historical costuming

Georgian January Days 13-17

I can’t believe we are already in the middle of January. Time is so weird! It seems like yesterday my kids went back to school, but then November and December seemed to drag on incredibly slow thanks to back to back home repair issues, and now it’s hump day in the middle of January!
Anywho, I am still sticking with the Georgian January challenge! So here are the last couple of days of prompts to catch up on:

Day 13 of #georgianjanuary2024 is Elaborate. Even though I hopped onto the Bridgerton train fairly late, I IMMEDIATELY fell in love with the wigs that Queen Charlotte wore. I already wear pretty colorful locs that I change every 3-4 months or so, but these wigs are EPIC! I’ve made my own wigs before and installed braids/locs/twists on myself for years. But now that I know how to do a wig cage, I can definitely take my historical hair style game even further!!!

Yesterday was day 14 of #georgianjanuary2024 – I’m honestly surprised im still sticking to posting every day (or at least every other day when I forgot and have to do a catch up post), yay me!!! The prompt for Day 14 was: Simple. Now for as much as I LOOOOVE being extra, and wearing fancy outfits, with fancy jewelry and actually out time and effort into my historical looks (as opposed to my everyday wardrobe which is Eclectic art teacher meets comfy witchy vibes), I feel that a #chemisealaraine is such a simple garment and beautiful enough on its own. One color, an easy piece to work up, and accentuate with a large ribbon around the waist, and bam! You have a simple look that is super cute!

Forgot about day 15 of #georgianjanuary2024 – the theme was Miniature. For our wedding anniversary last year-I got my husband the greatest gift of all! A historical style painting of ME!!! And then I turned it into a pin that he can wear on his fob, or just to carry around (thanks to @ladykatehs for the materials!)

day 16 of #georgianjanuary2024 – the prompt was Large. One of the things I love about historical costuming, but in particular the 18th century were the BIG HATS!!! 🙌🏾 I am already a giant, and I like to have big hair, big accessories, and just everything big because it balances out in my eyes!

georgianjanuary2024 day 17: Atop – bonnets and tiaras! (Guest appearance by @sewloud in the second pic 😂)

Georgian January 2024-Day 12:Shapes

I had coffee this morning after a good nights sleep at the end of a productive day, so I’m on a roll!!! Anyway, I picked a couple of different images for today’s theme. The first two being #underpinnings No matter what time period you decide to costume in, it’s always important to have the correct underpinnings to give you the silhouette (the shape, ah! Get it!) that was fashionable during that time period. So the first up is a custom set of #hippanniers for an 18th century gown (I have yet to start working on the #robealafrancaise that it is to be worn with) that I won from @hannah_alice_costumes . The second are my #regencyera stays made by @paupers.modiste . | the next two shapes are circles. My black #bergérehat, and my diy macaroon pattern weights. | last two are from when I decided to make a #chemiseàlareine to wear to a friends party. At first I was kind of intimidated when looking for a pattern, but then I came along the tutorial by @freshfrippery , and realized that it was basically three large rectangles sewn together into a tube basically, with shoulder straps and sleeves! | #historicalcostuming #historicalcostumer #costumersofcolor #blackwomensew #blackwomenstitch

Georgian January 2024 Catch-up! Days 5-11!

In between working on a commission, the normal chaos that is my home, and trying to get the bedroom back to normal after having a pipe burst in my closet therefore displacing all of my stuff in there, exhaustion finally caught up with me. This time, it was brought on by some craptastic weather that was basically the cherry on the cake for the storm that is having a chronic fatigue flare up. But I’m hoping today to tackle some things, and one of those things was catching up on the days missed for Georgian January 2024. I have them all up on my Instagram, with detailed posts and some having multiple images but here is a quick run through:

Day 5: Town

Day 6: Country

Day 7: Laughter

Day 8: Inside

Day 9: Outside

Day 10: Details

Day 11: Lines

2024 Sewing Projects

So 2023 was…let’s just say, a very interesting but taxing year for me. I had so many projects I wanted to do, but health issues and other things pretty much kept me in survival mode. But I am hoping for 2024 to be better! Especially in regards to my historical sewing and crafting! So here is what I want to do!

Do a better job at documenting and recording my sewing process for my projects.
Take high quality photos of my finished projects (as a professional photographer who can pull magic no matter what space I am in, I am embarrassed that I can’t photograph myself well! 😅)
Complete at least two full 18th century outfits for my husband (one for daytime wear, and a fancier one for balls and dinners.)
Complete at least two regency era outfits for my husband (again, for daytime/nightime).
Make proper underpinnings for my daughter (who literally won’t stop growing! 😂)
Make my daughter her pink regency gown to match mine.
Make an 18th century gown for my daughter.
Make an 18th century outfit and a regency outfit for my son (he keeps getting taller, but he still can fit into a size 4-6 kids at the waist, even thought he is 9)
Make two wigs. 1 is inspired by Queen Charlotte’s In Bridgerton, and and another 18th century updo wig.
Sew the Amalia jacket and a petticoat for a Galentines Day tea with my friends in February.
Sew a zone front robe a la anglaise
Sew a Robe à la française
Make all the hats I want! Edwardian, Victorian, 18th century- I want it all!
At least 1-2 daytime regency gowns
Redo my purple velvet open robe
Sew a Victorian evening/ball gown to wear to a fancy dress dinner that my friend is hosting
Get over my fear of my serger and learn how to use it 😅
Possibly take on some commissions

I find that making an inspiration board for a project helps immensely, I’ve done two so far:

This was the finished open robe. I plan on detaching the skirt and reworking the pleating.

