Monday, April 30, 2012

Repurposing a 1855 Bonnett to Regency

A couple of years ago I made this bonnet for a 1855ish gown.





I used this book, which I have used as a reference many times throughout the years.




Since I could not see the back of the first bonnet, I used another from the same era and put a back on similar to the second picture.

I looked in the same reference book and noticed how in Regency the hats are further down on the forehead a little more. They seem to set like a muffin top in some pictures.



Now the problem, I needed to make another bonnet for a Regency gown for the next cruise. I have a bonnet I like that goes with the  Regency gown that I made several years ago, however it is much larger, takes up more room in my trunk and I needed something smaller, something easier to pack but  I was fast running out of time. Maridy my daughter was here, and I had the bonnet with the Regency gown and the cheater Spencer. The cheater Spencer is via American Duchess. Lauren is going with me on this cruise and I thought a Spencer with this bonnet would be great color scheme, however wrong time period for bonnet. I was hemming and hawing, do I make another bonnet? when? I kept thinking no will know on the cruise that it is not exactly the right bonnet - but I would know and that just bothers me. I'm sorta a stickler for the right silhouette. Then my daughter took the 1850's bonnet and plopped down on my head, put the ties in the back and Voila  -  Regency! Thanks Mar!



So here is the picture that Maridy took as I was trying on the Spencer and the hat. No proper undergarments or hair style, but you get the picture.






2 comments:

Donna Jeanne Koepp said...

So fun!! I wouldn't know the difference either, but I know what it's like to have to get it right. Love your work!

Lady Carolyn said...

Yep hung up on the silhouette - yet the Spencer jacket is a total cheat- but the correct silhouette :)