The last two semesters my daughter has taken an Art History Honors class with the same professor, whom my son and I have met on field trips we’ve been invited to.
She has taught the students that more than paintings comprise art.
Obviously, architecture can be considered art, so my daughter took lots of photos of Poplar Forest, Saturday, for an art history extra credit paper.
Paper can become art, so when my daughter told the professor we had toured Pret-A Papier at the Hillwood Estate Museum, the professor told her to write an extra credit paper on it.
Historical interpreters can be considered art…so when my daughter told her professor we were going to see Mount Rushmore come to life, the professor asked for a paper to be written.
Apparently, even a historic gown can be considered art!
When my daughter told the professor that I was busily sewing 1860s garments for our homeschool history presentation, guess what?
The professor asked for a paper!
Between my gown and my son’s regimental, I had the most research for my gown, so my daughter interviewed me about that.
HOW DO I DECIDE WHICH HISTORICAL GARMENT TO SEW?
My daughter asked me how I decide which historical garment to make from all the available choices.
First, I think about appropriateness for the interpretation of a character.
Second, I research extant gowns from museum collections, old paintings and fashion plates, then decide on my favorite one, based upon my sewing abilities and available patterns to try to replicate the look.
A sheer gown from 1860 was entirely plausible for my character as a US Senator’s wife from Washington DC.
I even found an extant sheer bodice in the MET’s collection, which I used to sew my bodice as historically accurate as possible.
At the link you can see 4 different views of the bodice, using a 100% cotton sheer windowpane outer fabric.
When my daughter saw it she was amazed at how nearly identical it was to my 100% cotton windowpane fabric.
And it’s very near the style of the sheer white gown of Jenny Lind.
I told her that is why I purchased it!
Then I styled the underlining to match that of the extant gown. I even trimmed it in cotton lace.
Although the extant bodice had hooks to secure the bodice, old paintings from the 1860s showed buttons.
Therefore, either hooks or buttons can be used.
I used mother-of-shell buttons for the bodice lining and pearl buttons for the outer fabric of the bodice.
I decided on a black sash based on an old painting, The Two Sisters by James Tissot.
Since many paintings and old photography show 1860s ladies wearing a cameo with their sheer gowns, I wore a cameo as well.
Historically, I’m representing an attendee from Washington DC at a picnic at Manassas Junction on July 21, 1861.
