When I was planning what to make for my trip to Bath, an all-weather spencer topped the list. The only spencer I had was my blue spotted silk, which as lovely as it is, isn’t good to wear in the heat or in the rain. Yes, I realize my trip was in June, but I run cold and England’s idea of summer is not mine. I froze on both my previous trips and was determined not to do so again!
Last January I spotted a portrait on Pinterest and immediately knew I had to recreate it. I had the perfect fabric and matching tassels in the stash, and the pattern was a simple modification of the pattern I had already made for my teal wool spencer. When I spotted a similar spencer in an 1801-1802 Costumes Parisiens fashion plate, I knew I had to make it for my Bath wardrobe.
This past summer, I was lucky enough to spend two weeks visiting England and Scotland with my good friends
Katherine and Megan. It was my first time traveling abroad with other history lovers and costumers, and we packed a lot of fun stuff into the trip, including a week-long stay in Bath. I had visited Bath once before with my husband in 2012 but it was only a small part of the trip (less than 24 hours) and ever since, I’ve dreamed of coming back for a longer stay and in costume. It’s just too perfect! Now that I’ve managed to achieve that goal, I’m hooked and can’t wait to return. Jane Austen Festival I’m looking at you! The first of a series of posts about my trip is a picture-heavy recap of the time I went to a ball and came home drenched in champage.