Where I achieve a long standing ambition
‘It’s not tight enough unless you can’t breathe without gasping’ Dean says as he tightens the laces of my (rather fabulous) Victorian costume.
Now this is all very well, but I can’t actually breathe properly. I know you have to let things ‘settle’, but dresses like this were not made for bending. After much pleading, I’m let out about an inch. Even then, I can’t bend to fasten my shoes, so that has to be done for me. I guess I can understand why you needed servants.
Sadly, servants are not present, and between us we have to cook, and serve, dinner for 6 for our Victorian Murder Mystery. Getting at the oven proves a bit of a challenge, and I can’t seem to sweep into the kitchen without knocking over the side table each time. And this is after we’ve cleared most of the room.
I have to face the sad fact that my house is just not made for a crinoline, much less for 3 women in full period costume. That said, we do attempt a Viennese Waltz in my fairly spacious kitchen. Well, a couple of turns, at least.
To say that I’ve longed to wear a crinoline* would be an understatement, and once I found the fabulous frock, which originally appeared in an Opera North production of Onegin, I was determined to wear it, whatever the logistical difficulties. Of course, we were supposed to be in Robin Hood’s Bay for the Victorian Weekend, but the weather scuppered that. Still, we managed a very enjoyable Murder Mystery anyway. Given I ended up playing the governess, I was slightly over-dressed for the part, but no way was I giving up the dress. Heck, I’d have played a man, and still worn it.
Sadly, the ‘outdoor’ costumes we’d planned to wear had to be left behind at Costume Hire – we’ll just have to make other plans to wear them – particularly for those who weren’t able to make it.
*Technically my skirt was supported by petticoats, rather than a cage crinoline, but it was at least historically correct for the period, being about 7 years too early for a true crinoline (costume pedant, much?)
Now this is all very well, but I can’t actually breathe properly. I know you have to let things ‘settle’, but dresses like this were not made for bending. After much pleading, I’m let out about an inch. Even then, I can’t bend to fasten my shoes, so that has to be done for me. I guess I can understand why you needed servants.
Sadly, servants are not present, and between us we have to cook, and serve, dinner for 6 for our Victorian Murder Mystery. Getting at the oven proves a bit of a challenge, and I can’t seem to sweep into the kitchen without knocking over the side table each time. And this is after we’ve cleared most of the room.
I have to face the sad fact that my house is just not made for a crinoline, much less for 3 women in full period costume. That said, we do attempt a Viennese Waltz in my fairly spacious kitchen. Well, a couple of turns, at least.
To say that I’ve longed to wear a crinoline* would be an understatement, and once I found the fabulous frock, which originally appeared in an Opera North production of Onegin, I was determined to wear it, whatever the logistical difficulties. Of course, we were supposed to be in Robin Hood’s Bay for the Victorian Weekend, but the weather scuppered that. Still, we managed a very enjoyable Murder Mystery anyway. Given I ended up playing the governess, I was slightly over-dressed for the part, but no way was I giving up the dress. Heck, I’d have played a man, and still worn it.
Sadly, the ‘outdoor’ costumes we’d planned to wear had to be left behind at Costume Hire – we’ll just have to make other plans to wear them – particularly for those who weren’t able to make it.
*Technically my skirt was supported by petticoats, rather than a cage crinoline, but it was at least historically correct for the period, being about 7 years too early for a true crinoline (costume pedant, much?)
Labels: dressing up
posted by Val @ 1:50 PM
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