Edwardian Dress White Cotton For Summer

How we've waited for summer. The flowers and lushness it brings, but the other day we took photographs in the hayfield. The lighting is the best in the evening and the rolling green hills remind me of the English Pride and Prejudice hills. My daughter has a few vintage Edwardian dresses that she purchased and I love the details and lace on the cotton fabric. They are light, lacy and elegant. It gets me in the sewing mode handling the the delicate fabric and seeing all of the hook and eye closures. It was a dreamy era of white clothing that I wish would come back even if it's just one day a week. Our wild violets were blooming months ago, but we have these violet plates that keep the blooms alive all summer.

Connecting up with Kathleen on White Wednesday  , Savvy Southern Style,  A Southern Daydreamer,  Debra at Commonground,  French Country Cottage, My Romantic Home

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Alice in Wonderland Movie Costume Designer Colleen Atwood

Just one week left before Alice in Wonderland comes to town. Colleen Atwood the movie's costume designer has already won two academy awards for best costume designs in "Chicago" and "Memoirs of a Geisha." She has been nominated a number of times...Little Women, Sleepy Hollow, Beloved, Todd Sweeney, and Nine to name a few.

Tim Burton's 3D Alice in Wonderland movie is set in Victorian times with lots of fabric, trims and details and both imaginary and real. Alice is not a child, but a young woman. Can't wait to see the movie stills. The movie trailer teaser is just that. Hardly shows enough to satisfy our curiousity at all! We want to see more of the fabrics, clothes and hats!

To quote Colleen, "It's going to be amazing!" Read her interview here.

Pretty Vintage White Dresses and Costumes

Polonaise. I didn't know the meaning of the word until today. One is pictured above from the 1800's. Lots of details, but in simple white fabric. I think I might like one. It is a beautiful white dress worn over a long black skirt or a white skirt. There were strings hidden underneath that were pulled to form this nice gathering of fabric in the back. I love the cuffs on the sleeves. This overdress was popular in American from 1869-1875.

There is such a wealth of costume information on the web. A great wealth of inspiration for dollmakers to venture out a bit with their dress designs. (I'm speaking to myself here.) Did you know there is a costume society of america? They have a wonderful website. Also the Smithsonian Museums here in Washington D.C. have a costume collection.

All we have been seeing is white designs outside of our windows. This is little tiny footprints on top of the snow. Every little impression make a pattern. It won't be long before we will be bringing out our linen clothes...or sewing some new linen skirts or blouses.

Bright Star Movie Costume Designs

Janet Patterson did an outstanding job with designing Fanny Brawne's clothes in the movie Bright Star. She designs 19th century costumes with whim and attention to details. For the above soft pink dress and coat she said, "I used the romantic valentine theme to select the fabric..." and she was off with her imagination and style. The dress is adorable.

While we are snowed in here in Maryland (I'm really understanding old-fashioned snowshoes now, not so beautiful but very, very helpful) sunny Los Angeles is hosting the 18th annual "The Art of Motion Picture Costume Design" at the museums and galleries at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising. The costumes from the academy award nominees are on display. Winner will be announced in March 2010. The fun part is that Janet Patterson's costumes are there from the movie Bright Star! Also showing there are costumes from "The Young Victoria", "Nine" and "The Imagination of Doctor Parnassus."

I am beginning to really notice details on dresses because my dolls are somewhere between the romantic 19th century to the primitive peasant style to painted cloth dresses. I'm just starting to add ruffles to my dolls dresses. I saw recently laid my eyes on some antique dolls that were wearing accurate period clothing from the time frame they were made in. Amazing costumes. Very elaborate. If that doesn't motivate you to experiment and design with more detail!

I shall practice a few male costume designs on my westie dog, Sir Salty, first. How much clothing can he handle? He doesn't like hats that much or anything slightly binding.