vivcore journal of power!

Frilly-oke

2009-06-30T13:26:36Z

Sunday some of the NoVa lolis saw off our friend kalisafish before she ran away to Norway for a month with an impromptu karaoke party!

The group!! (almost, a few boys are hiding).

The NoVa lolis singing in tune!...

The NoVa lolisdeny access to our organizer and party girl

We also want to take you to a Gay Bar...

plus it was really hot, so I got super shiny 0__0!Most people started off at a local Korean restaurant after which mmymoon and me arrived just in time for some shopping, and bing soo before the karaoke!

I've never done karaoke in my life before, it was sooooo much fun! I hope you have a safe trip Catherine and we'll see you when you get back!!!

Happy Birthday Mum!

2009-06-29T13:23:50Z

Because I can't get a card over to Turkey, here's a virtual one!

I hope it's a good one!

Tiny Tine

2009-06-24T15:07:29Z

Every once in a while someone unveils something on your kitchen table so awesome it takes about a week before you have the mental capacity to blog about it. A little back just such a thing happened!

My friend mmymoon came over with a birthday present of epic proportions, a tiny doll house version of myself, sewing room, kitties, everything! It even has little kanzashi in it, and the little "Vivien Blythe" is holding one of many model teacups scattered around the house! It's just like my life only tiny!

Upstairs we have a the sewing room complete with bookcase stuffed with fabric, dolls, more fabric, odd Japanese items, macaron!!!, and Torch has broken in!

Downstairs mmymoon has come over to visit, there is my chemise dress project, knotting, more tea!!!, cats and cat food. I was told there was a Dusty doll at some point, but he ran away before facing the real Dusty.

Spot the resemblance

One other cool thing is the doll house is the right size to be my doll's doll house, in a spooky "my dolly has a dolly which has a dolly" moment.

As an extra, she also brought these super awesome eggs of different colors!
In other exciting news, the first time in ages we don't go to our friends frozen custard shop on a Saturday afternoon, Obama shows up there!

That's enough pint sized fun for now, I'm going to get back to my life sized work.

Come take a walk with us

2009-06-12T22:58:41Z

We have 3 lovely new items available at Candy Violet!!

We have the new ultra versatile Victorian Promenade Dress Set, Victorian Promenade Skirt, and our long awaited Classic Bolero!! As well as these new items the Candy Violet website has a whole new look, and easier shopping interface. It's also much simpler now to fill your cart with items from both Candy Violet and Cute Salad at the same time.

Victorian promenade skirt

The new dress set can be worn so many different ways!!! (both photos are the same dress set)

Versatile all year round bolero .
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I hope you'll pardon our dust as we tidy up some cosmetic details over the next couple of days, and enjoy our new items and website!

International Loli Day 09

2009-06-08T16:42:25Z

Saturday was International Loli Day! All over the world lolita got together in their local towns in their best dresses, to hang out, have fun, and enjoy being a part of the world wide lolita community!kisei_prophet from the MD lolita organized a huge meet in DC for all the DC, MD, VA lolis, and we had a great sunny day in the city!

Every one together!

Frills and parasols took over DC!

We saw art!

And animals
It was amazing the number of people who wanted to get photos of us, or more often WITH us! So many people visit DC this time of year from all over the country, and even all over the world. Maybe we did a small part to show that there is more to our town the gray suits and senators?
Photos embezzled from tian_shi kisei_prophet and freakshownia )

New Atelier Section Now Open!

2009-06-01T21:02:43Z

For those who have been waiting...

The new Atelier section is now open over on Candy Violet!

Shoes and Ships and Sweets

2009-05-31T13:29:55Z

\We are back again from one of the best trips I've ever had. Seeing my family was as always really wonderful and much too short. We managed to pack an awful lot into the last few weeks, and with my smashing new camera Dusty bought for my birthday, I even took pictures this time!!!

One thing I love about visiting the motherland in the Spring and Summer over our usual Christmas trips, is that we spend a fair amount of most days walking my parents dogs, and on a sunny day the English countryside is beautiful!! (in the winter, mostly mud sadly)

We spent the 1st week of the trip close to home, went out into town a few times, and this time did a spot of touristy stuff with a trip round some of the Shakespeare's houses in Stratford

We go past them all the time, but this was the first time we went inside. the houses themselves weren't terribly big, but the gardens were spectacular!

