Ball Gowns: Stewart's of NY-a ball ensemble monstrosity in the re-making

[chriscat53]

For many years since I bought it in the 1980's, I have been attracted to a fold out of gowns from Stewart's of New York in the very back of the 1863 volume of Godey's. Stupidly, and departing drastically from my usual desire to represent middle class to lower class people or at least have an image or original garment to work with, I decided to try to make something similar last year for Remembrance Day. I also had to make a ball gown for my daughter as well (2nd mistake). All in all I was biting off way more than I could chew. The third mistake--and this is just conjecture--which I realized 2/3 of the way through the ensemble, is that given this is Stewart's of new York--good chance that the trim on the skirt and bodice may not be trim at all-it may be embossed into the fabric. Nevertheless, off I had spun attempting to cut out carefully measured little velvet "castles" outlined with ruching and topped by an "application" which in this case I used black venise appliques. To make it even more difficult I changed a high bodice into an 1864ish jacket with long coat-tails and the same trim in miniature with a white silk brocade waistcoat underneath with Valennciennes lace and white ruching. Needless to say, a monstrosity especially in the time allotted with an additional gown to make and fit for my daughter. Luckily for all involved, both of us got sick by FRiday!!   YAY!!  It was that bad--I just wanted it to end.

      There is a moral to the story, but why go there? This was probably a mythical dress anyway. Not only that, my need to go fast made the inside an ugly mess as well as being silk taffeta with NO lining. No way to even get that there without terrible wrinkles that look immortal. Inside of each trim castle on the wrong side of the skirt  is all scrunchy because I had no time and had to do the trim by machine. Which also meant the ruching doesn't lie down flat and will have to be tacked down again.

      OK--here's my problema. What do I do with the darn thing? Was it even appropriate for a ball (older woman who doesn't wear ball gowns anymore--plus in real time I have scar tissue from 2 tracheatomies and scleroderma ). Is it way over the top in style (Stewart's of NY) and too under the top in technique?. (Obviously when a rich woman goes here, it better be the best of work). Is it the wrong dress for the wrong purpose (seems to me most jacketed ensembles are identified as walking dresses.)?
I hate to waste the fabric, the time and the pain. It's all done now except some finishing because I almost decided to wear it to a "Civil War gala" in Berlin Pa last Saturday but at the last moment said  "this is way over the top and a monstrosity besides."  So I fell back on my "best dress" for all middling special occasions including funerals and especially because there's a war on--would I even go to a ball unless it's for the soldiers" black 1864ish silk.

What do I DO with the darn thing? And what DOES a lady of age 54 wear to a ball when it would be extremely unpleasant for everyone involved for her to appear with arms and bosom uncovered? (I even keep my gloves on to eat--because my hands are "unpresentable" because of the scleroderma.)

Oh this is just an aside: an 1860 etiquette book when describing a dance position for a ball said that the man's hand on your back should reach "only to your hooks and eyes."  What percentage of low bodied ball gowns had eyelets compared to hooks and eyes?

[Jessamyn]

Could we see some pictures? And most especially, a scan of the garment you were copying?

The jacket thing does sound non-ball, but it's all a bit much to visualize.

[Elizabeth]

Will you smack me with a really big stick if I say it sounds like a deconstruction/reconstruction project?  I can visualize the amazing trim... but I also know you a bit, dear heart, and know that you'll be annoyed with interior scrunchies.  

As for what to wear in fine situations that has good coverage... I think you'd look lovely and elegant in a "dinner dress"--something with a pretty, semi-elaborate to elaborately-trimmed open sleeve, good undersleeves, and I'd look at a "fashion forward" slightly funneled-up high neckline with a standing white frill there.  You'd have full scar coverage, but REALLY elegant fashion, and could dance if you chose to do so.

Even silk wrinkles that SEEM Immortal can usually be salvaged with a good damp pressing.  After hand-application of elaborate trim, lay the whole thing trim-side down on a nice fluffy towel, and give it another light damp press, and you can remove the small wrinkles that result from the handwork.  Following period recommendations on "how to arrange one's work" also minimizes the hand contact while applying such things, which makes for an overall better result.

[chriscat53]

First an apology for such a rambling email. I am on dialysis and the day after dialysis (toxins off!) I turn into the energizer bunny. I think your suggestion is a very good one. Since I purchased the taffeta from FashionFabricsOnline, I can order more for a new top, turn the skirt around to open in the front side and attach it. The waistcoat can easily be used with another ensemble. I had intended to tack the skirt to the waistcoat but then realized that wouldn't work because the skirt fastened in the back. All in all, not an outfit to wear to a ball or dance. Sometimes some of this only makes sense when you make serious mistakes in the application (so to speak).

[chriscat53]

Or I could do this. I forgot this was in My Pictures. It also seems to be the way some of them were done. Make the waistcoat part of the jacket bodice. This would eliminate the tugging clothing at dances problem and the skirt could be turned around to open at left front. It would elininate using the waistcoat for other jackets but I have a black one anyway and it's too rare a style for my age.
    PS--did the photo work? First time I tried. Will post photos of the old one as soon as I figure out which camera works.

[Elizabeth]

Photo shows up for me. 

That is a unique jacket/bodice... almost like the innermost section was laid on, but the bodice was later altered, giving some jaggy bits?

[Madame S.]

Now that's cool. I enjoy the piecey-ness of the bodice (jacket/blouse joining and darts).

Although I'd risk snooding for wearing something "too old" for my youth to a ball, I do look forward to following your progress. I bought what sounds like a similarly cut dress with intentions to reconstruct. Keep us posted with pics, please!

All the best.

[chriscat53]

The darts (plaits) are apparently laid in together. What's unique about it though is the different colored waistcoat. It seems that in the CDV's the jacket effect is just created with trim, yet the Godey's and Peterson's  jackets in 63-65 are separate entities as are the occasional waistcoats. I was trying to mimic men's formal wear with a white waistcoat so I made it separate. This also looks like it might or might not be a separate bodice --it could still be tacked onto a waistband just to keep it together, even if it's just a twill or petersham waistband. This is one of those where a picture just won't do. It needs to be examined close up and I don't have the footnote for it. One of the things I know is one of my mistakes is extant bodices and  gowns are so much lighter and more delicate than I do--quality of the fabric is a factor too. Even this--mimicking a three piece ensemble--looks airy and delicate.

Still haven't solved the camera problem but will try this weekend. I may make such a thing out of my first wool just to see. I've always liked "Amazon" styles because  my persona is a social reformer type. Still you also don't see bowties on older women in CDV's as much as on younger. For the real live women's rights women,it was sometimes  a toss-up between reform dress and modest dress, and many of them were as well conservative religionists (like the Seceder Presbyterians in western Pa.and the Quakers in eastern Pa) when it came to dress. So depending on the persona, as always, the clothing changes. Younger (not real young) women wore caps in both of those religions and you also see more pelerines even though they're out of fashion. However this is just from a sampling of local CDV's. So it's not a trustworthy footnote.

[chriscat53]

OK--this is probably the kind of fabric the stewart's was--not little cutout thingies in velvet
http://www.cwrl.utexas.edu/~ulrich/19cdress/50s-60s/1850-69dresswcloakv&a.htm