Firstly, everyone who has voted that they'll join in, comment so I know who you are and can keep track. Secondly, post this around and link to the original post, to spread it around to as many people as you think could be interested.
Apparently we're the Filthy Victorians now, as coined by Amy. I really like this name. So it's sticking and screw you if you don't like it. I did some research yesterday to gather some things for us. firstly, the resources, and secondly some things we need to decide on.
Resources
Patterns:
Laughing Moon - all kinds of stuff, including bustles!
Unlinking: etsy is an excellent place to get 1800s fashion patterns.
Buying:
Discount Corsets ( UK, USA, Australia ) - corsets are expensive, but these are cheap, sturdy and effective. The outer fabric tends to rip a bit, but as we'll be wearing them under our clothes it doesn't really matter too much, we can just patch them up. The AU site has three for two sales.
Gallery Serpentine - expensive as hell, yes, but by far the best corsets. Can even pick up the occasional bits and pieces there that are period-correct (their widow skirts are very good for the 1880s-90s)
Lovechild Boudoir - Not the cheapest, or the most period correct in their original clothing, but their bustles are pretty good and as are their fishtail skirts (popular 1870-80). Their corsets are also worth a try and their caplettes are to DIE for.
Gentleman's Emporium - Victorian and Edwardian clothes, good quality and fair price for both men and women. Bonnets and swimwear are an important addition, I suggest buying from them.
Tutorials
So far, I've found this one, for a victorian skirt. Making it as soon as i can, and it's really simple!
Inspirations
Tim Burton's Sweeney Todd - set around 1885-ish, it is a good example of costume (except for Mrs. Lovett wearing her corset on the outside. what? everything else is spot on)
Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland - this film version also has good costumes (particularly alice's original dress - an excuse not to wear a corset), and the book was published in 1865 (the sequel in 1871), so it gives you a good idea of the culture and mannerisms of the time.
Tim Burton's....tim burton - Good examples can be found in most Burton movies of appropriate Victorian dress. :D
Terry Pratchett's Going Postal - this film is a BRILLIANT example of Victorian-era attire. Hogfather is more late-Victorian or early Edwardian, but still a good place to go. The novels also have a very Victorian feel. (Going Postal can be downloaded here, only 600MB and worth the watch)
Doctor Who - Whovians like myself have no doubt noticed that every planet outside of Earth is Neo-victorian. Seriously. Victorian, Neo-victorian or Steampunk. Go watch. We'll wait.
If you find more resources and tutorials, please email me the link at lilithxrequiem@aim.com and I will add them to a special link page (which I will probably make tomorrow).
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| To break up the word-monotony, here is a picture of Franky. He's a crankyfrank. |
What we need to decide on
-The perimeters. We have to decide if we are doing strictly the years Victoria was the Queen of the British Empire and Empress of India, Defender of the Faith and Head of the Church of England (sorry but that's a kickass title, and that was June 1837 until her death in January 1901), or if we will extend it a little further into the Edwardian era (say til 1905ish) to give us more leeway and also because there were so many blurred lines and it would mean the less learned and younger members would find it easier.
-How we'll organise the community. We have many options - a forum, a Facebook group (they have discussion boards) or an open blog community (maybe on livejournal).
-How many hours a week. Not everyone can do it 24/7 - I will - but we need to set a certain amount of hours per week need to be spent Victorian in order to qualify to be a full Filthy Victorian. Remember, if you can't dress up, you can still be a part, and share things with the community (perhaps we shall call you our Little Alices? please comment on this).
-if we are to have events. Certain days in the year to be spent in period-costume-period-costume. Hallowe'en will be fun this year, kiddies. ;3 Of course, I will try to organise any get-togethers from my end, but we'll see what comes to pass and how many people we amass.
What I want, first and foremost (other than to succeed!) is to create a community within the community, with a share of information, clothing and advice. i know I will gladly make corset covers and chemises for anyone willing to make petticoats.
Also, I wish to thank my good friend Bernadette, who, when this all came about the other day, offered to make me a Victorian-era riding outfit! eee! Thanks, Bernie! Also to my very own Granny Weatherwax, Magdalena, who shall do her darnedest to make me some about-the-house period correct dresses.
So thanks to the both of them for being so darling, and I will ask them for their best resources too!
Party on, goths, and let me know what you think
31 comments:
Well, I'm going to to do this, definitely not every day, but at least once a week, obviously more on holidays.
Halloween will be very fun this year. :D
I think I'm down with being a little Alice :) And that this all sounds real cool......
