Tiger Lily's Threads

When you look at a painting, there's always going to be some gorgeous outfit that inspires you to recreate it, right? I felt just exactly that when I came across James Tissot's painting, "The Bridesmaid." How could I describe this silk ensemble other than that it absolutely needed to be replicated? The Silhouette, the soft cornflower blue silk that really pops in the foreground, and the ruffles galore.! So, without hesitation, I got to work on making one for myself.                                                                                                    BODICE After studying the gown's features, I decided to start first on the most challenging part of the project (at least for me): the constr...

This past April I attended a Victorian-themed birthday dinner party honoring my good friend Chelsea of Sartorial Statement. It was a weekend long celebration that truly was memorable and a lot of fun. Saturday morning kicked off with high tea, while later in the evening we donned our Victorian & Edwardian evening gowns for an elegant dinner and dessert. Sunday concluded with a nature hike nearby.  While I couldn't make it to the other two events due to work scheduling conflicts, it was really great to catch up with everyone and celebrate the Lady of the Hour.  To make the dinner gown, I looked at several examples from the late 1890's and early 1900's to decide just how I wanted the design and embellishments to look. After searching around for sometime, I decided on loosely replicating this style below.  The 7 yards of peach silk taffeta fabric I have always held on to since 2020; originally this was going to be used for an Angelica Schuyler cosplay since Hamilton was ...

While  I'm a few years behind the Gigot craze that rocked costuming community back in 2019, I finally managed to make an 1830's day gown of my own. Everything about the gigantic sleeves, the bell-shaped skirts, and the ornate hairstyles, lured me to this awkward and fascinating era of fashion - I'm all about it!  Materials:  7 yards of printed cotton fabric  2 yards of tulle (for sleeve enhancers)* 3 yards of scrap fabric (for sleeve enhancers)* 3 yards of muslin to line the bodice (the pattern calls for 7 to line the entire gown, but that can be left entirely up to the wearer in my opinion) 2 packs of piping trim corset bones to stabilize the front and back of bodice  Small Hook & Eye closures  Pattern-TV455 from Truly Victorian  After preparing the pattern and cutting out the fabric, it was pretty easy to put the mockup together for the bodice. However, I failed to realize that the bodice actually closes up i...

Last September, I came across these beautiful fashion prints of 1890's walking suits. I've seen these online before (mostly through Pinterest), but seeing them again, there was just something about the style and silhouette and fabric prints that inspired me to want to make my own. I particularly fell deep in love with the herringbone and plaid printed suits... I just had to replicate it . . . OR at least combine the two styles to make something completely unique.  Luckily, I managed to obtain 8 yards of cotton "plaiditudes" fabric from JoAnn's and got to work... well, sort of. While the shape of both skirts are definitely similar, I did not have the actual pattern to replicate the skirt; also did I want the skirt cut out in seperate pieces or in two pieces?  So, what does one do when they don't have the appropriate pattern? Why they make their own. I utilized a generic steampunk skirt pattern, and elongated the front and back pieces (excluding any extra pieces...

As many of us are collectively hunkered down at home due to the Covid-19 pandemic and with most historical events being cancelled, believe it or not there's been a lot of contingency plans and new hobbies  brewing for 2021. Several people I know, including myself, have spent this time researching topics, making new outfits, and honing on our new discovered skills (baking bread, sewing, gardening, Yoga, Youtube channels, etc). 2021, we're coming for you!  On another note, Edwardian fashion has been a popular trend among some historical costumers this Summer. I don't blame them! The natural form silhouette is much appreciated during these hot summer months and the light and airy fabric choices work just as well...also, being able to play around with so much lace and floofiness! Who couldn't resist!?    This is my first fitting of the full gown. Please ignore the wrinkles.  The skirt pattern is from Simplicity 1558; I elongated both the front and back ...

Back in March, before the nation was put on lockdown due to the Coronavirus Pandemic, I had the opportunity to participate in a living history event, called "Women & The Vote" at the First State Heritage Park in Dover, Delaware. As we commemorate the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment which allowed women to take part in the voting system, in addition to celebrating the biographies of famous American suffragists who pushed for equal voting rights.....let's hone in on that for a moment, because I'm about to tell you the other side of this important part of history. The stories of other suffragists who were not acknowledged for their contributions and were excluded purposely, all because of the color of their skin: the challenges of the Black Suffragists.  The Women's National Baptist Convent was one of the many black suffragist groups that petitioned for voting rights  Along with groups such as The National American Women...