Sunday, May 05, 2019

Blossom Fashion--Lilac Dress and Coat

Lady With Lilacs
by Edmund Blair Leighton (English)
1901


Hello Ladies,

Getting used to a new phone is more trying that I imagined, and the pictures came out very small and didn't get the beauty of that lilac bush. The small ones of me wearing the purple dress do not enlarge, but the others do enlarge, so be sure and click them.  After the next sewing project I will have figured out the picture taking and transferring. My old phone wasn't working well, and it will take time to get used to this one.

It is too much trouble to do another fashion shoot, and Mr. S. is not a fashion photographer, preferring to take pictures of vintage cars. I told him I was a vintage lady but he wasn't interested in standing still for too long.


I chose the color of the garment to go with the lilacs, which are on their last days of bloom.


 I had been wanting to try this pattern, and I like the price of New Look, which is usually under $3.00.  The pattern was fairly easy to sew if you are used to the princess seams, and the coat was very very simple, but I thought the sleeves were quite boring so I'm going to get a sleeve from another pattern when I make the coat again, and make a great big billowing sleeve 😍.


Coats are my interest right now and I enjoyed this easy pattern, but of course would do some things differently if I try it again.  I'll be changing the sleeves on the coat, since I like big puffed sleeves,  and I'll be making the neckline on the dress a little different.





 A few years ago I watched the Hallmark movie, "The Magic of Ordinary Days," which was filmed in Canada. Note: I didn't care for the entire theme of the story but I loved the setting, the costumes, the inside of the house, the land. The story was about a lonely farmer living by himself on the family farm, who marries a woman who had been jilted (and was pregnant).  The film did a good job of showing the love the father had for the baby, even from the beginning. He was grateful to have a wife and a family to keep him company and she adjusted to living a different life and grew to love it. In those days the farmland was so vast, it took an entire day to drive around it, and this was just one of the things Livvy found interesting.

I was very drawn to Livvy's purple hat and suit, and have had it in my mind to make something similar. I like the purple gloves too!  I will take an old white pair and dye them that color, if I ever get around to it. 

I thought it was remarkable that she wore this outfit  on her train journey to her new home on the farm. Maybe people will start dressing up again when they travel.
Here is my interpretation of Livvie's outfit, part of it shown in the screenshot below;



These are the accessories I made to go with the outfit. I wore the fascinator (in the picture below, right) to church today. I prefer the fascinators (floral headbands) to hats. Hats fall off more easily and are too big.


This is the dress on the dress-form. I didn't care for the neckline as it wasn't very interesting, so will not be using this pattern again, although I like the coat.


I added elastic to the sleeve cuffs because it looked better.

I have the same print in pink (I call it a honeycomb print) and aqua, and I notice there is a green one at Walmart. I also have the solid fabrics to match, so I am looking forward to making more coats and dresses co-ordinates like this. 
Also, I made a little brooch with some artificial lilacs and stuck them on the coat with velcro.  I added the tie in the front; it was not included in the pattern. 

Because the fabric is a natural cotton fibre, it is a bit more wrinkled, but I don't mind pressing it with a steam iron.  

Purple seems to go well with fog, so I'm calling this a fog fashion as well as a blossom fashion.

Materials and Prices:
4 yards Print lilac "honeycomb" fabric by Waverly, all cotton, $3.85 per yard -$16.00
4 yards solid color lilac, Waverly, cotton $2.85 p.y. - $12.00
Lilac Thread $2.00
White Thread $2.00
Zipper - $3.00
Artificial Flowers $1.00
Hair Band 25 cents
Hair barrett
 25 cents
Hat - $1.00
Feather scarf $1.00
Elastic - 50 cents

I went all out on this one,  with a total price of  $38.50, but I have two garments, each costing about $18 each, including supplies leftover.

And, you all know about that high-end store where I got all the Waverly fabric and notions so I won't mention the name. I did get some fabric at Hobby Lobby, which I find is the same low price once their discounts are applied, so I'll be enjoying showing some of their excellent fabric.

I had a lot of left-overs and of course the thread and other things can be used for other projects.

This is a home dress. It was not created to be fashionable or impressive. I wanted to make something to wear at home that would be cheerful and lightweight.  

Today I wore it to church, but that was because it was new. I usually wear a newly sewn dress to church first, and after that, it becomes my work-at-home dress, while I make another one.

Here are some more pictures of Livvy's lilac outfit  in "The Magic of Ordinary Days":
You know of course I only watch movies for the costumes and the interiors and old trucks. 😊


I tried to zoom in and see the shape of the coat neckline so that I could create it on my own coat, but decided it would be less time-consuming just to follow the straight lines of the pattern. I do like that neckline on the coat.  I think the dress and the coat are the same, or similar patterns, particularly the necklines.


Ever since I saw this 1940's costume in the movie, I have wanted to make it. It has been 13 years since it was produced and now look, I've finally sewn something like it.  It took me only a couple of days to make it, so I don't know what held me back all this time. Life kept interfering with my plans!



Here is another dress from the movie, which I think is the same pattern as the purple one. 





 Please leave a comment and let me know what you think or feel about this outfit. I am already getting ready to cut out something else, and of course, it will be designed to go with something that is happening around here.

Not to be out-done, Mr. S. wanted me to post pictures of ties he wore to church:


Now recently, I had a birthday and Mr. S. wanted to take me out to eat. I woke up not feeling well enough to do much and was simply unable to get the energy to go out. I told him to go out and get some dinner, since I didn't feel like cooking. He answered, "I'd love to go out to eat, but I'm going to have a hard time explaining that I'm out celebrating my wife's birthday."

