Making an 1890's Teagown // I'm Reproducing One of My Antiques!

[@twistysunshine]

You having to hold your cat was adorable

[@Toyon95]

A-dora-ble!

[@LadyRebeccaFashions]

Oh, just wait -- Dora has decided to totally steal the show in the third part of this project. She basically wouldn't let me put her down. lol

[@hazeluzzell]

Algebra?? 😳 So glad you’re putting buttons on after all..The wool is a very pretty colour. That would make a good Agatha Christie plot twist...’She was choked to death by her tea gown...’

[@LadyRebeccaFashions]

There is so much finding X when sewing.

[@lesleyharris525]

Allger? X? Nope I think I missed school when they did the a x tables,😹

[@dankthompson]

Screaming!!!!! Omg!!!!! You made this!!!! I have the Pattern!!!! Hold on, i have to reattach my jaw to my face!!!! Loving this so much!!!!

[@LadyRebeccaFashions]

Thanks! 😊

[@sarahmwalsh]

Relaxed Elsa for sure! Blue does make up the majority of your historical wardrobe! :-)

[@LadyRebeccaFashions]

It really does. And I have at least two other blue things planned for this year, too.

[@rachaelhall1164]

I still can't get over how good your background looks now.

[@theplussizecostumer]

Looks great so far. Love the blue wool. And Welt pockets are really quite easy. It's just the number of steps you need to do to make it that makes it scary. I have confidence that you can do them because patch pockets just don't seem right. And I don't think they would look right on the dress. Mainly because they go to such lengths to disguise pockets in the first place.

[@LadyRebeccaFashions]

Thanks! I'll be doing some practice welt pockets tonight!

[@trudicole3520]

I think this tea gown looks wonderful and Dora is looking at your antique gown as if she just wants to go sleep on it for as long as possible

[@cynthiadugan858]

Would it be possible to distribute some of the weight of those pleats into the shoulder seams of your yoke with twill tape ... similar to how pockets are sometimes connected to the waistband for support.

[@LadyRebeccaFashions]

I'm not sure if it was adding the yoke or the seams that did it, but it no longer feels like it's pulling down in the back!

[@cynthiadugan858]

Yay!

[@elizabethsloan3192]

I’m so glad you mentioned fixing the armholes in back, I kept wanting to reach into the screen and fix it!

[@katewelch446]

I wonder if it was an 1880s teagown that the owner later updated to make it more fashionable later on?

[@LadyRebeccaFashions]

I was wondering that, too, though if so, she still had a lot of the exact same fabric.

[@JO-rx4tk]

@@LadyRebeccaFashions With something as "boring" as brown linen, that doesn't seem super farfetched... I mean, we buy in bulk when we find great deals on stuff, it's not hard to imagine past ladies doing the same with a workhorse fabric. Also, watching you hold your cat AND talk with your hands at the same time: love it! And she seems totally cool with it, too. My cats become wiggly little jerks 30 seconds into being held like babies.

[@yezzyjames]

That fabric is beautiful, and the changes you decided to implement will make this dress just perfect. :}

[@thetimelesscostumemaker1266]

I am really looking forward to seeing the tea gown finished. It is beautiful so far. I was glad to see your project because I need to make an 1880's tea gown for a get dressed with me presentation later this year, and the truly victorian pattern will work perfectly for what I need.

[@jeremymartin1957]

I wonder if your dress may have been made while fashion was transitioning from one common style to another. Either way, that is a very pretty wool. Loving the subtle pattern in it.

[@LadyRebeccaFashions]

My thought it possibly that she was familiar with the older style, but knew that big sleeves were fashionable. If the dress originated from where I got it (Spokane, WA), she likely didn't have a lot of access to high/up-to-date fashion, either.

[@silvergypsylady]

Love the blue color of the wool. It suits you. I was wondering if you could have cut the lining crosswise instead of lengthwise. Then you wouldn't have had to piece it. Can't wait to see next week's vlog. This is going to be gorgeous.

[@LadyRebeccaFashions]

Cotton has a very different stretch on the grain vs. crossgrain, so that wouldn't have worked right. And thank you!

[@hannahphillips-ryan398]

oh, I really hope you decide to do the welt pockets! they would look so much nicer. Just make a bunch of mock-up/practice welt pockets until you feel comfortable with them. Also, you may want to add a cape-tie to take some of the weight of the pleats off your neck. You'll want to add twill tape ties to the inside center back at the pleat level, then pull them over your shoulders to the front of the armscye, under your arms, and then tie them together at the center back. They help redistribute the weight of the cape (or in this case, pleats) to the shoulders and off your neck!

