In between finishing up the last little bits of my swim costume and the new boater hat, I finally got around to starting my new Regency dress. Hoorah, since I've only been wanting to do this project since last year.
My last Regency dress buttoned up the back and the difference with this one is it has an apron or drop front. While it might not seem like a huge difference, it is for me because this will make it easier for adjustment in Lack of Cleavage department.
Unfamiliar with how the pattern even went together, I did a mockup of the bodice area to see how it would fit. Lucky me, everything fit well the first time around and the only thing I will have to actually adjust is the muslin lining that ties across the front of the bust area.
So I've been holding off on photographing my new swim costume because I wanted to make a boater hat to go with the ensemble. Although I have a swim cap to go with it, I wanted a decorated boater hat for any "out of water" antics.
Most of the boater hats I viewed were decorated simply with a ribbon band, but I wanted something a little more but nothing too extravagant at the same time. While I'm making this to go with my swimsuit, I also want it for some other projects I'll eventually make. I started by purchasing a basic straw boater from Amazon.
Accessories I purchased online from etsy, going off of how I wanted to make it so it could be used for other outfits. It took a couple of weeks, but I finally got all of my supplies gathered together just last Thursday.
I have had Mr. Selfridge on my "to watch" list since it first came out back in 2013. Then I would find other shows, watch those, and it kept getting bumped down the list. Then I needed something to watch while doing hand sewing. So I finally got around to watching the first season. Why didn't I do this sooner?
Mr. Selfridge stars Jeremy Piven in the lead role of Harry Selfridge, the American retail magnate who established the London department store of the same name. This ongoing series is based on the biography of Selfridge titled Shopping, Seduction, and Mr. Selfridge by Linda Woodhead. The first season starts in 1908 and covers the scope of Selfridge not only funding, but opening then establishing his store as a preeminent destination for the Edwardian shopper.
I'm on the homestretch now for finishing up my bathing costume. For the main portion, I just have to add buttons, the collar ties, and figure out how to attach the front inset.
The skirt is going to be easy, I just need to sew on a button and a buttonhole.
As I work through some of the finishing touches of my bathing costume, I've been watching oodles of shows to pass the time. I found this via my recommended shows list from my watching history on Amazon Prime.
"The dawn of the 20th century ushered in an era of fresh inventions and
innovations: Electricity, refrigeration and many other materials
promised to make life easier and more convenient. But lack of
understanding meant that they frequently led to death."
