric yesterday but I think most of the time consuming work will be in drafting and getting the pattern just right which I can be working on now. I do want to add trim to it but I'll have to see how much taffeta I have left over since I just got 4 yards. 

I did make the white silk petticoat!  

Simple and fast! Yay!!

It's shorter than any other petticoat I have but if I can convince myself to take apart my old 1860 ballgown of the same fabric I'd have enough to add a pleated ruffle to the bottom which would make it longer.

I made a second mockup of the bodice. Unfortunately I'm reaching the end of my old scraps pile and had to use a zebra print which means you can't really see the zone front, on the left at least.

I plan to make up a lining today in some scrap fabric just to make sure that fits fine and hopefully I'll have the actual linen lining cut out and started today too.