Angela's Collection:
Historical Clothing & Accessories


1870s

       
*New 2009!  Early 1870s bustle dress.  The skirt of this two piece dress is based on a drawing from the book Costume in Detail (p. )  The bodice I created using many photos of 1870s dresses and loosely based on Marna Jean Davis' 1870s Bodice Pattern.  I was unable to finish trimming the skirt before the event made the dress for, but when I found the green buttons I knew they would be a perfect Victorian trim detail.
 

           
Side-front and back views of my early 1870s day dress and hat.  I made the entire outfit through online classes given by Marna Jean Davis. (More info about these classes on my "Favorite Links" page.)
 

           
Melody in her early 1870s day dress.  She made her dress, hat, and parasol with my help, while I made my ensemble in the winter/spring of 2004.

1880s

My 1887-89 day dress.  I drafted the bodice in one of Marna Jean Davis' online classes. The underskirt was made using Marna Jean's skirt pattern, and the overskirt was draped using my dressform.  I made this dress using a photo from Dressed From the Photographer as my inspiration.  The cute little capote bonnet I made when I took Marna Jean's Over & Under class, also online.  (See Favorite Links page for information on Marna Jean Davis' website.)
 

                       
Melody's 1880s dress was the first bustle we (Mom, Melody & I) ever made.  It's a beautiful dress, which, sadly, is falling into pieces.  It is still possible to pin Melody into the dress for an occasional event, but it is no longer wearable for long amounts of time.  This outfit was made following a dress in the book Patterns of Fashion II.