Zeffirelli - Noi Siamo Zingarelle

Well, here are the gypsies that started it all. By which I mean, the party scene that convinced me that we need gypsies. If you haven't seen the Zeffirelli film of La Traviata, go do so. It is beautiful and dramatic and romantic and tragic and all things lovely. But mostly, check out the scene with the gypsies.

By the way, any matadors that want to come to the ball are also totally welcome. Bring it on.

Event Announcement - La Traviata Ball

Once upon a time, I decided that something was missing. Yes, our balls are beautiful. Yes, we have high standards for historical accuracy. Yes, they are the best and most affordable fairy tale experience available in the area. But I knew something was missing.

Gypsies. In the words of Blackadder, hot dancing gypsies. I was watching a lovely version of La Traviata and got to the party scene where gypsies descend, singing "Noi Siamo Zingarelle." Gypsies know how to party. The took a beautiful, extravagant ball, and made it wild.

So make sure to keep April 30 free! If Returning Heroes had too strict a dress code for you, pull out your best gypsy gear and come visit! Or recycle your 1860s ballgown from the last ball. Or just show up! This ball is going to be spectacular. Hope you are ready for:

La Traviata Ball

Saturday, April 30, 2011
8 to 11 pm

Berlin’s 1870 Town Hall
Berlin, MA

As usual, more details are available at the Commonwealth Vintage Dancers website (here), and questions can be directed to query@vintagedancers.org.

Modes Revolutionnaires, Paris, Sept. 1789

How fun! I've been going through a big Scarlet Pimpernel phase, and reading a book about fashion in the french revolution. In honor of that, I bring you this very cool plate courteosy of the New York Public Library.

Edwardian Garters

First of all, she is so cute! I love Edwardian underwear. More importantly, this is an interesting opportunity to see how you wear your drawers or combination, while also taking advantage of those beautiful garters hanging off of so many Edwardian corsets. You just bunch them up a little and go with it.

Pre-Regency Jumper, Countess du Barry 1789

Apparently I have a regency jumper obsession. There aren't that many examples, but I'm finding them really interesting. Here is an example of what sure looks like a jumper, though the painting dates pretty early (1789). It is a Le Brun painting of the Countess du Barry, and I'm sure it is meant to be all artistic and drapey rather than really fashionable or a record of good every-day wear. On the other hand, if you think about the timing, fashions really were getting kind of relaxed and drapey and artistic. So interpret it as you will, but I think it is rather pretty, and it is interesting to wonder how common jumpers were and when.

March of the Emperors

Do you remember when March of the Penguins came out? Well, this is a very old but very hilarious french advertisement from approximately then. So hilarious that, even now, I remember it fondly. Enjoy.

My Dress for Returning Heroes - Mrs. C W Stoughton

A while ago I made a dress vaguely inspired by the very famous Winterhalter painting of Empress Elizabeth of Austria (or "Sisi" as she is less formally known). Mostly I found gauzy white fabric with sparkly gold stars and couldn't resist it. Add to that a lucky chunk of cream silk at a good price, and we were in business. At some point I found a painting of Mrs. C W Stoughton, who was not an empress (just like me!), but who had a strikingly similar dress. Yay! I always love finding more inspiration and justification.Sisi was famous for wearing precious diamond encrusted stars in her hair. This is certainly a look, if you can afford it. As I have mentioned once already, I am not an empress. On the other hand, Mrs. Stoughton's approach really spoke to me. The morning of the ball, I decided to throw together a black velvet diadem for my single Sisi star. Next time I am in Vienna I will have to invest in some graduated sizes to further match the Stoughton solution.
I cut buckram into a shape. I bent wire to match it. Then I tacked the wire to the buckram, forming a ring for my head. I wrapped the back of the ring in black (in fact, I used some junky lace because it wrapped better than wide ribbon, and that is what was on hand - remember, I mentioned that this was mere hours before the ball). Then I cut some little chunks of velvet (note to self - next time cut the velvet while the buckram is still a 2 dimensional template), and sewed them on (by hand, in the car). Ta dah! A last minute solution, with no glue-gun in sight! Oh, and of course I tacked on my sparkly star hair barrette.
I've never attempted this sort of loose hair style before, but I thought I would go for it for the sake of being different. In fact, I don't think I like it, but you need to try these things out to know, don't you? Here is the full effect.
And, because it is important, here is a picture of my family.

Sights from Returning Heroes 2011

I am so slow when I have to use actual pictures from events. Sorry. The ball was lovely, and I had so much fun meeting and talking to some truly wonderful people. It was a very nice evening indeed. Enjoy some pretty pictures of people dancing. Tomorrow I will go into the details of my outfit, but today I don't feel competent to explain anything. Look - a rare picture of me actually dancing!

My Royal Regency Jumper

That's me, admiring the Prince of Wales! Too cool! This weekend we went to the Museum of Fine arts to look at the new Art of the Americas wing. I got to see lots of pretty paintings, and even a fabulous dress. I also got a chance to debut the new dress I made last week. It is inspired by Princess Charlotte's Russian jumper, though not by any means a direct copy. Mostly I was inspired to make a light blue, silk-like jumper with gold scalloped trim around the arm and neck holes and in two stripes down the front. Hers was made in two pieces, mine is just one. Hers has some kind of buttons decoratively down the middle, mine does not. Her back is very curiously shaped, but I did not bother with that sort of thing. I feel like it looks really wrinkly in these pictures, which is too bad, but it was still nice. Wow, I sound too negative, but don't mean to be - let's try again. This dress is really cool and pretty and sparkly and I feel like a princess!
For comparison, here is Princess Charlotte:
I also added a "spencer" for traveling (it was cold and snowy!). Actually, this is a great example of cheating by wearing a modern garment with the right lines for the period. Actually, I had to pin up the weird tail of the jacket in the back, but I think it looks pretty good, and was otherwise pretty similar in idea to a real regency spencer.
I should have gotten more group shots, but I failed. Mostly, I have pictures of me with my little sister, because she was also wearing a regency dress and we are super cute. Here are a couple other pictures too, of my mother (she did 1860s with a white cotton with red sprigs dress), and Katy Bishop (who wore a fabulous pink 1880s dress).

Event Announcements - Returning Heroes Ball

The time has come! The biggest ball of the season! This is the closest you can really get to time traveling - imagine a room full of people, doing dances of the 1860s, with appropriate clothes and refreshments, all in the absolutely lovely setting of the Holliston Town Hall. It does not get better than that. Clear your Saturday, go make a reservation, and I will see you there!

RETURNING
HEROES BALL
an 1860's GRAND BALL

SATURDAY
MARCH 5^th, 2011
dancing is 8 to 11 pm
Ballroom Doors open at 7:30 pm

Free Dance Workshop 3 to 5 pm
at the Holliston Town Hall
703 Washington Street, Holliston, MA

Live Music by The fine Musicians of
Spare Parts
William Matthiessen, Elizabeth Stell
and Frank Orsini

Precepting by Barbara Pugliese

ADMISSION
Adult $30
Students (with id) $15

(There is a $5 surcharge if you do not pre-register, so get to it now!)