November Ball 2009

Looks like I never posted the final results of my November Ball Dress! Well here it is!  I was thrilled to death with the final results.  It was a stunning blue silk with a train that could be bustled up in the back or let loose.  The tail was split in the back and fell nicely over the full bustle.  I overlayed the bodice with cotton lace/netting as well as the underskirt.  The accents were royal purple velvet rickrack and bright pink silk roses and satin bows.  A fun time was had by all.

The November Ball Dress Saga

I now have two and a half months to complete my ballgown for the November Ball in Amherst, NY. It has taken me months to finally commit to a design. I'm still not really committed, but I have started cutting fabric, so there's little to do now but keep moving forward. I have decided to use shades of purple. Though, the purple and gold brocade that I originally bought for this ensemble was taken back this weekend. It was just too much for me. Instead, I decided to go with a "whim" purple striped silk that I bought some months ago with no purpose in mind. :)

I've posted pictures of the dresses that have "inspired" me below. You'll probably see elements of each of these somewhere in my final dress. I'm not choosing one in particular to recreate, because I haven't found one that I just totally LOVED. So now, the creation is coming straight from my head onto the fabric. I'm a little worried . . . but I know it will be a fun process!

Some "bunchings" of fabric just to see how I like the colors and textures next to each other.

Another "bunching" I love these colors together - not sure how they'll all layer up.

One of my many, many sketches trying to get my ideas together

The Inspirations . . .

Impossible decisions!

I am spending more time trying decide than I am sewing! I am so frustrated. Everytime I think I am certain about a design I start hesitating and I don't want to cut fabric and really get into it if I'm not 100%! The worst part is when you are trying something new so you are not clear how the patterns are going to come together, adjustments, etc. Any advice at this point would be welcome - in the mean time, I will continue to work on the undergarments.

Pink Gown for Ball

This is it! I have decided to go with this dress design (from The Cut of Women's Clothes) and this fabric. The pink fabric I've had in my stash forever, so I will be glad to finally use it. It is synthetic and while I would love to buy real silk, I would much rather use this fabric since it's been sitting in my closet for so long. :)

pink/yellow irridescent taffeta and embroidered/beaded ivory satin

1870s pink lilac irridescent silk ball gown

bustle in blue and white seersucker - pattern from Corsets and Crinolines



Corset and bodice lining in pink striped cotton chintz

November Ball - Fabric Options

SO "WORTH"-IT

This was one of my original inspirations for a ball gown - of course the train would have to be bustled for dancing. Maybe that is just too impractical. I like the look of it!

ROYAL PURPLES

The colors didn't really show correctly with the flash, but what I have in mind is a royal purple cotton velevet for the bodice and the train/bustle lined in gold dupioni silk (yes, I know the dupioni is not really period correct - neither would "cotton" velvet for a ball), and possibly the purple and gold brocade for the inset and lower skirt.

THOUGHTS:
I have just always felt that deep colors are so severe - they don't seem "fun" to me for dancing. Though very, very pretty. I'm a little afraid of using all dark colors for this dress. I always think of something more light and vibrant for a ball.