YOU DO YOU - Follow Up for 2019

This is my historical costuming resolution for 2019 and beyond: YOU DO YOU.

YOU DO YOU Historical Costuming Resolution

It's been over a year since my first historical costuming resolution of YOU DO YOU. I decided to make this follow-up post as part of my #sewhonestsunday post this week. I'm happy to say that my resolution to focus on finding JOY in historical costuming has been successful. I'm having FUN at events, FUN sewing, FUN designing & creating historic jewelry, FUN with my hobby and FUN with my business! Now this doesn't mean that it's not hard work or that I don't encounter set-backs, we all experience those, but my resolution to focus on surrounding myself with others who believe in YOU DO YOU has been a success! I have met new friends, hung out with old friends too, said goodbye to some and hello to others. I'm doing what makes me happy and I'm loving it! And it's all been totally worth it.

I believe I've seen positive change in our community, as I have seen others stand up or continue to stand up for themselves and others, and nip bad behavior in the bud, and encourage new folks to take part in historic costuming, costuming, cosplay and re-enacting on their own terms and to have fun with it. And others who have blogged about acceptable and unacceptable behaviors - I'm so glad to know you! Unfortunately I have also seen negative behaviors and excuses: if you are reading this and feel like this is directed at you (it's not), maybe it is time for some self introspection? That's your thing. This follow-up to my You Do You resolution is about my continued resolution and sharing this encouragement with others.

YOU DO YOU is my focus and a resolution on FUN, encouragement and positivity. That I will stand up for myself and others, and this includes making choices with how I spend my resources: my time, my money and my energy. That I believe in honesty, honesty that is gentled with kindness and openness to change and understanding others perspectives. I value different opinions and perspectives, and respect those who base their opinions on honesty, logic and empathy towards others. Personally I choose to support being part of a community that is centered on positivity, encouragement and FUN. My time, energy, and money is focused there. I support costumers and businesses that I see being kind, positive and respectful: respect is key, in public and in private. Respect others or lose others respect.

It's time to make my goals clear, to be really open and honest about what I want and what I don't want, here on this #sewhonestsunday in February 2019. I want to have fun. I want to hang out with friends who want to have fun. I want to continue to learn about history. I want to continue to challenge myself to learn new things and take on new skills. I want to support others pursuing the same goals. I want to encourage others and be encouraged. And I want to achieve my goals, in costuming, in business, in life. FUN is defined as laughing, talking, sharing, enjoying and experiencing history and historical costuming together. It's about encouraging others to join in, at whatever level, whatever budget, using whatever material and in whatever way they can. It's about sewing things together. Experiencing things together. Cheering each other on. Being happy about each others successes. Respecting each other's choices. That is what my goal is about and what I'm about.

Fun is NOT: snarking, jealousy, lacking empathy, creating needless drama, making excuses, being hypocritical or manipulative. These are the bad human behaviors that we should be avoiding. We find nice things to say or we say nothing at all. It's ok to remove yourself from a situation because it's not you. It's ok to make choices and set your own priorities, and determine how you want to spend YOUR time, energy and money. We all have different goals, and that's ok! Different goals mean different priorities. Again, my journey is focused on fun, learning skills and taking on new challenges, and having fun with others who have the same goals: I hope many of you are on the same path with the same priorities and we'll journey along together!

I am continually striving for creativity and success and I'm cheering you on for creativity and success too! I want to say a huge THANK YOU to everyone who believes in "You Do You", who supports kindness and fun and newcomers: you are amazing and you deserve joy and happiness and success! I'm here rooting for you! And also a huge THANK YOU to everyone who has or plans to join in with #sewhonestsunday - let's share honestly in kindness and with respect about our process, tips and tricks, challenges and how we overcome them to create our finished outfits, a community in pursuit of FUN!

I said this in my first resolution and it rings just as true today. Personally I'm done rewarding or ignoring bad behavior. I'm resolved to (continue to) take back my enjoyment in this hobby. I hope you join me. Historical Costuming = FUN = YOU DO YOU.

