1860 ball gown

May - September 2017

Inspired by a Sissi painting

my final sketch

After visiting Vienna for a few days, I got really inspired by some of the beautiful portraits of Empress Sissi. I also wanted to make a dress for a 19th century themed event later that year, so I decided to combine those two ideas and make an 1860 ball gown. I also got some inspiration from the TV series “Victoria” and the movie “the young Victoria” both about queen Victoria.

I started this dress in May 2017 and finished it in September, only a few days before the event. I drafted the pattern myself using the “creating historical clothes” book by Elizabeth Friendship.

Elisabeth of Austria by Franz Xaver Winterhalter

To create the 1860 silhouette I made a crinoline using the TV103 Truly Victorian Sewing Pattern. I used metal boning for the crinoline to make sure the skirt would keep its shape, and it really did its job, but I have to add that this dress is by far the heaviest thing I have ever worn!

crinoline with metal boning

The dress is made out of heavy pink fabric with a very light flower print, which gives it some texture. The top layer of the skirt and the sleeves are made of white chiffon. The dress is also decorated with white lace, pearls and some fake pink roses.

white tulle undershirt

To go on top of the crinoline, I made an underskirt out of white tulle and organza to make sure that you can't see the crinoline through the actual skirt.

first try out of my pattern

Last but not least I made some accessories to go with the dress. On one of Sissi portraits she is carrying a very light scarf around her arms, so I made a similar scarf out of the white chiffon and decorated it with the white lace and pearls. I also found and old umbrella in our basement that I wanted to use but the fabric looked terrible, so I took it off and used it as a pattern to cover up the umbrella with the pink fabric from the dress. I used some of the white fabric to decorate the edges and I had a new, matching umbrella for my dress.

I thought that this costume needed some extra sparkle so I added some jewellery. The jewellery I wore with this dress is actually a replica of Sissi jewellery that I bought when I was in Vienna.

I also used this costume for one of my art projects at school. The theme was based around "the passing of time", so I decided that this was the perfect occasion to use one of my historical dresses. In the end I used a photo from my dress and replaced the background paintings with modern photos of myself.