Continuing on a Tudor Theme, we drove down to visit my sister in Portsmouth, they have a section of historic dockland with several impressive old ships, including the Mary Rose, which was Henry VIII favorite ship! They had been working in the 70's-80's at pulling up the preserved wreckage out of the sea, and for the past 10 years or so have been preserving the timbers by spraying them with a wax solution. It looks just like a ghost ship through the misty sprays in it's dark laboratory and viewing area. We were pretty lucky to see it, since it will be away from view to dry as of September for the next few years.

For those with a more 1700's early 1800's interest, they even have the HMS Victory, on which Admiral Nelson was shot, and the HMS Warrior which was the most feared ship in Queen Victoria's navy (The victory is the ship depicted on the buckle on the pink sash going up soon as part of the new atelier section too by the way!)

I probably took too many photos of these ships, but you wouldn't believe how amazing they are on board!

From ships we went over the next day to a wildlife park to see the otters, and all kind of other animals! there were even deer wandering around that you could pet. I made friends with a cute little doe called Dotty, who kept trying to eat my coat (Yum!)

Before we went to visit my sister she had told me tales of the Shake Away, a shop where just about anything can be blended into a milkshake. Fear was my first reaction, but after ordering a fairly tame Terry's Turkish Delight shake, I became a convert!!

I want to go back!!!!!

After Portsmouth was Paris!

We were staying right by the Arch de Triomphe and the Champs Elyisee, how cool is that!? The most dangerous aspect of this location was, it meant were were only about a 15min walk from Laduree, the patisserie that gave us all the pastries from the Marie Antoinette Movie, as well as the flavored macaron as we know and love it today!!

Before going I had promised myself some macarons, and one fo their spectacular St Honores. Rose and raspberry flavored, and just layer up on layer of awesome!! This pastry was pretty much worth the plane ticket alone!

My parents though we were mad to line up almost an hour for sweets, but were the biggest enablers for us going again to pick up a box of macarons to take back with us before we set off for the airport.

I need to learn how to make these so very badly! I'd had a few from other places, but they were never that great. These however are one of the most wonderful things I have ever eaten!

The big reason I had hoped to go to Paris over any where else in the world, was because of an exhibition on at Versailles right now Fastes de Court, dresses, suits, jewels and more from the most lavish 17th and 18th century courts in Europe, they even had the last remaining of Marie Antoinette's dresses! It was a dream come true to see it all, no photography allowed, but you can see some of the highlights on the Versailles Website.

The palace was packed, but all of it breathtaking!

We went on the day all the fountains run, which was a sight to behold! Every alleyway of trees reviled yet another spectacular water display, I was so happy we didn't miss them

I wore my dress i had made for the tip, almost wore something boring with comfy shoes, but as sad as it might sound, I was so glad to have been able to wear a pretty dress in one of the worlds most exravagant palaces.

Whilst Versailles was amazingly splended, I have to agree with Marie Antoinette and found the Petite Trianon to be the most magical place of all, it was so serine and beautiful.

I bought one of the Limoges reproductions of MA's traveling teacup (a birthday present to myself). Macarons and tea fit for a queen!

My Birthday proper was the Tuesday after we got back, I was able to see friends and family back in Yorkshire the day before, and the whole of "Birthday week" was topped off with a little teapot shaped cake, and a cupcake flavored with flowers!
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It really was the best birthday I've ever had, and the trip of a lifetime! I wasn't really ready to come home, and struggling to get back to life in this timezone again.
I have a ton of photos over on my Flickr for any one craving more gold and cherubs. I was sorry I couldn't update whilst I was there, but i think this is the first time I've had any real photos of any of our trips and adventures!

Blasting off in Style!

2009-05-09T18:55:34Z

Last year I wasn't able to go back to England, but tomorrow we're leaving for a big 3 week trip to visit my friends and family, along with a stop over in Paris for a few days in the middle! I'm so excited to see my sisters new place, in a new town, as well ( I hear there are also lots of big ships to see!)

The stores are now closed till we get back, we'll be re-opening May 29th, with new items on the heels of the trip for Candy Violet.

The last few weeks I've been putting together a few new clothes and accessories...

One of the items I've been most excited about was my new pirate shorts! I've had this denim for ages, and finally put it to good use! The little pin stripes are all in gold thread!

When in Paris Versailles is a must! I re-attacked the chemise a la reine project and came up with this much prettier number...