Love,
TheLady Detalle

2019 Sewing Plans and Goals

2019 Sewing Plans and Goals:

My sewing plans for 2019 include a few new outfits for events, some foundation garments, fun accessories and fun outerwear. I plan to sew with ALL stash fabric, de-stash fabric, supplies and costumes, and organize, and also not add to my stash (2019 is STASH ONLY year!). I need to make a new Regency corset in 2019, and also want to make natural form bustle foundations. I also plan to spend a lot of time on historic jewelry design and creation for my Etsy shop, LadyDetalle.

PLANNED for 2019:
-Winter Tea bustle - burgundy black shot silk 1880's bustle - JAN
-Bustle outerwear or accessories for winter bustle - JAN/FEB
-Tiffany blue fur trimmed late 18th century pelisse - MAR-APR
-Georgian gentleman's jacket - MAR-APR
-Regency corset - MAY-JUL
-Secret Bustle Dress project #1 - JUN-AUG
-Natural form foundations - AUG
-Regency mourning - SEPT
-Autumn bustle - SEPT/OCT
-Regency gentleman's jacket - NOV
-Fun sewing and UFO's - DEC
-2019 De-stash, organize and purge - JAN-DEC
-LadyDetalle Etsy shop jewelry design & creation - JAN-DEC

-DF Project - TBD
-Victorian dust ruffle - TBD
-Add hem facing to black & white plaid silk Edwardian skirt - TBD
-Add hem facing to 1898 foundation pink plaid cotton skirt - TBD
-Make more muff inserts - TBD
-Make more housewife kits - TBD
-Accessories: reticules and housewives

If there's time:
-Daytime inset for Teal bustle
-1880's Teal plaid evening bustle bodice
-Embroidery samplers from RSN in Williamsburg classes-Secret Bustle Dress project #2
-Regency Pumpkin Tea flag - inspired by Kat's Victorian Party flag
-Black silk mourning bustle
-New aqua chemise dress
-1830's corset & foundation
-start my quilted petticoat project
-18th century jacket/dress with a hood
-Regency white cotton drawstring gown
-Regency silk over-robe gown

UFO's to finish (if time):
-Mustard and black Regency bee circular reticule - 98% complete, needs trim & ties
-More pleats for white summer bustle for back apron - cut and ready to iron/starch pleats 75% done
-Regency silk bees square hat - pattern cut and ready to begin
-Portrait muffs, housewife kits and reticules for Etsy shop
-Pumpkin Tea shoes - bees or fleur-de-lis
-Late 18th century gentleman's silk jacket - brown and burgundy - cutting in progress
-first 1880's Victorian corset - 75% complete, on hold
-Victorian chemise and drawers - partially sewn
-And a whole host of others I'll add if I get to them ;)

And that's my sewing plans for 2019! 

2018 Year in Review - TheLady Detalle

2018 Sewing YEAR in REVIEW:
I had some really productive sewing in 2018, including the CoCo sewing below!

Costume College Outfits from 2018 (Photos by InTheLongRun)

In 2018 I made three bustles, one 1880's bustle and two early 1870's bustles, a Regency day gown, a sleeveless spenser, two Regency evening gowns, an Edwardian skirt, a late 18th century jacket, foundations of a Victorian bustle under petticoat and a bustle lower skirt support, plus accessories and a TON of historic jewelry - a very productive 2018! That said, the majority of the sewing happened January to July, and very little sewing happened August to December, life, eh. Pictures and more details below!

