The Royal Couple

That's how a passerby referred to us as she made a u-turn to come ask us if she could take our picture. Here's my favorite shot so far of us in our matching outfits:

Great Finds feature!

My Hot Pink Roses parasol is featured this week on Made for Me by Oaklie's Great Finds!

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Friday Favorites!

Old rose neck corset with black applique, by Serinde corsets:



Red Hat with Peacock, by HoneysuckleRose:



Weaved Glass Branch Basket, Organic, Abstract Vessel, by MorningLightGlass:


Hand sculpted ATHENA miniature corset necklace, by wickedgems:



Handmade Garnet Moonstone Brass Hammered Wide Cuff Bracelet , by SecretAura:

Hats and Spats!

I started out the evening making some simple hat bands for our tophats, to go with our matching outfits. And then I tried my hand at making a pair of spats. Very happy with how they turned out, so much so that I will have to make another pair (or three or five), and describe the process. So expect a tutorial at some point!



Remember, every successful outfit is made by the accessories.



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Another new outfit

I need more excuses to wear my vintage crinolines after all, don't I? I was lying in bed this morning, because for some reason I woke up at 6am, trying to convince myself there was absolutely no reason whatsoever that I should be awake and that I needed to go back to sleep, but my brain wouldn't cooperate, and instead it went off on costuming tangents. Why shouldn't the husband and I have matching outfits? (That's how a lot of my outfits begin, actually.)

I still have oodles of the brocade from which I made my husband's tailcoat.

I treated myself to this corset as a Christmas present to myself. The stripes are a bit darker than the brocade but it was close enough, I decided.

Started cutting out the pattern before church this morning, and finished sewing the skirt at about 6pm this evening. Paired with the corset and the vintage crinoline I bought last year, and voila!





I still haven't finalized the decoration for pinning back the front of the skirt yet. I've got some trim bows pinned in place for now, but may change my mind after a trip to the store this week. Will still also be making headbands for both our tophats as well. Oh, and by the way:





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Friday Favorites!

Elisabeth the Virgin Peacock - sterling silver and gemstone necklace, by CleopatraKerckhof:



Vintage Gold Etched Fan Pendant - Asian Bird Designs, Double Sided, from YesterdaysSilhouette:



Steampunk Butterfly Embroidered Apron, by PolkadotOrchid



Feather, crystal, beaded headpiece, by ImaginariumApparel:



The Nefarious Dress, by Blacklickorish:



Matisse bracelet & earrings, from BritneyLin:

Frocking the husband

I promised the husband a tailcoat. Silly me! I had planned on using Butterick 3648, but when I went to go cut out the pattern pieces for the jacket, I realized I only had it in the XS/S/M size. The husband has a 42" chest. I'm guessing I bought the smaller size because I was thinking about doing Victorian drag at some point. The pattern is out of print, of course! I made a trip to the store, and the only tailcoat pattern I could find is a silly costume-y one for Uncle Sam, but I worked with it, added lining, and actually came out with a piece that made both of us happy.



I used a champagne colored brocade that I scored at Goodwill last month when we braved the Day after Christmas sale.



I found a rich chocolate brown lining fabric that complemented the brocade beautifully.

Of course there have to be buttons!



And chain



So another step up in my confidence level of sewing things for people other than myself has been achieved.



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