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

[fairegoddess.livejournal.com]

:O

[nuranar.livejournal.com]

LOVE IT!!!

I'm thinking that that is lined silk. It's not painted like satin, but with the weight of the trim it's either a heavy taffeta or faille, or fully lined to give it more body. Particularly those deep folds in the front.

I wouldn't do a ruffly petticoat; there's so few of them (and they're HIDEOUS to wash, starch, and iron), so the bouffy look is another way. I'd be tempted to try a trained petticoat, possibly of pimatex, and maybe with a single flounce of that super-super stiff cheap organdy. Under that, just a fully-starched pimatex petticoat. The hoop needs to give the shape; petticoats are only necessary to soften the outline. And with heavier fabric or a lined skirt, there's less softening necessary from the petticoats.

[lifeofglamour.livejournal.com]

Beautiful!

[mala-14.livejournal.com]

*drools* SO gorgeous! Another thought on the white trim under the pleated blue is that it might be fringe. No real idea though, just a thought. Also, I think what makes it look like a train is the way it loops back from behind her right arm. But yeah, you probably need at least 36 bazillion yards of things! ;p

[starlightmasque.livejournal.com]

It's absolutely gorgeous and would look dreamy on you!

[helenwinfield.livejournal.com]

Looks gorgeous!

[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!)

[nuranar.livejournal.com]

Ooh, I forgot I had just seen this in the previous month. May 1863, Peterson's. Link to the whole year: https://books.google.com/books?id=mY5FAQAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

"Petticoats are now trimmed almost as much as dresses at the bottom. They are usually ruffled, and the ruffles fluted. Crinoline and steel hoops are also frequently ruffled, or at least have all the lower hoops covered with a piece of muslin, as this prevents the shape of the steel showing."

I take that to mean that petticoats have deep/elaborate hem trimming. "Fluted" I think means small-ish (1") spaced box pleats. Interesting about the hoops, too. Not many reenactors or costumers do that to the hem of their hoops, but it's smart.