FASHION SHOW: A Day in the Life of Queen Victoria; 1837-1900

This past weekend I put on another fashion show for the Alpine Women’s Club fundraising tea after being asked last year if we would do it again. Well of course we would! But I wanted to come up with another theme rather than just the usual timeline. I have a folder that I write ideas down for future themes, and one of them was life during Queen Victoria’s time. It would somehow have to relate to the changing dress styles but also include what was going on with the ladies during that time. And it would be during Queen V’s reign of 1837-1900, so the dress styles would be in that time period.

I’m a big fan of Downton Abbey so that came into play also. In my mind I pictured the manor house with visitors, parties, and of course the butler. The first “educational” bit I wanted to put in was about the use of calling cards, and having the butler announce each visitor/model as they arrived with their calling card. The various activities the upper class ladies would do in the home besides visiting or receiving friends, were included too, like afternoon tea, needlework, reading, and painting. And later there would be a scene in the dressing room where new styles of dress and millinery would be shown using fashion plates, and of course live models. Since my plan this time was to have “scenes” and have the ladies stay onstage and seated each time after their presentation, I could only put five of us at the most on the small stage at a time.

I looked through Pinterest for photos of Victorian parlours to give me an idea of how I wanted the stage decorated. Even though Victorian is usually busy with lots of niknaks, I needed to keep it a little more sparse so as not to distract from the models. This was my idea I went off of; a small round table that would hold teapot and teacups, and a large poster I purchased of Queen Victoria and mounted on poster board. And I pulled out some Boston ferns and containers I had stored away for some greenery. For the dressing room scene, we would replace the tea items with a bonnet and a couple fashion plates.

While setting everything up the day before the show, I walked to the back of the room to see how it looked and if everything was visible from there, and then took multiple photos, moving things around until I was satisfied. Except I didn’t like how plain the table was looking. Originally I was offered a Tiffany lamp to put there, but I was afraid we would knock it over moving around with our big skirts, or stepping on a tablecloth, so I declined it. I ended up putting a vase together with peacock feathers to place there. If I’d had more time I would have looked for a cheap Chinese vase but at a distance this would suffice. I thought this was very Victorian.

We all remembered last year at this time, it had been 105d during our set-up, and the next day “cooled” down to 95d. So we were not at all unhappy that this year it was raining, and would only be 63d the day of the show.

I spent about a month writing drafts of the narration for this show, including all the ladies dress descriptions. Since we only have a half hour I have to keep the descriptions to 1- 1 1/2 mins each, and I time myself reading each one to make sure I can get it all into the time limit. It also has to flow into each transition.

We have a wonderful gentleman we’re able to use during the show, our Narrator Nancy’s husband, Russell, who helps us off and on the stage, and this year I wanted him to be included even more. For the beginning of the first scene, Nancy, began with her husband, Russell, arriving in his butler ensemble she had made for him. Russell brought out the teapot and placed it on the table, then Nancy described a butler’s duties and his outfit. Since I was the only one available with an 1830s dress, I came out as the lady of the house.  I wore my 1834 Persimmon dress. After doing my twirl, I sat at my table and poured myself tea. Then my first “visitor” arrived, -“Mrs. Lakin, Madame”.  Robin was wearing her red and brown 1850s dress. After her twirl, she sat at my table and I poured her tea. Afternoon tea history was explained by Nancy. From there, after each lady’s dress was described, they were to sit on a chair and pick up the “activity” that Nancy would describe. The next visitor was Karen, in her red & black late 1850s dress, whose activity of reading in the home was described as she read from a small book after she sat in her chair. Next was Sarah in her 1860s cream and black gown. She brought her own needlework she was working on, and sat doing it as it was described. My final “visitor” was Birda, in her cream and pink 1870s dress, and she demonstrated painting and sketching.