I was also working on a new hand fan! It has a large 18th century size and style again. this time it's embroidered all over with sequins, and has a small painting in the middle. Since it took a good amount of time and work ti finish, it has a little box to keep it safe in!

I've been putting together a few other "essentials" too, some new drawers (what loli can live without them?) and a few little headdresses.
Also as an early birthday present Dusty bought me a wonderful new camera! I'm going to take it every where this trip and hopefully be able to keep posting from England and France.

Right now I need to finish prepping for the trip, I'll post again soon!

Visions of Versailles

2009-04-30T23:07:21Z

We are getting ready to launch the new Atelier section on Candy Violet on June 1st! This new section will feature one of a kind clothing and accessories (more accessories than clothing) of a slightly more experimental nature, and items just too complicated to mass produce.

The first little collection "Visions of Versailles" features dresses and accessories inspired by portraits and contemporary depictions of the glamorous rococo ladies of that famous French court!

(dresses for this event are all a size medium)
I'm excited to be able to introduce some of my more historically stylized designs at last to Candy Violet. The price range will be higher than our usual offerings due to the laborious hand made and one of a kind nature of the items, though I hope fans of the style will support this new endeavor! The selection will change pretty drastically from update to update, dresses of Versailles one day, and who knows, maybe brooches and knotting shuttles the next. It's all about creativity and trying something different.

Cake and Flowers

2009-04-20T13:55:47Z

Food Service
Saturday was Dusty's birthday! I felt bad that I wasn't able to pull off everything I had planned, but hope that even though it wasn't all thrills, that he had a good day. My biggest challenge was to overcome my still meager baking skills to create a smashing cake from on or our English recipes, something he'd never had before!!!

The result was a coconut cake recipe, and it turned out surprisingly well! maybe I'll live to be the next Martha Stewart after all!

After that on Sunday was a birthday brunch, and we helped out our friend at one of her big Brat Nights over at the Dairy Godmother. The volume of people that passed through for bratwurst and sides was staggering! the line started forming and going down the block in the few minutes before we opened up the doors. Quite a weekend!
Sprout Watch!
My little flowers are going gangbusters now! The big apple blossom tree has bloomed, and nearly all my bulbs are flowering! (just waiting on you mini irises)

Apple blossom! just as we mourn the loss of the cherry blossoms, you spring to life!

Daffodils and narcissus finally made it!

More hyacinth!

Surprise violets! I vaguely remember planting these a few years back? So happy to see my favorite flowers in my own front garden!!!

Our front garden! It smells so wonderful when you walk up the steps, I love Spring!!!
Travel!
We're heading over for a long trip to England (motherland!) with a few days in Paris next month. Still trying to figure out what to see and do in Paris, any one here have some suggestions? So far macarons, Baby, and the Versailles costume exhibition, but not sure what else?

Gothic Architecture and Tea!

2009-04-09T21:30:48Z

Tea with friends
Yesterday was tea at the National Cathedral. I never get tired of looking around there, it's so amazing the work that wen't into ever inch of the building!

Of the 7 that were down as coming, 4 of us made it in the end, but even with the smaller group we had a great time!! This go around I printed out directions and pack binoculars so we could finally see the Darth Vader Grotesque (yup, Darth Vader in sculpted into the National Cathedral in DC) he's kinda hard to find, but now we know where he is!

There is a piece of moon rock in this one!

The tea that day was on a Cherry Blossom theme! we'd missed it last year so these year we booked well in advance! The tea room was decorated up with lot's of cute paper lanterns and flowers, and we ended up hanging out with the cherry blossom queen, she was too adorable!!

mmymoon

edgevictim

environ

Me!

Baked Goods!!

After we hunted down Darth Vader it was back to my house where time escaped us. We did learn that non of us turn into pumpkins after midnight, so that was nice!
Rococo Find
I've been on a bit of of a face patch kick lately, and found the perfect little trinket box at the Cathedral gift shop!

I already had the perfect mirror for it, so I was able to transform it into a patch box 18th century style, and finish up this month's Fancy Girl article! It's all about the language and rituals of face patches.

So that has been my latest adventure, today has been a work marathon, and going pretty well for a Thursday!