My SEWING for 2018 included: 

ENSEMBLES:
1880's Teal bustle from two silk sari's

Teal 1880's bustle from two silk sari's
(Photo by InTheLongRun)

1872 Pleated white dotted swiss cotton summer bustle

White dotted swiss cotton early 1870's
trained bustle (Photo by InTheLongRun)

Early 1870's 18th century "Victorian women" cotton & silk "Dress of Wrong" trained bustle

Early 1870's trained cotton & silk bustle
"Dress of Wrong" (photo by InTheLongRun)

Early Regency hand-sewn mustard design stripe cotton apron-front with silk bee triangle sleeveless spenser

Early Regency mustard design stripe cotton
with Silk BEE triangle sleeveless spenser
(photo by InTheLongRun)

Regency 1807 court gown of vintage embroidered net over mustard silk taffeta (re-wear of silk BEE court over-robe)

1807 Regency Court Gown Ensemble - BEES
(Photo by InTheLongRun)

Regency aqua silk sari evening gown

Regency aqua silk sari evening gown
(photo by A Frivolous Distinction)

PARTIALS:
late 18th century jacket - light aqua

Light aqua late 18th century jacket
(photo by InTheLongRun)

Black & white plaid silk Edwardian trained skirt (UFO)

Black & white plaid silk Edwardian trained skirt

FOUNDATIONS:
1870's under petticoat in ice blue silk

Early 1870's ice blue silk under petticoat 

"Butt fluffer" pleated ruffle lower skirt support for early 1870's

Cream silk bustle lower skirt support

ACCESSORIES:
Mustard silk sash and royal orders

One of my "royal orders" - the order
of the Grape Bee Fleur-de-Lis

Aqua silk taffeta sash 
Pink silk taffeta reticule

OTHER:
Goldwork sampler on silk taffeta

Goldwork sampler by LadyDetalle

Class prep for "Gold in Detail" class at CoCo 2018

"Gold in Detail" goldwork class
prep for CoCo 2018

LadyDetalle jewelry:
-"JOSEPHINE" BEE Mourning necklace & earrings

"Josephine" BEE by LadyDetalle

-"EMPRESS" Garnet Grapes and Gold necklace & earrings

"Empress" Garnet Grapes & Gold

by LadyDetalle

-All my Costume College jewelry
-Tons of new jewelry design & creation for the shop!

Below were my original plans for 2018 sewing. I did pretty well on my main list and knocked out a UFO or two, added a few extras, and designed and created a lot of historical jewelry for LadyDetalle.

PLANNED for 2018:
-Finish teal blue silk 1880's bustle (bustle from two sari's) - JAN, COMPLETE
-Tiffany blue fur trimmed late 18th century pelisse - JAN (nope) - started drafting, on HOLD
-2018 CoCo DoW outfit - FEB (started in JAN), COMPLETE
-Regency bee spencer and square bonnet - FEB/MAR - spencer COMPLETE
-2018 CoCo Gala outfit - APR-JUL - COMPLETE
-New regency apron/bib front gown - MAY, B&T workshop gown/handsewn, COMPLETE
-White cotton summer Victorian bustle - MAY-JUN - MAY/JUNE, COMPLETE
-New aqua chemise dress - JUL-AUG - TBD - life got in the way, on HOLD
-Regency for Pumpkin Tea SEP-OCT -  Partially complete then stopped
-Regency sari dress for evening Pumpkin Tea SEP-OCT - COMPLETE
-New Titanic/Downton Abbey gown and outfits OCT-NOV - UFO Skirt COMPLETE
-Fun sewing and UFO's - DEC - nope
-Etsy shop creative sewing: muffs, muff pillows, reticules & more, plus creating jewelry - 2018 - jewelry yes, and started some new accessories but not much else

If there's time in 2018: (hah!) - Nope!
-Natural form bustle foundation
-1830's corset & foundation
-late Victorian outerwear
-start my quilted petticoat project
-18th century jacket/dress with a hood
-Pumpkin Tea shoes - bees or fleur-de-lis
-Regency Pumpkin Tea flag - inspired by Kat's Victorian Party flag

