I picked up some tan wool last year and some burgundy silk and burgundy wool earlier this year. Now I am going to make a dress for myself. Originally, I wanted to make this dress:
But now I am looking for other options because I want to use the burgundy as a ruched trim. Here is one option that I found in La Mode Illustree May 1862:
The trim looks very straight forward and I love the collar and neck ribbon. My only questions are about the buttons, they look like they go all the way down the front of the dress; and the pocket. This is most likely a house dress.
I think I want to use the burgundy wool as trim and the burgundy silk as accessories, IE. silk belt, shawl, ribbons, etc.
10/16/2012 Update
I had enough tan wool to make both a simple coat sleeve dress and a fringed shawl. So now I have all of the burgundy silk and wool left for trimming and accessories. Honestly I can't imagine using the entire length of silk for accessories, nor the entire length of wool for trimming.
Since the dress is going to have a modified coat sleeve, there is room for a nice puffy sleeve under and a pagoda sleeve jacket over top. I am seriously considering making a jacket from the burgundy wool and trimming it with some gold silk left over from making my bonnet.
Here are some more ideas for the dress trim:
All three images are from La Mode Illustree Feb 1862
The first image is the most like the original inspiration at the top of this post. The second is nice but we are using that style for my daughters dress, so I will probably not be using it for my dress. The last image has two dresses and I like the bodice trim on the purple dress and the belt ribbon and sleeve jockey on the other.
Here is a jacket sleeve idea:
And here are other jacket ideas:
11/25/2012 Jacket Update
The burgundy wool as a jacket will not work. I made a muslin and 1 yard just isn't enough. So the jacket was made from some navy, tropical weight wool that I had. Here is the post for the jacket: http://jessicadeandesign.blogspot.com/2012/12/navy-wool-jacket.html. I added navy silk organza ties to my gold silk bonnet so the jacket, when done will still coordinate well with this dress. :D
6/8/2013 Dress Update
This dress will be made this summer for fall use. I am strongly leaning toward a dress with braces (or ribbon bretelles). Here is a wool dress with black velvet belt and buttons, open coat sleeves and self fabric braces that tuck under the belt and hang over the skirt. The hem and edges are decorated with black taffeta and velvet ribbons.
I'll have to look around some more to see what other decorative options there are for wool dresses with braces. I'd still like to be able to use the burgundy wool and silk somehow.
Update 6/11/2013
Here is a dress image that I found in Peterson's Magazine 1862.
The dress is trimmed with self fabric ruffles and braid.
Final Update ~ 3/10/2014
Well, this dress just wasn't meant to be. I was all ready to finish the bodice and can't find the fabric anywhere. I have a skirt and a shawl from this beautiful tropical weight wool and was sure that I also had enough for the bodice. However, it seems to be hiding from me, and doing a very good job of it.