At this point five of us were seated onstage at once, and I think it gave the audience much longer to see and admire all the gowns. We then exited as Nancy announced we would now enter the dressing room. Cindy arrived in the latest Paris fashion of 1870s in her blue and white Seaside dress. At the table she began looking at fashion plates, as Nancy described how the latest fashions were shown to women using magazines and ads. The next “fashion plate”, Trudy, arrived wearing her 1870s white and pink flower Tissot dress. Now looking at a millinery fashion plate, as the next model April arrived in her green and pink 1880s bustle, and wearing her new bonnet. To segue into women outside the home, our model, Terri, arrived wearing her navy blue 1890s bicycling outfit. And finally I was able to work Nancy into the fashion show theme, wearing her 1890s claret walking suit.

With it being hectic as usual, I forgot to hand my camera to someone in the audience and ask them to take photos of us onstage. I still hope that some photos show up at some point, but we did get one of all of us standing onstage afterwards. Then we stepped off the stage and wandered among the tables so the ladies could get a close look at our dresses. Everyone looked so beautiful. 

Afterwards we were served our own tea at a couple of the tables, and then waited backstage for an hour until the next show. Notice I didn’t hand my camera to anyone for photos of me? Goes with the territory of being a busy manager.  

After that show, we all walked outside to the back area and took photos of each other. And, nope, none of me here either but I know Trudy took some of me. 

And look, photos have been popping up that I'm in! These are from Trudy, who was also one of the models. Proof that I was dressed and in the show! 

And these are a couple beautiful group photos she took of us. *Thank you, Trudy!*

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Now I have four weeks until I leave for Williamsburg, and do my presentation on bloomer gowns at the ALHFAM conference. I had a major snafoo when my co-presenter, who had originally proposed doing it with me, and was bringing an extant bloomer gown down from New York, suddenly and with no explanation, dropped out. Just like that. After a few days of panic, I regrouped, and contacted the Programming Director and told them I would still do this but needed to change a few things. One of course was the description of the class, which the two sentence one my former presenter had written embarrassed me after seeing the other ones being presented. I wrote a much more descriptive one and then got a new co-presenter!  Jody Luce, who portrays the original bloomer lady, Elizabeth Smith Miller, in Peterboro, NY, said she would do it with me, and she could bring the extant bloomer gown with her. *BIG SMILE!*

