Help me convince my hubby!!!!

[HistoricalyCorrect's Lady]

Miss Amy thanks for those great websites! My hubby loves the A. Campainger and I got alot of great info from them.
Quick question to all...
Do you buy your dresses already made or do you make them yourself? I have purchased two from Ebay from a wonderful lady that does the reenacting herself and I am anxious to get them in. I got both of them for around $150. One is just a plain blue day dress with white apron and the other is a little more fancy with a detachable colar and a touch of crocheted lace. My next purchase will be a ball gown for the evening activities and I am expecting to chunk out quite a bit of change for that.
My next question is about my youngest...
He has his outfit ready to go. And since he is a civilian he is just too adorable. I have read on the web that it was quite common for boys his age (8 years old) to run around barefoot. Don't know if that would be the best thing to do especially in a crowd! What is your thoughts about getting him in shoes?
As always a huge thanks for our help!

[jenna]

Originally Posted by Miss Amy

Hello -


I will NOT get onto a fire safety soap box with out encouragment - so dont ask if you dont want to know!

Our Miss Amy is a firefighter, and knows all about fire saftey! So watch out!!!!

But its great that she once again reitterated what I have said before about that drop and roll not working in hoops. That is why it is SOOOOOO important to wear all natural materials! And to make sure that have elastic in your hoop so that it can be dropped very easily, and to make sure that all hooks and eyes are easy to get at! And I am not an advicate of hook and eyeing your bodice to your skirt for the same reason. Way too dangerous!!!

Jenna

[blue_zouave]

Originally Posted by HistoricalyCorrect's Lady

Miss Amy thanks for those great websites! I have read on the web that it was quite common for boys his age (8 years old) to run around barefoot. Don't know if that would be the best thing to do especially in a crowd! What is your thoughts about getting him in shoes?

HC Lady, the backbone of reenacting is SAFETY FIRST! Which means that your tender green grasshopper must wear shoes for his own safety's sake. When my own grasshoppers were tender and green, we would buy black boots or dress shoes for them at yard sales, second hand stores or at Payless. Not quite authentic, but our pocketbooks could not afford a more authentic shoe, especially with the growth rate was two sizes per year!

As for the ballgown, please send me a private message with the size needed, we may be able to accomodate you on this.

Zou

[Miss Amy]

My Catherine is 4 1/2. I expect she will wear some questionable footwear for a few more years - I tend to look for "bootie-ish" and dark colors.

As she gets older, the next step is likley to be english riding "paddock" boots, there are some OK ( fairly comfortable and worth a year or 2 of wear) new ones around for about $40 - but they dont typically start in size until 13 ot 1.

On to dresses - I have a mixture of purchased and home made - and one that is 1/2 and 1/2. My undergarments are likewise a mix, but more home made (machine). I think Catherine has one purchesd dress - I made the petti-chemises and pantaloons and pinafores.

QUICK SIDELINE: What about an adult wearing a pinafore instead of a pinner? I am thinking more coverage plus easier/faster on/off?

My "best dress" is worn over several petticoats, included a corded one. It would likley be a wash dress for many.

Chemise and aprons and pantaloons are easy to make - and a great place to learn to sew, as no-one should see your mistakes but you. I like the "free" patterns from ESC becasue they are mainly straight lines. I have some commerical patterns for underthings with lots of curves - which I find hard to sew well.

Also - I am not a big fan of elastic on petticoats and such - I find they tend to "pull down" - so I use a hook and eye - which will pull loose fairly easily (Had my horse help undress me one day). But it is great on the pantaloons. And ties always turn into knots when you need then undone the most (made that mistake on a pair of pantaloons). Please email me if you would like to know more -


Amy

[jenna]

Originally Posted by Miss Amy

P.S. Miss Jenna - do you have an easy way to explain the difference between a "men's shirt", a "modern shirt", and a "shirt waist". If I understand it - the 1st 2 have long "tails" which tuck in and the latter ends at, and is somewhat fitted to, the waist?

The men's shirts yes, have the tails to them. The shirt waists, worn by women, did come to the waist with usually a finished band or a point to it in the front, similar to a bodice. The mens' shirts also were very long and often could be worn as a night shirt, if I understand it correctly.

Some men's shirts were called "shabby shirts". These were shirts made by women during the war that didn't have very good sewing skills. These were basic rectangles with very little decoration, and often looked sloppy. These can be purchaced today at the sutlers, which I did buy one for Jon (which he has burned thru already! Go figure being a blacksmit and all!) and used it as a pattern. Very very simple, other then figuring out the button area.

Jenna

[cpl_lewis]

i found the dresses on ebay very reliable and not bad in price. I got my ball gown (pic included) for about $120 which is VERY cheap for a gown. I could give you the name of the person i got it from on there. she makes beautiful dresses and they're of magnificent quality.

[Miss Amy]

The ball gown is pretty - I like the white trim on the navy. Unfortunatley, I can not enlargethe picture enough to ooggle all the details. Is it a light weight wool? or silk? Or? I dont know much about silk - but I always expect it to be shiney.

Looks like you are enjoying it - too!!

Miss Amy

[HistoricalyCorrect's Lady]

Very Pretty!! I love the color!
~wiping drool here lol~
Please PM me the sellers ID and I can go from there. All of the ones I have seen have been $300 and up on the price! eegads!
But thanks for sharing you look GREAT!!

[cpl_lewis]

the dress is actually a darker violet made of taffeta, it's a really nice texture.

*historically, let me look it up and ill send it asap*

[Miss Amy]

Taffeta! I bet it looks better in person, dark violet sounds much prettier than dark blue.

Miss Amy