[@LadyRebeccaFashions]

I'm doing some practice pockets tonight, so we'll see how it goes! And now that I've added the sleeves and collar, it no longer pulls.

[@cincocats320]

I've had my eye on this TV pattern, I'm so glad you're working with it. Can't wait to see the final product. And Dora gets ALL the crinkles to sit upon!

[@conniemurdoch8528]

Your gown is already looking very beautiful, I love those pleated backs. And that colour is lovely on you. One of my daughters friends had a 1980’s dress with pleating in the same way down the back. I wonder if the technique was borrowed after seeing a gown from this era? I remember complimenting her on it and wishing I could wear something like it. For heavy weighted features on a gown, the weight should be anchored to perhaps the shoulder (totally 21st century bridal alterations) So I would use some twill tape at the top of the pleats at the outside edge and anchor it to the shoulder. If necessary you could also transfer the weight to the neckline but that might still drag. Wool (even light weight wool) is much heavier than linen so it needs different techniques. Heaven forbid if anyone steps on your hem at the back!

[@LadyRebeccaFashions]

Adding the sleeves and collar really helped with the pulling - they probably served as the anchoring points you mentioned. And this style was borrowed from the 18th c, so it's definitely a style element that pops up every now and then!

[@TheGPFilmMaker]

Okay - I need to make a house dress. I've been bingeing SewStine's house dress/Ghibli-core videos and now this one popped onto my KZbin homepage. It's fate!!

[@elizabethclaiborne6461]

Same here! I wound up with an altered McCalls Victorian maid costume pattern, eight inches shorter skirt and puffed sleeves substituted. The apron is ruffle nuts, (YEAH!) that the dress works ( in green linen) was luck. Need to put gores in the skirt, but it’s a nice summer dress for lounging about.

[@TheGPFilmMaker]

I've decided to go with the Gibson Girl Blouse from Folkwear and add a waistband plus a solid 36-38 inch skirt with probably 120 inches of fabric gathered into the waist??? Super excited to start on the project soon! And thank you @Lady Rebecca Fashions for inspiring me!! Love your videos so much!

[@angelaross1]

I just watched “Life With Father” last night and positively drooled over Mrs. Day’s dressing gowns! If you haven’t watched in awhile, go check it out. Movie takes place in 1883 and she wears one with a gathered front placket and under skirt. It’s to die for 💗💗

[@LadyRebeccaFashions]

I've never seen it - I'll have to go check it out!

[@Emmajen]

Ooooh excited!

[@lilymalakoi]

I love that wool. Perfect color on you

[@lesleyharris525]

Hi,your dress looks fabulous, can't wait to see you wafting around the house looking amazing and serving tea and pet treats.

[@bunhelsingslegacy3549]

Good dart info, thanks! I'm finally starting to learn about those :) And the armscye info, I agree with Bernadette that sleeves are the devil :) I have yet to do long sleeves without a gusset in the armpit...

[@brigidscaldron]

I can’t wait to see how it turns out! I’m super sensitive to close necks and the pleats pulling would drive me mad. Really curious how that turns out!

[@michellecornum5856]

I would think that a waist tape would take care of the pull. If you tack the under layer of pleats to the waist tape, that should take the load off your neck. Can't wait for the rest!

[@rd6203]

🤯 Love the dart marking hack! ❣

[@stacycrowden6210]

Wow! Beautiful

[@robintheparttimesewer6798]

That looks so lovely. I do love the colour. Can’t wait to see the next one

[@tiffytattoo2450]

So glad you're doing in depth videos, it's really interesting to see the process. Are there any documents on how the Robe à la française dealt with the weight of the pleats? The tea gown pleats surely remind me of this. I was kinda thinking about a tape harness situation to bring the weight more to the waist line and tie it there. I guess highly historically impossible ;)

[@LadyRebeccaFashions]

I think for the robe a la francaise, it's helped in a few ways. 1) the pleats are wider, taking up pretty much the full width of the back, spreading out any weight. 2) Generally, those gowns were made of silk, which is usually a lot lighter than wool. 3) robe a la francaise had a fitted lining that was made separately, so there was no lining in the pleats, and the structure of the bodice itself was different because of that construction. All that said, now that I've added the sleeves and collar, it's no longer pulling.

[@adedow1333]

This is gorgeous! I love this wonderful periwinkle!

[@emanonfox1709]

GORGEOUS color, it looks almost periwinkle on my screen. Can't wait to see it finished! Question: weren't tea gowns usually worn without corsets?