He offered to stop on the way home at the grocery store and get anything we needed, so he took a list with him. He brought home a few things that weren't quite the right item, and when he saw my disappointment he asked, "Will it help if I sing to you?"

We were sitting in the living room and a bird hit the big front window.  Mr. S. said,"Why do so many birds hit that window?"  I told him how astonished I was to hear him ask that question. "You have several degrees and are a graduate of the U of__" I said, "How can you not know something like why a bird flies into a window?" (One reason I was skeptical of the U of__)
He answered, "I didn't study birds at the U of --"

I don't want to give you the name of the University, because I don't want you to think negatively of the place.


Have a look back here today and see if I was able to post a new picture of the dress (with me in it), in front of the lilac bush before the blossoms fade. Mr. S. has put it in his daytimer schedule book, and I have top billing before he charges into his day.

I really struck out with the photos. It was a first time using my new phone and I haven't got used to the settings yet. Sorry, ladies, but this is the only photo I got of that dress and coat , or "pelisse" if you will.  It was too early in the day for pictures,  and the colors of the lilacs in the foreground aren't showing very well, but one must take what one can get. I'm wearing the fascinator with the outfit but the picture does not show it very well.


16 comments:

The 1765 Homestead said...

A lovely dress and jacket! I just adore you!! One of the few blogs that I still follow - pure and vintage...I do not have to fear reading something, or seeing a photo, that my eyes should not see. <3

Lydia said...

Crystal, you have noticed this too! Several women I've known who were happy at home....when their children grew up, these women "re-invented" themselves, and began posting some "interesting" pictures on instagram and on their blogs. I find the immodest clothing less interesting, as there is less cloth and no sleeves. I like sleeves and will make a post on them some day, as to the many different styles that can be made.


I wasn't as happy with this outfit as I have been with others I have made, but I shall plow on with my fabric stash and enjoy using it all up trying out different things.

I think Livvy's dress is similar to a Simplicity vintage pattern I've seen , and will add it when I find it.

lynn maust said...

The pictures of you don't enlarge. Can you fix that?

lynn maust said...

Can barely see you, Lydia...your pictures won't enlarge.

The 1765 Homestead said...

I look forward to seeing the other pattern when you find it! :) I need to start looking for vintage patterns - our local Goodwill's has many patterns...I just need to take the time to look through them all :)

Lydia said...

No Lynn. The pictures of me don't enlarge. I'm getting a new one taken today and will try to replace the flawed ones.

Lydia said...

How did you like Ray's hats and his truck? What was your favorite part of the movie? I didn't thinking the subject matter was all that pleasant, but it was during the war and there was a lot of confusion in people's lives. What did you think of the boat? I would like to have that boat but my pond isn't big enough.

lynn maust said...

I did speak too soon...before reading your script!

lynn maust said...

Lydia, do any of your church members wear fascinators too, now that you do?

lynn maust said...

I will be watching that movie....thanks for telling us to do that! I did find it on you tube.

lynn maust said...

You need to put bird deflectors (?) that stick to the window....they allow the birds to tell there's something there and will keep them from flying into the window. They are flat, colored items...

Lydia said...

From Janet:

Some time ago you did a post on your blog about dressing for the season. That’s when I started purchasing floral print fabrics and making long feminine skirts and dresses from them.
You also mentioned that people enjoyed beauty in nature and how it changed their mood and behavior. I think on this when I purchase fabrics and patterns now.
It’s become evident to me each time I dress up to go to town wearing one of those garments, people will often comment positively or compliment.
Today as I was out shopping, three strangers remarked kindly about my outfit. One lady said she thought I dressed for the season. I couldn’t help sharing how you had mentored we ladies on femininity and dressing for the season.
I remember how you once mentioned how you wanted to have a dress shop where women could buy affordable feminine clothes, and how you wanted to wear the dresses around town to show other women how nice they could look wearing a little more feminine clothes.
Lydia, either the fashions are going to longer, more feminine styles or the garments we display are having an impact, because I’ve been noticing women wearing more feminine garments in public.
Thank you for being such a good example and so encouraging to us. You reflect the Lord!
Blessings, Janet
Sent from my iPhone

Lydia said...

Yes Janet,but there are more seasons within the seasons!

My strategy to encourage ladies to wear the season clothing would be to pay ladies to wear the dresses (or give then a dress in return for the favor) around the public, at home, and even in the nature, and post pictures of them on their social media. WHat would be even better would be to sell the patterns and provide sewing classes. Sewinng classes used to be in every high schooland every young lady knew how to sew before the classes were removed. I'm not sure what date that was, when they were removed.The boys had "shop" classes and learned carpentry and car repair, painting, repair and other useful things. I don't know what happened to those classes but it handicapped generations of young men and women when the classes were no longer free at the public schools.

Lydia said...

Lynn, sometimes the women will wear headbands that have a cloth rose on them, from Dollar Tree. I'm the only one who wears a fascinator. It takes a few years for anyone to come along, and even longer to see a change in wearing dresses to church vs. wearing jeans. But I remember back in the 1950's when we first wore jeans out on the farms and homesteads and fishing sites, how we never wore them to church.

Lydia said...

Lynn I will try the bird deflectors.

Lady Locust said...

Hello there. I just found your blog through Jes's Strangers and Pilgrims (poking in to make sure she wasn't back to posting :-) What a beautiful dress/pattern. It's simple but elegant, just lovely.