I have this pattern; picked it up at the latest $1.99 sale. The blouse/vest is faux and attached somehow to the jacket. For a commercial pattern, the style and cut of the jacket is pretty impressive. But you gotta be tall to pull off that mid 1890's look! The skirt is a bit weird in the picture. I haven't looked at the actual pattern pieces, but from the look of the skirt on the model, the possibility is 1)the proper petticoats and little bustle pad aren't being worn underneath and/or 2) the skirt is of too lightweight a fabric and not lined or interlined sufficiently to hold both the shape and the trimming.
I believe the intent of the pattern is for stage production and or for turn-of-the-century celebrations many towns and cities hold in the summer. It is probably a replacement for an older Simplicity pattern that was a kind of 1898-1901 Belle Epoque style. There were three views: two blouse/skirt combinationations and a nautical top and skirt. I am hoping to see some new patterns from Martha McCain in the Simplicity collection, or something really 18th c, Directorie, or Regency in cut. Since the "Titanic" craze is done and Martha McCain covered the Civil War era so well, I'd like to see more authentic patterns for other eras made for a wider audience. Some of the current "RenFaire" type offerings can be altered to a more authentic cut, for those of us without in person access to shops carrying authentic patterns and fabrics--and when you are choosing patterns and fabrics, there are times when you need to look at the patterns, and handle fabrics and trims, not depend on the 'Net. McCalls and Butterick are due for their summer pattern books, so they might have some offerings as well. Cindy Abel _______________________________________________ h-costume mailing list [email protected] http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
