CoCo Gala Plans

[theladyrebecca]

Okay, I know this is ridiculous early, but I think I have found my 2017 CoCo Gala gown. It's a painting of Isabel de Borbon y Borbon, by Vincente Palmaroli, from 1866.



Isn't it gorgeous?! I'll definitely need at least one additional ruffly petticoat to go over my cage, because that is a huge skirt. And that's got to be a 5 ft train, at least. I may be insane. I think besides the lace and the pleated ribbon (or is it pleated silk?) there is trim made out of gathered white organza with white ribbon over the center. I believe there is tightly gathered white organza underneath the blue pleated ribbon as well? (Otherwise it's white fur, but this dress seems a bit too springy for that.) And it looks like each of the lace ruffles on the skirt have a ruffle of turquoise organza underneath. The bertha seems so gauzy, but I think that may just be the painting style, because I don't feel like I've seen a lot of chiffon on berthas of this period. (Please let me know if you have!)

Here's a close-up detail of the bodice:


I wish there was a picture/painting out there of her with the train down - she's hiding so many details! Of course, I think the real question is, how many bazillion yards of silk taffeta am I going to need for this dress? Good think I'm planning two years in advance!

Edit: Yikes, after the world's quickest estimation, I think I need 13+ yards of fabric for this gown. If it's 60" wide, I think I could get away with 11 yds. And that's not including if I make all the pleated trim out of the actual fabric. 

Comments

[nuranar.livejournal.com]

I found some info on the elliptical hoop/train question! Stumbled on it purely by accident. This is from Peterson's Magazine, June 1863:

"The change in the shape of Crinoline is daily more apparent in Paris, but in London there is no difference as yet visible. In the former city, crinolines and steel petticoats of all descriptions are made flat and clinging from the waist to the knee, and from the knee downward they expand until they attain round the bottom larger and wider dimensions than formerly. For out-door wear these crinolines are made to reach only to the top of the boots at the back, as dresses still continue to be drawn up; but for evening and in-door wear they are made much longer at the back, and are cut with a train or fan-like expansion, as dresses with trains fall more gracefully over petticoats which are cut in some measure, although in a lesser degree, in the same shape."

I'll keep an eye out for more info. (I'm actually searching for outerwear tidbits!)

[theladyrebecca.livejournal.com]

I know I've seen a bustle pattern with the hoops flaring out flat on the bottom. I didn't realize they did that with elliptical hoops, too. In fact, I didn't even realize they had started with elliptical hoops in 1863. I'll have to go search and see if I can find any extants like this.

[nuranar.livejournal.com]

As the magazine states, it's definitely a VERY high fashion and Paris-only thing. It wasn't adopted in England and the U.S. until about mid-1864.

I think I may have seen one... but I also may be conflating that with the later bustle image! Let me know what you see.