UFO's for 2018 and beyond:
-Fixes on my black and white 1770's jacket - COMPLETE
-Late 18th century gentleman's silk jacket - brown and burgundy - cutting in progress
-Napoleonic Bee/Fleur-de-Lis Regency shoes - started, on hold
-first 1880's Victorian corset - 75% complete, on hold
-Victorian chemise and drawers - partially sewn
-Cream silk with red embroidered flowers jewelry pouch - in progress
-Finish trim and fixes on pink striped silk late 18th century jacket
-Finish striped pink silk petticoat
-Robe a la Francaise brown & pink striped silk satin
-Early 19th century men's jacket for HB
-Late 18th century men's jacket for HB
-Late 18th century hat - covered and ready for trim! COMPLETE
-Fun reticule - second muslin in progress
-Pompadours - fabric dye, rusty red and paint heels rust color  - not started
-Yellow & black Napoleonic bee muff and sash
-Early 19th century (Regency) pink cotton velvet spencer - collar, fastens and finishing only
-Regency Pumpkin Tea shoes - Phase II (petersham ribbon trim) finishing

2018 Sewing Plans and Goals

And that's it, 2018 sewing, thanks for reading :).

Next up, 2019 Sewing Plans!

SEW HONEST SUNDAY - 2019 Instagram weekly challenge

We're so excited to announce a new weekly Instagram challenge for 2019!

TheLadyDetalle and A Frivolous Distinction and have partnered together for the "SEW HONEST SUNDAY" Instagram weekly challenge!

SEW HONEST SUNDAY is all about the real deal, that Historical Costuming = FUN!

It's about the background process of what we sew and create, it's posting the reality behind perfection, the ups and the downs. It's all about staring a wider discussion and expressing honesty to ourselves and to the community, about HOW we sew and HOW we costume and do the things we do, allowing us to connect more as a community, inspire each other and welcome others to join in the fun community with us!

Sunday is often a day when many of us sew, so it's a great time to snap a quick photo of your in-progress sewing, both the things that went right and the things that didn't go so right, your process, sewing space, or post a finished costume or event picture and tell a story about how you got there.

Sew Honest Sunday: Post your in-progress photos, what patterns you use, the mockups you make or don't make, the shortcuts, the fixes, the safety pins, zippers, velcro, false foundations, the mistakes, or the ups and downs. Share your process, your creativity, your sewing space, your hacks, your shenanigans, the yard sale or thrift shop fabric or supplies, accessories you use for multiple eras, share those not perfect photos, as well as the good ones! How you build your hairstyles or the layers of your ensembles. However you share your sewing honestly, this is a wide open tag and challenge so what you share is up to you and it's open to everyone who wants to join in.

Let's together post about what we do to have fun in this hobby, let's have courage ourselves and give courage to others to join us. Let's have FUN being honest together, Sew Honest Sunday!

If you'd like to join in, simply post and share something that falls in the challenge on a Sunday and use the #sewhonestsunday tag. It's that simple!

You can post multiple times on Sunday or once every Sunday or just join in once in awhile when you can or feel so inspired!

SEW HONEST SUNDAY
Hosted by @theladydetalle and @afrivolousdistinction

Costume College 2018 - What I wore

And finally...Costume College! What I wore...

I had a great time at Costume College this year. I'm super late at getting this post up (uh, hello, it's now January 1st, lol). Although honestly even having a great time at CoCo this year, it was a bit of a rough year - I had something going on at home that kept me very occupied throughout the few days, and I was also really jet-lagged more than usual this year. All the stress of lots of focused sewing and jewelry making leading up to Costume College, plus the life stuff, meant that while I had a really great time, I also spent much of the weekend a bit stressed and tired (look closely at my eyes in the photos - you can see the tired). It's always a blast to be around so many wonderful and inspiring people though, and see so many friends as well as meet new ones!

Here's my outfits for Costume College 2018!

The Lady Detalle ensembles for Costume College 2018
(Photos by InTheLongRun)

From L to R top, L to R bottom: Thursday night, Friday night, Friday day, Saturday day, Saturday day, Sunday - I made 3 ensembles just for Costume College and made my own jewelry parures or demi parures for all of them!

Thursday evening: Black evening dress,
FIRE Jewelry, and
vintage silk "fire" dupatta
(Photo by InTheLongRun)

Thursday was a busy day as we went fabric shopping in the L.A. Fashion District during the day, before coming back and dressing for the evening!