[@LadyRebeccaFashions]

Thank you! I think some were, if you were just wearing them at home with your family, but if you were receiving guests, you almost certainly would have been wearing a corset underneath.

[@emanonfox1709]

@@LadyRebeccaFashions I did a little reading on this, you are right that wearing a corset beneath became more common as time went on. When they were first introduced they were "between a ball gown and a dressing gown" and made of sumptuous fabrics, designed to be easy for a lady to wear without her ladies maid available to dress her, and were usually worn without a corset, until it became more popular to wear them for dinner in the evening. Apparently they were scandalous for that reason! I found an article from 1870 called "Free and Easy Manners in London Society" and you can google that phrase for the full article from the London Times. Here are some excerpts: "At their first beginning the tea gowns only put in an appearance when the beverage from which they take their name was dispensed in the ladies boudoir, and only a rare and favoured specimen of the opposite sex was admitted on sufferance." Scandalous indeed! As they became more popular, there started to be an association between loose morals and teagowns: "...there has come in a habit of lounging, which is certainly of most doubtful grace...Hands clasped above or behind the head, this often liberally exhibiting the arm by the falling back of the loose sleeve; feet and ankles are lavishly displayed as dainty slippers are rested on the fender; more ardent spirits recline in ostentatious repose on various sofas." LOL just amazing! Ah the power of fashion!

[@kayta84]

Lovely dress and even a more lovely kitten😸

[@Lillyk96]

There were absolutely 1890's mules, and they would be 100% appropriate for a tea gown! They usually called them boudoir slippers, Vicky D'Incecco has a video where she makes a pair!

[@LadyRebeccaFashions]

Thanks! I'll check out her video!

[@dee-annegordon5959]

Love the fabric/colour choice, even if it is trying to strangle you. Hopefully that will resolve as you finish the gown. In the meantime, it looks lovely and I could easily picture you relaxing in your parlour with a good book and a pot of tea while wearing this.

[@LadyRebeccaFashions]

Yep, it's resolved now that I've added the sleeves and collar. No more pulling!

[@kariwall2824]

I forget which book it was, maybe Shirley by Bronte that talks about a Belgian lady living in England wearing slippers and camisoles during tea. But its talking about 1806-1814... definitely things changed in the years after that but I'm not sure if footwear changed.

[@teresaunderwood41]

What a pretty color on you! I wonder if the boning in the original helped stabilize the waist to keep it from shifting back with the weight from the wateau...?

[@LadyRebeccaFashions]

It's possible, but adding the sleeves and collar wound up really helping too!

[@Evaleastaristev]

I wonder if this was an early project for the person who made the dress? that could explain some of the weirdness, couldn't it? Can't wait to see the finished product!

[@LadyRebeccaFashions]

It's possible. Though my guess is more along the lines of - "I need this comfy, functional house dress. Let's make it really fast."

[@Evaleastaristev]

@@LadyRebeccaFashions That also makes a lot of sense. Surprises me that it's lasted this long, though. But people keep the weirdest things in storage.

[@Icefairydancer]

@@Evaleastaristev Maybe it lasted so long *because* of the weirdness! Rebecca pointed out how awkward it would have been to get on - perhaps it wasn't worn as frequently because of that.

[@eleanormccarthy2713]

Maybe you could figure out some sort of waist tape inside to support the Watteau pleats, by taking them to the tape?

[@LadyRebeccaFashions]

The pulling resolved itself when I added the collar and sleeves. :)

[@Bexinmo]

I saw in another comment that it is less pully now, but I was going to ask if the pleats were lined? If they were, you could shave some of the weight by removing the lining in them.

[@LadyRebeccaFashions]

They are lined because the pieces are flatlined. But yeah, it's no longer pulling.

[@darklymoonlit]

It's looking beautiful so far, what's a little pain/being choked by your clothes for fashion, right? I love that shade of blue and it looks great on you!

[@samwhyatt8685]

Do you need the sateen lining in the watto pleats? As long as you have to room in the skirts to move, you could lose the lining in the pleats which would make it much lighter? 🤔

[@LadyRebeccaFashions]

There's not really a way to do that, since the piece is flatlined. But now that I've added the sleeves and collar, it no longer pulls.

[@stache1954]

Yes they had mules back then.

[@foxyember]

Your so very pretty and would love to know how you do your makeup I so suck at makeup but you have yours rocking :D and I super love all the work you been doing ... sorry I am so new to your channel :) please keep up the wonderful work. Your kitty is super sweet.