I will say though that if you want to......checking with etsy is good for corsets too. I know that lovechild has an etsy shop (or I believe they do) and many shops offer cheaper then their home page prices on etsy. They also give out coupon codes sometimes.
I think I'll be one of the little Alices too, I can't buy too much clothes, and my mum has to approve my clothes so...
Kim - so much fun. x3
Excerpts - Etsy corsets are okay, but you know, they're kind of expensive and if I'm going to pay $300 anyway I'd rather spend it on Gallery Serpentine, since I know their quality and they are very helpful.
Catherine - I should write you a note - "Catherine is exempt from clothing approval for the next 365 days. Sincerely, The Unadulterated Cat"
I should try and make some little tiaras for the little alices!
Just wanted to let you know I just LOVE your idea! Wish I could join in any way - but knowing myself (and my boss/job) I will never ever be able to do that. :(
Can I make a suggestion? What about (additional) monthly events for people like me? So I / we could join the fun at least once a month. ;)
Maybe not always with an outfit post but maybe with tutorials, reviews... you name it.
Sal
You can try ebay for cheaper corsets.
I'm going 24/7 Filthy Victorian. ;-)
I would prefer a forum to Facebook... I have *issues* with people in my home town and don't use sites like Facebook to make it difficult for them to contact me. I suppose I could just call myself the Filthy Victorian on Facebook?
Kitty- I just got an etsy corset for $130 USD and that includes shipping. Normally runns for $250 with a $6 shipping cost......I was just thinking that if you friended them on Facebook and then watched their shop many put them up for cheaper prices and give out coupon codes on Facebook :)
Sal - monthly events?! You're on, girl! And like I said, you can still be in on the community without doing 24/7
Ana - I was actually going to put period-correct cabaret and vaudeville outfits together, a la Moulin Rouge. XD Child outfits are a probably, especially for the younger and broker.
Amoo - We'll work it out. We could always have a forum and a facebook like page to attentionwhore ourselves out. We have til, like, October to get all our online things together. If you want to discuss it now then just drop me an email and we'll have a chat about it.
Excerpts - I'd have to talk to the growlithe about it. I am a poor little spinster cat, and the Green Fairy likes to call him my "sugar daddy" for a reason. Gosh, she's appalling isn't she? :P I would of course look to buy a few good-quality ones, but for the beginning, shithouse ones will do (since I can repair them as needed as they won't be outerwear)
Goodness it's nearly 4:30am...you guys really keep me up at night! Oh well, I wouldn't have it any other way! I am so glad you guys are excited about this. Ugh. I'm really going to have to make our Little Alices some haircomb tiaras! (with little feathers and other cuteries!)
Sorry. Deleted my comment (I'm new with this XD). For the people who want to know what I asked was something like this : "Does children and theatrical fashion count?" And I don't remember the rest. XD.
Yay you should...
I want to join! Too bad I can't... Can I spend the year as a Neo-Victorian? Does that count for something?
And with doctor who, they often go back to the times of big poofy gowns. Like when they met Queen Victoria herself (and a werewolf). I'm going to go ahead and assume most victorian goths list "Queen Victoria" as a style icon.
I really couldn't pull this off myself, but good luck to all! I love historical sewing. Lantern Moon is great but they are far from the only pattern company. My favorite source is this shop (http://stores.lostcoasthistorical.com/StoreFront.bok ) because they have all the pattern companies. Truly Victorian is probably the best brand; they are meticulous about historical accuracy. For anyone adventurous enough to try making a corset, Farthingale's has a ton of information, supplies, and books: http://www.farthingalesla.com/index.html
I am so excited to watch this challenge unfold!
Kitty- if your good with sewing things I have a pattern I found on line for how to make an underbust corset that can easily be modded into a overbust pattern.....or rather how to make your own pattern
Ana - don't worry too much. XD
Teresa - I really think you should go for like, American McGee's Alice aesthetic. That would rock unprecidented levels of hard.
Sabayon - thankyou! I will definitely attempt my own corset, for sure, but not yet. x3
Excerpts - Post it for sure, but the problem is that the supplies can be expensive. I'm going to make a second post to put up all your suggestions and links, for sure!
Sadly I can't sew for another two weeks or so - turns out I need glasses, have to wait for my prescription to come in before I can see a damn thing.
I had to google that, but... OMG THAT LOOKS SO FREAKING AWESOME! Alice in Wonderland with a blood covered apron, waving a knife around? Must have. Must have. Must have!!!
Now I need to figure out how to wear a blood splattered apron without getting locked in an asylum. (But if Emilie's there...)
