When I was trying to decide what to wear
to Colonial Williamsburg last fall, I couldn’t get the idea of a riding habit out of my head. I’ve always envisioned wearing a habit surrounded by gorgeous fall foliage, and I figured this was the perfect opportunity. My blue-green habit no longer fits very well, so I decided to pick up my long-abandoned
pink and grey habit project. I already had the shirt from my first habit, the grey wool petticoat and pink silk waistcoat assembled, and a pattern for the jacket started. Of course, once I tried everything on again, I quickly realized the pattern I made three years ago would not work and the waistcoat needed completely remade. So much for a quick project! Thankfully, I loved the way my aqua striped waistcoat looked with the grey wool, so I could focus patterning and constructing a new jacket to go with them.
For me, a trip to Williamsburg isn’t complete without spending at least one day exploring the historic district in 18
th century costume. I have so few opportunities to wear the costumes I make in such a perfect setting, that it feels like a waste not to take advantage of the opportunity. So, when I traveled down for the Burnley and Trowbridge jacket workshop last November, I planned in an extra day just to play dress up in town.
My obsession with the 1790s and transitional drawstring dresses continues! It’s my go-to style when I need something comfortable, quick to make, and easy to wear, so of course it’s what I made this summer for the Louisville Jane Austen Festival. I shared photos of the finished dress in my early post on the
2017 Jane Austen Festival, but I wanted to talk more about the actual construction process.
Several years ago, I saw a portrait by George Romney at The Huntington Library and Gardens, and I immediately knew I had to reproduce it one day. The sitter, Susannah (Miller) Lee Acton, is wearing a cream redingote with wide lapels and huge capes. She has a large gauzy cap and fichu, and her waist is accentuated by an aqua silk sash that matches the ribbons decorating her cap. How could I not instantly fall in love?