All of this was approved by the Programming Committee, and they're currently changing the program book. So now Jody and I are going to start working to put our presentation together. And the topper to this: I’ve been asked to represent the San Diego History Center http://www.sandiegohistory.org/ and use their logo on my slide and my business card while there. 

~~~Val~~~

A Review of my Bloomer Workshop

June 20, 2012

This month’s issue of CGW’s Squeals newsletter came out with a very nice review of my recent workshop: Amelia and her Shocking Bloomers, that I presented to CGW in April. It was written by Joy Flasher (thank you, Joy!), a member of CGW, who attended the workshop. Here is her review, and I hope you get a chance to see my presentation in person at Costume College in August this year.

AMELIA AND HER SHOCKING BLOOMERS WORKSHOP

Presented by Valarie ****

Written by Joy Flasher

On April 6, 2010 CGW members met in Buena Park at the home of Elizabeth McCash—thank you, Elizabeth, for hosting--for the first ever presentation of Valarie ****’s workshop “Amelia and Her Shocking Bloomers”.  Valarie, Val to those who know her, is from San Diego.

This writer will try not to lessen the anticipation of those who will attend this workshop at Costume College but I will give you highlights that will be sure to whet your appetite for more knowledge on the topic of Amelia Bloomer and her fabulous outfit.

Val’s presentation was a delightful detour from the usual Dress Reform lectures.  While she included some wonderful and interesting history of the Dress Reform movement Val’s primary focus was on the woman and the clothing that influenced Amelia, and how future garments were influenced by the bloomer style.

Cat Frazier, also from San Diego, modeled a gown from the late 1850’s, which would have been worn with multiple petticoats to achieve the desired silhouette.  Val pointed out the potential and real problems women of that era faced wearing all those petticoats, most of them health related.  Val wore her latest bloomer gown creation for the presentation and had her first bloomer gown on display for everyone to view.

Val’s quest to learn more about the bloomer gown began over a year ago in January 2011 when a costuming friend and mentor gave her a large stash of Civil War costume patterns.  While going through the patterns Val came across a Past Pattern for an 1851 Bloomer costume, which had been produced by Saundra Ros Altman in 1997.  However, the pattern was not completed and never marketed.  So, Val began her search to learn all she could about the pattern but, more importantly, about the bloomer gown that was the inspiration for Saundra’s original pattern.

Val found that the Past Pattern bloomer costume had actually been based on a garment that was part of San Diego Historical Society’s collection.  She was able to get an appointment with the SDHS to view the original bloomer gown that had been worn by San Diego resident Mary Thurston Stickney in 1851.  Mary Stickney was influenced by a newspaper article she read about the bloomer outfit.  How fantastic is that, to be able to get up close and personal with an extant garment you’re researching.  She made the most of her visit with Mary Stickney’s gown by documenting the type of fabrics used as well as construction details.  And, she was able to get some great pictures of this fabulous bloomer outfit. 

During the months that followed Val’s research continued.  When it came to researching this topic Val did not limit her resources to the internet and local historical societies.  Some of her research included contact with different historical societies in New York where the women’s reform movement began.

Val’s research also brought her in contact with Saundra Ros Altman, the producer of the original bloomer pattern.  Saundra’s renewed interest in the bloomer pattern meant that it would eventually be available to the public, and she credits Val in her acknowledgments in the pattern.  Val has been in contact with Saundra regularly to keep us all updated with the pattern’s progress.  As of the date of the workshop the patterns were almost ready.

Val’s presentation is a wonderful compilation of photographs, fashion plates and history, and it is clear that she put a lot time into the research and creation of this terrific workshop.  It is not to be missed!  Those who attend at Costume College will not be disappointed.

Thank you, Val, for a wonderful presentation of the history of Amelia Bloomer’s bloomers.

**Note: A last minute surprise from Val—she got permission from The Doll Reader to reprint their Amelia paper doll pages from 1985 and she will include them with her handout at Costume College.

**The pattern is available here from Past Patterns-- https://www.pastpatterns.com/1850s-to-1860s-antebellum-era/bloomer-and-fashionable-dress-pattern

My lecture on re-creating an 1851 Bloomer gown

April 7, 2012

In January 2011 I began a journey of exploration into the origins of “Bloomer gowns” after inheriting an incomplete pattern from a friend. It had been made by Past Patterns off an original gown in the San Diego History Museum’s costume collection. With only part of the instructions and patterns, and getting permission to photograph the gown in storage, I was able to make my own copy of it. And I began working with Saundra Altman of Past Patterns, encouraging her to complete the pattern and have it available for sale when I eventually did a presentation on it.

Over a year later, the pattern is very close to being done, although I do have some samples of the almost complete one. I set up a sign-up list for anyone interested in purchasing the pattern, and at this time I am the only one anyone can order them from. Saundra credited me in her pattern acknowledgments too. Having this in hand, and my photos, and research into the history of this gown and its origins, I gave my first lecture/slideshow presentation to the Costumers Guild West of Los Angeles.