You already know that I'm planning on joining, and I'm going to try to do it 24/7.
As for the time period, I believe that 1837-1901 covers a lot of different looks, so everyone should be able to find *something*.
If you want to go a little into the Edwardian era I think you should go all the way. It's only lasted 9 years. You technically wouldn't be a Filthy Victorian, though, you'd be a Filthy Edwardian.
One more thing: BLOOMER SUITS.
I like 'em. And they appear to be much easier to move around in, so I wanted to share.
Miss kitty-
Im in. :D Im starting my own blog here on blogger but its not up yet, but I think thats where ill be putting up the pictures im going to end up taking of it.
My comment seems to have disappeared? Does Blogger.com hate me or something?
Original comment went something like this: "Will be joining in for sure, though more like 12/5 than 24/7. And Would Western type attire be okay for the days when I don't feel like wearing a skirt? Calamity Jane-esque stuff, black canvas saddle seat pants, shirt and waistcoat with boots, basically."
Off to see if any of my comments on others' blogs have survived the random deleting.
E-group?
I want to participate, though it will be Neo-Victorian for me, as when summer comes, bloomers become shorts and I like my corsets on the outside(they're too expensive to not show off). Going Neo will also allow for more Steampunk and Lolita/Aristocratic styles. Hopefully you guys will do a forum or E-group as I'm not much of a blogger.
http://www.retroscopefashions.com/
is a great site for clothing as well as many of Heavy Red's designs.
I wanna join! I dunno how I'll go about doing it every day of the week but I'll certainly give it a shot and I've got a few months to plan and collect the wardrobe...how authentic are we being anyways? Will a victorian-esque look be ok even if its not full costume?
munin: sorry darling, but the "old west" style isn't Victorian. There are pants options, which I found on The Laughing Moon (sports attire) but American fashion isn't Victorian and can't be counted as such.
Amy+Gin: I think we should base it off forums, but have an E-group and facebook page as well, and of course our little blogmunity. Neo-Victorian I think we can allow, to some extent. We'll have to work this out on the forums
Ecogoth: We're going for aesthetic total accuracy. Obviously we can't have total accuracy, ie fabrics and sewing methods (just not possible). We will probably have a few steampunk/timetraveller events just for fun.
Just thought I'd mention some websites you can make for free.
Forumotion.com- A forum place. I liked this one when I was making a forum.
Chatzy.com- A chat room place.
Qhub.com- Q&A website, you can make it just a personal FAQ or you can make it a community where people can ask and get answers. (Though, the free account is only ten members, so I would suggest making a few people (like you and Amy) accounts, then making it so you don't have to be registered to ask a question)
Ok, so not Victorian Era, just UK Victorian? That puts a damper on most of my wardrobe. (This touches on the whole debate of what's fashion appropriate in the Steampunk/Neo Victorian community. Especially if, like me, you're of an ethnicity that is not white and would like to incorporate traditional clothing of that time.)
Maybe I'll just cross-dress then. :/
So it must be UK Victorian, and not of the Victorian Era? Major wardrobe restriction for me that way. (Most of the Old West clothing is the same clothes as those that people in the UK wore. I don't get why it is not "Victorian." They still took their cues from Victoria and Albert. Unless you wore traditional ethnic dress, which I could, being Hispanic, but that's a whole other debate in Steampunk/Ne Victorian circles.)
Basically, I was asking if I can cross-dress the days I don't want to wear a skirt. It is far more appealing to me than the "athletic" wear or Ms Bloomer's actual bloomers of the time.
Oooh, i didn't know you were Hispanic!
The clothing refered to as "victorian era" is European, not strictly British - all British designs were ripped from the French anyway (a war with france is traditional, a war with paris is unthinkable)
No worries, it's hard to tell over the internet, no? :P
So, I will probably cross dressing on the days it is too ridiculously hot here in Southern California for skirts and petticoats, or those days when I just don't want to deal with driving in them. At least one proper outfit a week, though, I can do until it starts to cool down. (I might have a sewing machine and patterns, at that point, too, even better!)
This is wonderful! I won't be able to go Victorian during the week because of my job, but weekends/evenings will work. I'll even sleep in a Victorian nightdress, which has been on my list for a while now to purchase.
Working will but a big dam on my efforts but I am 100% giving this a go.
I'm waiting for a package of Recollections goodies but while it's basic: still nothing I could wear at work. =/
Day off today so tried out my new bustle-pillow with my recently shorn jacket (Tis now a waistcoat!) and all the comments I got were good.
(Giansub captcha... Yes, I would like a giant sandwich.)
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