[@LadyRebeccaFashions]

Thank you! Tbh, I'm not sure if most people would care to see a video on my makeup, but basically, I use loreal foundation, Mary Kay concealer, and Coty airspun powder, plus whatever other sorts of makeup Ipsy sends me. ☺️

[@Sabatuar]

Moment of realization unrelated to the current project, but did you name your dressform Antoinette for the reason I think you did? EDIT: I think I answered my own question when I realized your other dressform is Lady Jane.

[@LadyRebeccaFashions]

Haha! Yep! All three of my dressforms are named after headless historical ladies.

[@DoorbellQueen]

Gorgeous

[@cdeg1964]

Hi! I am the lady who asked you about this dress on IG. I am now wondering if the way you ended up avoiding the leg crease oddity that I mentioned that I get on my straight down the front grain skirts is because of the corset... maybe the length keeping the skirt just far enough away from that area. I do have a question. How did you add in the hip area? For example, if you bust, underbust, and waist are okay how are you adding more to the hip (over actual measurement) to balance the fall down the front without totally making the other 3 measurements wonky?

[@LadyRebeccaFashions]

It depends on where your hip spring is. Most of the addition to the size of the hip happens in the side, or possibly the back, because otherwise it would cause odd seams in the front. And don't forget that petticoats will help to keep your skirts from creasing in weirdly!

[@cdeg1964]

@@LadyRebeccaFashions Thank you

[@roxiepoe9586]

On my monitor the blue is sort of a pale, iced perriwinkle. I love it. :) (A helium balloon under the pleated panel would lift it and keep it from dragging....:) )

[@an-enby-panda7840]

What a cutie cat Dora is~

[@LadyRebeccaFashions]

Now that I've added the sleeves and collar, the choking feeling is gone!

[@heatherkemp1846]

Do the pleats have lining in them? Could you remove some of that to make it less heavy? The blue colour suits you so well. Xxxx

[@LadyRebeccaFashions]

They do, but they do on the original, too. And thanks!

[@ladygray6522]

Ok. Newbie sewist here. When your mock-up was too small in various places, why didn’t you just cut it a size larger?

[@dee-annegordon5959]

That would have just resulted in having to take it in again in areas. Since the areas that were too small weren't the majority of the bodice, and the fixes were pretty straight forward, it makes more sense to do it this way.

[@LadyRebeccaFashions]

Yep, what Dee-Anne said. It was only too small in a few places, and in one of those cases (the hip spring) it was multiple sizes too small. But sizing up would have made the back and sides of the bodice way too big.

[@katrose5572]

Was there any styles without the long pleated back piece. I don't care for them. I love the wool though it's a lovely color and weight.

[@jaspersgrimoire]

Yea! There were quite a few tea gowns with a plain back instead of a Watteau back!

[@LadyRebeccaFashions]

Yep, plain back styles were equally as common, if not more so.

[@elizabethclaiborne6461]

I thought I’d do SoceressCore... and it was McGonagalls Tea Gown. 🤦🏻‍♀️ Because fancy pajamas under. In many other neighborhoods it’d be going out in, but not here. Even with a zillion buttons, if you wear some snuggly velour leggings you can not bother buttoning them. My formerly sorceress robes I wear around the house are huge backed and open diaphragm down. Just a thought. Wear it for swagger, whatever that is for you.

[@teddy-3765]

I'm puzzled as to why you ar having to serge the pieces you're adding in for width of fabric? The raw edges of those piecing joins would be completely enclosed between the lining and the outer once the garment is constructed, so the raw edges could safely be left unfinished. Right?

[@LadyRebeccaFashions]

I tend to serge the edges on pretty much everything.

[@teddy-3765]

@@LadyRebeccaFashions {laugh!} Fair enough. I find threading the overlocker/serger and gettign the tension right to be such a faff that it hasn't been used since 2005. Even then, it was my husband using it for his Jack of Hearts costume.

[@justanotherredheadattheend955]

Ah yes, the timeless cat interruption. The struggle is real for us all 🐈

[@akemimediapr8616]

Dora is an adorable kitty and, undoubtedly, good su-purr-visor. :)

[@marynimocks6791]

Is it OK to just add fabric to the mockup you have?

[@LadyRebeccaFashions]

You mean like how I did it, as opposed to creating a whole new mockup?

[@marynimocks6791]

@@LadyRebeccaFashions Yes :-)

[@ulla.umlaut]

I know it would only save a marginal amount of weight, but does the pleated part of the draping need to be flatlined?

[@LadyRebeccaFashions]

Maybe not, but just the sheer act of flatlining means that it automatically is. Otherwise the whole back piece would be lined, not flatlined.

