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Post by newtovintage on Jun 17, 2009 23:54:36 GMT -5
Hello ladies! I am new to the forum. I love what I have seen so far. I live in Ohio & our summers can get quite hot (over 100 degrees), but what is worse than the heat is the humidity. I can't stand the heat, but some of the places I go there is no AC, especially at some of the homes of my relatives. Basically, the long & short of all this is, I would appreciate all the advice, suggestions, photos, etc. that you could give me that would help me to wear accurate Regency clothing, without becoming overheated. Thank you for your time, Sarah
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Post by cosmoblue on Jun 18, 2009 1:27:34 GMT -5
Luckily I think the regency was quite convenient for warm weather because of all of the muslin. Muslin was rather light and %100 cotton. Also a handkerchief weight linen chemise/shift is very breathable. If you go with a short stay in linen and cotton twill or sateen you should be quite comfortable. Technically you should also have on a petticoat however it is not unheard of to go without one. You could actually go without a corset as well if you were to wear a bib front and have a small bust.
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Post by dawnluckham on Jun 18, 2009 8:28:02 GMT -5
Wearing Natural fibers is the key to comfortable summer dressing. It doesn’t hurt to cover up exposed skin either. I know this is counter to our modern way of thinking, but it really, really does make a difference.
On a personal level, when I switched all of my chemises to a handkerchief weight linen, I realized I was much, much more comfortable in the heat.
I wear: linen shift Cotton stays Cotton bodiced petticoat (which is on the list to be replaced by linen one day) Linen or cotton dress Silk and straw Hat to keep sun off my face and neck And linen elbow length mitts to keep my arms covered
I know that sounds like a lot of clothing but I can be comfortable in very, very hot weather in these layers of clothing. The linen absorbs and wicks away perspiration creating a sort of ‘natural air conditioning’. And shading your skin makes a lot of sense when you think about it.
As Cosmo said, the light weight fabrics in vogue during the Regency help as well. Airy, floaty. gauze-like weights of fabric are both fashionable and practical as well as pretty.
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Post by newtovintage on Jun 19, 2009 11:17:38 GMT -5
Are there any photos of the specific items you listed? Also, what type of shoes?
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Post by dawnluckham on Jun 19, 2009 12:34:57 GMT -5
Here are a few photos from a talk I presented some time ago: Here is my wide brimmed hat, a lady’s day cap I wear when not outdoors and my shoes. These are modern shoes with a bit of decorative painting on them. They look VERY much like originals, even have a slight upturn of the toe as occasionally seen in extent examples. The shoe style is appropriate for late 1790’s through 1810 and perhaps overlapping a bit to 1812, though by 1812 the point was beginning to be a bit more rounded. Somewhere on this site, I posted shots of shoes from the Bata Shoe Museum. These are two chemises or “shifts”. Both are made of linen. Over them are two styles of short stays. There are ALL KINDS of options for stays for this era. Short, long, busk, no busk, front opening, back opening, boned, corded, gusseted and gathered, the list goes on and on. You need to research styles and choose something that would suit you. To the right of the picture is my bodiced petticoat with a pair of pockets tied over them. I LOVE my pockets! The pockets are a bit of a hold-over from the 18th c. Depending on the dress, you may or may not be able to get away with wearing pockets. If your dresses are very slim fitting at the front and sides, and/or are made of a very lightweight or sheer fabric, the pockets may add bulk and they may show through. If however you have a few pleats to the sides of your dresses and you leave an opening at the sides to access pockets, you can wear them. It is documented that some women during the early 19th c. still wore pockets, though they were favoured less and fashionable women were carrying reticule bags. (These were also known as “ridicules” as it was so completely “ridiculous” to carry your pocket when it used to be so easy to be hands free with your pockets tied around your waist and under your gown.) And in this final image, you’ll have to excuse the cropped off head, but I had the most ridiculous look on my face!!! Here’s my linen striped bib front dress worn with a very fine cotton lawn chemisette to fill in the neckline and my linen mitts to cover my arms. This was a very hot day and I was perfectly comfortable.
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Post by newtovintage on Jul 10, 2009 12:17:33 GMT -5
In a usual wardrobe, how many of each of the items would a woman have?
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Post by dawnluckham on Jul 11, 2009 21:15:01 GMT -5
I replied to your question on the Sense and Sensibility board. In short - there is no answer... sorry.
You should look for inventory lists of death and marriage – trousseau and dowry and wills if you want a specific number for a specific person.
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Post by newtovintage on Jul 15, 2009 12:06:00 GMT -5
Firstly, thank you for your responses, both here & on the Sense & Sensibility board. Secondly, what do you use for stockings? Do you make your own or is there a certain place you can buy them? God bless, Sarah
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Post by dawnluckham on Jul 15, 2009 13:11:11 GMT -5
I don’t know if you’re in the States or Canada, but Sioux Spencer in Ontario www.spencersmercantile.com/ sells silk stockings from her shop (I don’t see them listed on line, but if you contact her I’m sure you can get more info. In the States, I know Smoke and Fire sells the same silk stockings. They also sell cotton and maybe wool. www.smoke-fire.com/
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Post by Anna on Jul 15, 2009 18:37:33 GMT -5
Jas Townsend sells cotton, wool, and silk stockings. I drool after their silk stockings.
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