For me, Thursday night was all about my FIRE jewelry from LadyDetalle. I found a small stash of (pricey!) discontinued fire opals from Swarovski, which I used to create a parure of necklace, earrings, two bracelets and a ring. Basically I planned an entire outfit around the fire stones I found, lol!
I also scouted down a vintage silk dupatta from India in a lovely dark yellow and red with a bit of orange tones that looked like fire.

LadyDetalle FIRE Jewelry

I joyously paired these things with my black dress bought on Amazon earlier this year (it's roughly Downton Abbey style) and it's come in handy: I first wore it for the last minute Downton Dinner in January (no time to make anything new) and I wore it again post-CoCo for the Downton Fancy Dinner during the Downton Weekend. Lots of us already for a $30+ dollar dress. ;)

Basically Thursday night was a blur of getting to meet some lovely customers, see some old friends and just enjoy the start of the long weekend! It's always a bit hard to mingle with such large crowds as I'm an introvert (an extroverted introvert, but an introvert nonetheless). That said, I really had a lovely time and enjoyed seeing so many lovely and creative outfits!

Friday was all about Victorian bustle!

Friday day I re-wore my white dotted swiss cotton early 1870's trained bustle, paired with ruby red rare glass grapes, ribbon necklace and matching ruby red glass grapes earrings from LadyDetalle.

LadyDetalle Ruby Red
vintage glass grapes 

Friday day: White dotted swiss cotton early
1870's summer bustle, glass grape jewelry and
white "floofy" hat (Photo by InTheLongRun)

Friday evening: teal silk 1880's bustle from
two silk sari's with madiera demi parure
(photo by InTheLongRun)

I made this summer bustle for Kat's Victorian At the Races party this summer. I wanted to add a bit more pleated trim before I wore it this second time, but I ran out of time, so instead I settled for necessary fixes to shorten the front of the main skirt a bit (so I didn't trip when I walked) and re-ironing some pleats that had relaxed in the humid weather. This was really fun to wear, but I felt pretty jet-lagged Friday day, so if I looked tired or didn't respond quickly, I was a bit out of it, lol. I wore AD Balmorals with this and my evening gown: I love them, so comfortable!

Friday evening I re-wore my Teal and gold 1880's bustle from two silk sari's which I started in late December 2017 and finished in January 2018 - and wore to Carolyn's Holiday tea.

LadyDetalle Madiera
demi parure

I absolutely adore my jewelry demi parure I made to go with this for Costume College: a necklace, earrings and matching ring of stunning hard-to-find vintage madiera stones! I think I may have found enough stones to make one more.

I wore this to the Friday night social, and I just love this dress, how it flows, the fun sari fringe trim that I used to create a bit of a train: I really enjoying wearing this dress and feel like a bit like a teal peacock in it, lol.

I had a great time chatting with all sorts of folks, checking out all the lovely outfits and meeting a few folks I know from IG or who know me from IG - it was great to meet so many of you in person!

Here's a link to my Friday photos from Costume College.

Mustard design striped cotton Regency
bib-front gown, silk brocade bee sleeveless
spencer, vintage silk dupatta, vintage tiara,
and "Josephine" bee demi parure (photo
by InTheLongRun)

Saturday was all about Regency! 

LadyDetalle "Josephine" BEES

First up, for the daytime, I wore my bib or apron front gown made from a mustard design stripe cotton from Treadle Quilt Shop in MN - 100% hand sewn, this one was started in May during a Burnley & Trowbridge workshop, and finished in the months coming up to CoCo! I also made a sleeveless spenser out of my leftover bee silk brocade fabric that my court train was made from in 2016. I added triangle trim to give it some interest, and paired it with my "Josephine" black BEE demi parure: necklace and matching earrings. I also wore a vintage silk mustard and black shawl (dupatta) from India and a vintage German metal gold wreath tiara (a vintage wedding tiara from the 1950's I believe) that I acquired from Judy. I wore my AD Hartfields.

I really enjoyed wearing this for the first time! It was very comfortable and the ensemble was everything I was imagining it to be when designing and creating it, so yay. I look forward to wearing it again sometime.