This is my upcoming project for an event in February.

Georgian January-Day 5

So for Day 5 of #georgianjanuary2024 it is: Town. here are two photos in the towns we visited. The first one is at a colonial tavern called @jessopstavern, which is located in the town of #historicnewcastledelaware . The second was from our anniversary trip to the @innboonsboro , in the town of Boonsboro, Maryland. Both places, I love dearly. Jessops has AMAZING food! And the InnBoonsboro has themed rooms based of famous literary couples. We stayed in the Darcy & Elizabeth room.

Georgian January 2024

georgianjanuary2024 Day 4 is Travels. So it’s is my goal to go to Venice for Carnevale, but in the meantime-I’m stuck here. But a highlight of my 2023 was when I went to Harrisburg for a book signing and interview for the Queen Charlotte series, and @juliaquinnauthor saw my outfit, and asked to take a picture with ME! I was totally fangirling. I also got to meet @matta_of_fact , whom I follow on twitter and love her videos. After the book signing, I went to a really cool air b&b that had themed rooms (and cats to pet), and enjoyed some food and wine and got some rest before traveling back to Delaware.

Making a Regency Era Open Robe

Yall know i love all things Bridgerton, So watch me make a velvet open robe to wesr over my satin gown. The fabric is from the silk baron, and its an absolute dream to sew with. Although it wasnt finished completely, im glad how it turned out, so i will be finishing it once i complete other projects.

Georgian January 2024 (Days 1 & 2)

So over on Instagram, one of the amazing historical costumers that I follow, TheModernMantuaMaker is hosting her #GeorgianJanuary2024, in which everyday there is a prompt and you post an image in your Georgian era/18th century clothing. I typically don’t stick to challenges for more than two weeks 😅, but I hope to this year. Here are the prompts!

And here is what I have posted so far on my Instagram:

Day 1: I rarely stick to all the days for challenges like this-but let’s get Day 1 of #georgianjanuary2024 started with #opening | I’m Marisa. I’m 3 pandas in a trenchcoat masquerading as a human. I’ve been costuming for A LOOOONG time, but I do take a lot of shortcuts and usually do my own thing when it comes to pattern drafting and such. I didn’t get into #18thcenturyfashion until I hopped on the #hamiltonmusical train like 2-3 years after it came out, and since then I’ve been hooked. Last year was my first year at making an actual 18th century gown using a period pattern (the #angelicagown from @scrooppatterns), and using actual historical sewing techniques (I STITCHED THE MOCK UP AND THE FINAL VERSION ABOVE LIKE 85% BY HAND!). It he running joke is I have a chaotic sewing goblin in me that will bust out sewing an ensemble right before an event so I can get that ADHD dopamine hit as I enter crunch time 😂 The next ensemble that I am going to be working on is a 1790s ensemble to wear to a galentines tea with friends in February. And damnit-one of my resolutions is to sew a little each day so I’m not waiting until the last minute! 😅

Day 2: Day 2 of #georgianjanuary2024 is #flora. So, don’t judge my mirror, that thing somehow always has fingerprints no matter how many times I clean it (I blame my kids). But here is one of my 18th century pockets that I purchased a kit for a looooong time ago, forgot about it, found it, finished it, lost it, found it again, and here we are! #18thcentury #18thcenturyfashion #historicalcostumer

2022 costuming year in review

My costuming year in review! This year I made the most ensembles and went to the most events that I ever did. I love this little #costumingcommunity 💜 Looking forward to #2023 – my projects will be bigger and better, and hopefully there will be more awesome events! (I may take my hand at hosting another one!)

Making an Edwardian Capelet Pt. 1

I am going to a costumed stroll with friends in January, and I can’t wait. Now while I have an ensemble already, I desperately needed outwear. My originally plan was to make a capelet out of wool, but when I saw this faux fur coat in Goodwill, I knew that I could turn it into a capelet. I actually left the store without it, got home and sat for about 20 minutes, before deciding to go back! This is what it looks like:

So to convert this, I first cut out the lining from the jacket, and then used a seam ripper to open up the arm seams all the way down the side seams.

I then laid the open sleeves flat, and pinned them to both side seams of the jacket, basically making the sleeves into gores. This now turned a jacket that was a bit too small for me into a capelet that closes all the way in the front. I also cut out the pockets, but left the pocket slits open so I can have a place to slip my hands through.

Now all that’s left to do is stitch up the seams (they are currently clipped together right now), and sew on two pieces of ribbon to the collar so I can tie it closed. I am torn between a wide black satin ribbon or a thinner velvet ribbon. So based on a lot of the garments I have seen, the length of this should be a bit shorter, so I may cut it to even the length out, but I am not sure. I have until the end of December to decide. I still need to make a muff to go with this though. I have the sleeves from a friends fur coat that he wanted me to cut the sleeves off, so I can do that.

But all in all, this project is coming along quite well, and I’m sure that hand stitching the seams with silk thread will go along quickly.

I’ll be sure to post it when it’s done.