I had spent a couple weeks rewriting my notes to go with the slideshow, and the history I’d be presenting with it. It could have been a lot longer, and had many more photos to show but I needed to keep it under 45 minutes so it would fit into a 2 hour presentation. I knew there would be questions and I’d be stopped a lot in the slideshow for more questions. At the finish of my presentation for CGW I ended up with 15 minutes left in the 2 hours.

Part of the fun for me was the searching for more gowns in other costume collections, and “meeting” other researchers, historical societies, and reenactors online. The sharing of information and photos back and forth was as exciting as opening a Xmas present. So far I’ve only found two other gowns in collections, and this one in San Diego is truly unique. At my recent lecture I met another costume collector who will be contacting collection owners on the East coast for any other gowns. So the search is not over yet.

Shortly after I finished my green silk taffeta reproduction of the gown, I was already thinking of making another one but this time in cotton and also making it in the style of a gown that the original owner’s sister was wearing in a family photo. The photo also shows the Bloomer gown’s owner wearing hers prior to being altered to a Bloomer.  I finished my brown striped and floral cotton gown two days before my lecture and was able to wear it there. This time I used current existing patterns I had; Simplicity 3855 for a v-neck bodice, and a drawers pattern from Truly Victorian. My skirt is just made from panels of fabric & cartridge pleated to a waistband. I repeated the ruching trim from the first gown since the owner’s sister also had the same ruching on hers.

My cotton one is more comfortable for our warm weather, and is easier to wash, since my poor silk taffeta is showing signs of dirt with all its travels recently. It’s been in two fashion shows already and has another coming up soon. It did however come out pretty clean after soaking for a day in Oxyclean. It still carries the scars of ink from a pen that someone sitting next to me at Costume College got on me in a class.

My original plan for my lecture was to tell the story of the gown as I played the slideshow. But I was stopped quite often by questions from my audience, many jumping ahead of where I was at, and would have been answered eventually. It was disrupting but it also educated me as to where I should have more information inserted earlier, but also to ask my next audiences to hold their questions until the end. It was a learning experience for all of us.

I’ve been asked by the San Diego History Museum to do my presentation for them also. It would include students of fashion besides costume enthusiasts. Since this is where the original gown is, we’re holding out for when the patterns are finally available since they want to offer them also, and possibly carry them in their gift shop. My gown will be displayed hopefully alongside the original at that time. I am also purchasing copies of the pattern myself to give as thank you gifts to our San Diego museum, and those museums & researchers back East who helped me in my search. 

1850s Bloomer gown

Started Feb 2011/ Finished July 2011

This will be a short version about my Bloomer gown for now since I'll be presenting two mini workshops on it in the coming months for my two costume guilds. I've also been asked to do a class for next year's Costume College.

I started making this gown after "inheriting" an incomplete pattern from a friend. It had been copied off an 1851 extant gown in the San Diego History Museum. I contacted both the museum, and the pattern company, Past Patterns, about it. The museum gave me an appointment to come in and take photos of the gown which had been in storage. The museum requested I not publish those photos on the internet but can use them in slide shows for my classes. I emailed back and forth with Saundra Altman of Past Patterns, & telling her I wanted to recreate the gown. She got excited about finishing the pattern to put on the market. I spent months emailing back and forth with museums and historical societies in New York about the dress reform movement, and about Amelia Bloomer and the other ladies involved in the women's movement.  Bloomers were not originally designed by Amelia, but by Elizabeth Smith Miller, who Amelia credits them with. But Amelia earned the name from the newspapers, and it stuck.

I made mine in an avocado green silk taffeta, lined with cotton. I enjoyed learning how to do piping and a different technique for gathered ruching on it.

The skirt was about 4 inches below my knee, and the Bloomers are made of silk taffeta until about midway up my thighs, a period technique to save on the silk. The Bloomers are pleated around my ankles with a cuff that has more of the gathered ruching on it.

 

In the meantime Saundra Altman was slowly getting the pattern completed, hopefully in time for me to bring them to Costume College. She didn't make the cutoff date but did send me one so I could show it around, and let people sign up to buy one as soon as they're available before they go on the market. We're hoping for it in the next month or so. And I really hope to have them in time for my workshops. I'm even mentioned in the acknowledgements for helping her get this pattern done.

I really enjoyed wearing these. They were really comfortable and got a lot of attention. Three of my friends also made their own version and we met up at a specified time in the hotel lobby for a group photo.

I had nine ladies sign up to purchase the pattern when it's available, and one literally squealed when she saw it and is really anxious to get the pattern to make her own.

Now that I have this one under my belt, I have all kinds of ideas for a new one but made out of cotton for a day dress version, as this one was kind of dressy.