[@ulla.umlaut]

@@LadyRebeccaFashions Thanks! I hadn't looked closely enough to see that the lower section of the center back isn't seamed, which makes sense to have actual space for moving your legs.

[@YanickaQuilt]

There is one good thing about being short......44" wide fabrics are more than enough 😆

[@janellkendall12]

😭

[@lujadosyning]

Why is the pleated area lined?

[@LadyRebeccaFashions]

Because the pieces are all flatlined, and it's part of the back piece.

[@lujadosyning]

@@LadyRebeccaFashions (this is not an argument but a true question) why flayline a piece that you know WI be pleated and not touch anything but other fabric or be seen?

[@LadyRebeccaFashions]

@@lujadosyning Because it's literally part of the back piece. Like, it's just a stitch line that creates the fitted center back seam - the pleats are part of the same piece as the fitted back.

[@lujadosyning]

@@LadyRebeccaFashions I understand now, thanks.

[@trudicole3520]

Dora is adorable

[@alexandraanderson6740]

Perhaps a fun joke video of elsa hosting a tea with this dress and your wig?

[@MendyLady]

everyone needs a swishy dressing gown. Everyone.

[@poetmaggie1]

Happiness, I am always afraid before I dive into a project it reassuring that you an expert are hesitating a little.

[@nataliestanchevski4628]

The wool is a lovely colour. Hopefully when the sleeves and closures are on the dress will provide some support and decrease the pulling at the neckline.

[@LadyRebeccaFashions]

Yep, that's exactly what happened! No more pulling. :)

[@Silverfoxx001]

Little women( set in the 1860'sand written in 1870) made reference 'army" shoes /slippers ( both terms were use within about 5 minutes of each other on the same page) in reference to a set set of warn out house shoes that Mrs Margret March ( also know as Marmee/Mother/ Mrs. March)owned and wore at home, they were being warmed by the the fire and literally got toasted by the fire on accident. bellatory.com/fashion-industry/HistoryofShoes19thand20thCenturyWomensFootwear a quick look says a small heeled slip on type shoe was worn for dressy occasions www.vintagevictorian.com/images/1892_slipper.jpg So my best guess is they wore flat heeled shoes or decorated slippers in the house, the fashion and fineness of which depended on the means of the wearer. the original owner of the original tea gown might have like marmee been wearing a worn out pair of boots or shoes cleaned up for 'common' use. Also Jo makes Amy look bad by outing that Amy painted worn out badly stained white boots a lovely shade of sky blue, since they couldn't get 'soft shades'. They quote 'painted their shoes any color they liked" to save money and make them look new again. apparently painting leather in acrylic paint are still a thing since I found a place that sells leather paint.

[@sabinahertzum9728]

Im about 42 minutes in, and i am wondering why you actually Lined the pleats in the back?? Could you not just let the ligning go to the seam and then remove it from the pleats.. it could remove some of the weight at least....

[@LadyRebeccaFashions]

It's flatlined, so it's just part of the construction. That said, now that I've added the sleeves and collar, it no longer pulls.

[@sabinahertzum9728]

@@LadyRebeccaFashions im pretty New to sewing - let alone historical sewing ;) And I get the flatlining, but my thought process just immediately went to weight by amount of fabric and to me it just didn’t make sense to line something that doesn’t touch the skin... that thought popped in to my head when it dawned on me that you didn’t have fabric enough to go the full span of the pattern - and that aspect would - at least for the back pieces - have been solved by not flatlining around the pleats too.... It’s just a thought - but that’s just how my brain took to that issue ;)

[@Sekreterare75]

I thought tea gowns were worn without a corset underneath?

[@LadyRebeccaFashions]

I believe that happened occasionally if only family was around, but if you were wearing a teagown to greet guests, which I believe was more common than just wearing them as a dressing gown, you would have worn a corset underneath.

[@blktauna]

That tiny gown could skimp in ways a gown for a normal person can not. You'd be wise to keep the truly victorian seaming and simply do the larger look from your original. AWWWWW BABY KITTY

[@pv6450]

Noting how awkward it would have been to get un and out, that is probably why it survived. Not a first choice to wear. Full buttons make more sense.

[@sandym7952]

Rebecca, I had to like your video. I am "like" 666. Hope I haven't cursed us.💖

[@josefinebrannlund7297]

👗

[@lenabreijer1311]

Your math would be much easier if you use the metric system. No fractions and using a calculator is much easier.

[@wendymalik6784]

That pocket is not big enough for a cell phone. The bigger the better for pockets.

[@TealCheetah]

Its better to get sleep and not make stupid cutting mistakes, instead of rushing it.