Saturday evening for the Gala was all about BEES & GRAPES!

1807 Josephine Regency court ensemble
with "Empress" garnet grapes & gold
demi parure & antique bee buckle
(photo by InTheLongRun)

I re-wore my BEE silk brocade in burgundy with gold bees COURT train, and made a a new dress to wear underneath, along with court sash, new tiara and demi parure.

My gown was mustard silk taffeta layered with vintage gold metallic embroidered net, which was a vintage embroidered net sari from India. I made a mustard yellow silk sash, royal orders, paired with an antique BEE buckle, a gold and cubic zirconia tiara and my "EMPRESS" garnet grapes and gold demi-parure by LadyDetalle. I also wore my American Duchess mustard painted pemberlies which I add glass grape shoe clips with embroidered net, for the evening. ;)

LadyDetalle "EMPRESS"
garnet, grapes & gold

I was going for Empress Josephine just after being crowned, and was really happy with this re-wear and re-vamp of my Regency BEE Court ensemble!

The Gala was really fun - the food was fine, the company was great, I enjoyed the entertainment, and then once it was time for the dancing, I opted to head out to the front room and chat with folks: I chatted with friends and met so many great folks and was excited to meet folks wearing tiaras and jewelry from LadyDetalle! (oh, how exciting and fun!). It was a wonderful evening!

Here's a link to my Saturday photos from Costume College. and Maid Brigade photo album.

Sunday was my "Dress of Wrong" group - I was SO excited to finally do this! The premise: any era, appropriate silhouette, clearly wrong fabric.

Early 1870's trained bustle "Dress of
Wrong" ensemble: 18th century "Victorian"
women fashion plate & silk sari with Marie
Antoinette ribbon necklace & coordination
mookaite jasper earrings (photo by
InTheLongRun)

I've been wanting to do a dress of wrong ever since I attended Costume Con in 2009, when friends made a Hello Kitty late 18th century and a John Deer bustle! I was super excited to find that there was a lot of interest in joining the group, and we ended up with a nice-sized group of ladies who each made or wore a dress based on the premise above!

Strawberry shortcake late 18th century, a Steelers royal bustle, the Queen in a dressing gown, Beauty & the Beast late 18th century and more: I had SUCH a fun time with this group and with making and wearing my DoW outfit.

I found a lovely fashion plate ladies fabric on Etsy that was mid to late 18th century women: it was listed as "Victorian women", so I figured it would be MOST appropriate to make an 1870's trained bustle out of this fashion plate fabric, paired with a vintage silk sari!

LadyDetalle Marie Antoinette
silk ribbon choker & earrings

I re-vamped my tiny tricorn, paired it with pink red locks, and wore my AD Balmorals again. I made a burgundy silk satin ribbon choker necklace with a shiny brass Marie Antoinette on it, and coordinating burgundy mookaite jasper teardrop earrings!

Sunday was a lot of fun - I really enjoyed the freedom and fun of doing Dress of Wrong, and I spent some time chilling with old and new friends, and really enjoyed!

Here's a link to my Sunday photos from Costume College.

Costume College badges ribbons I made & gave out in 2018!

I had fun giving out 4 different badge ribbons:

YOU DO YOU - Historical Costuming = FUN, all are welcome!

Dress of Wrong - for our group and anyone who supports the idea!

Got Grapes - anyone who has or wants LadyDetalle grape jewelry or who loves grapes or wine! ;)

Royal YOU - royal you collection of LadyDetalle jewelry and also anyone who feels royal!

TheLady Detalle ensembles from Costume College 2018

I had a LOT of fun this year, despite the life stuff, as evidenced by the silly photos above, also captured by InTheLongRun (my roomie) - thanks for the great photos, Gloria! I'm looking forward to going again in a couple of years, and I will truly miss everyone in 2019, since I'm not able to go this next year (we have other travel plans this year). I'm really looking forward to seeing everyone's lovely ensembles and fun times though!

And that's a wrap!