Home Again

2009-04-06T15:57:41Z

Sometimes it's amazing how busy things get, but it's much easier to jump into action now Spring is here!...
Louisiana Adventue
We went down to my husbands family farm in Louisiana for a few days last week. I love all the people we know down there and it was wonderful catching up and hanging out. We even painted a car port! (now if only we could find the same motivation with our own house?)

Some of the highlights was a vintage toy pig, who having lost his pepper shaker, now brings much laughter to the grown ups! baby owls!!!!!!! trampolining with Sage, a 12th century Buddha Statue, Family, Friends, CRAWFISH!!! and my kitten Fluffy One Point is all grown up! (he lost the top off his ear when he was very small somehow can you spot him?)

Sprout Watch
Last year I was excited to plant bulbs for the first time, and been on tenterhooks waiting for them to grow ever since. Now Spring's hit it's all about "Sprout Watch" at our house!!! I keep going out to see if they are getting any bigger every day. Right now we have some tulips in full bloom (as you can see), some hyacinths and daffodils just about ready to open, and a lot of other little ones keep popping up, though I don't really remember what's what any more?

Mardi Gras tulips in full bloom!

Almost a hyacinth, and some mystery sprouts!

Our Rose bush has started sprouting again too! I hope it will be as lovely as last year..

We don't have a huge garden, but what we have I love growing flowers in. on a sunny day it's nice to sit out by all my pretty flowers to read or sew etc.

Craft Sleuthing
Speaking of sewing! My on going knotting research might have turned up a few new finds! I think I might have unraveled once and for all the sugar plum knot! I really want to find a nice cheap chair along these lines to restore, and reupholsterr with some knotting embroidery as an homage to Mary Delany and her famous chair covers.

Working hard as always, it's been exciting lately which is always a treat. Looking forward to seeing the NoVa lolis for Cherry blossom tea this week as well. So that's me this last month, how've you been doing?

Live your Hair Dreams!

2009-03-11T16:48:25Z

I uploaded 2 tutorials today for those who dream of decorated, super big hair!

With cherry blossom Season right around the corner the only thing you need to go with your super Cute Salad outfit is kanzashi!! I've added a tsumami kanzashi tutorial to kanzashicore, there is also one on how to make a maiko style kanokodome from easy to find items!

As any lolita knows the best accessory, no matter your style is over the top hair! Since it's hard to sell that over at Candy Violet, I've added a "how to" on making a big Georgian style hair piece over at Fancy Girl. I hope a few people will use it to spice up their Candy Violet outfits!

Caraco Lady

2009-02-27T15:39:01Z

I got an amazing deal on some 18th century-tastic brocade in the end of year sales, and jumped on it! I was originally going to make a long dress, but when it came it was so heavy that the unfinished dress already weighed over 3lb, so I reworked the whole thing into a caraco style jacket!

This is the start of the dress, boy was it hard to move about in! I After taking off the skirt, I was able to make the caraco skirt and hat from left over fabric (with enough to make a few other things still left!) and have a full 2 yards currently without vocation. I think this is the biggest fabric consumption scale back I've ever encountered!

I added the fly fringe I made to the gauze ruffle, and a bit at the neckline too, when I first started going down the caraco route, I was afraid it would look too early, but i think the gauze and comperes front gave it that later look I love so much!

Since I have an huge amount of fabric left over I made a matching hat, and sash with a handmade buckle! I hand painted a cabochon for extra old world flare, and made the large swarovski crystal setting from scratch too.

I really wanted to get that big 1770's-1780's English look, so I made a big rococo puff hair pieces to blend with my hair. I think it's better for my hair, sanity and the environment to make these things once. It works pretty well, I just need to curl 4 pieces of my own hair and fix the back into a loop to finish off the do. It takes just a few minutes!'

This set looks great with just a regular loli petticoat, but for an all out day I made an new set of smaller more wearable panniers. These are so light, and fit through regular doors! I can make the bottom hoop smaller for a more subtle look if need be too which is a nice option to have.

I'm quite amazed looking at all of this together, I've been working on the project for over a month now, and never really saw how many pieces went into it till just now. I'm excited knowing it can be as all out as possible, but if I take out a few bits here and there I think it can look fairly daily life wearable too.

I learned a lot on this project, new wig making techniques, fly fringe and that I really can't wear a dress heavier than a bag of flour.

CUTE SALAD HOODIE SALE!!!

2009-02-23T18:53:52Z

We're having a sale on Jackets!!!! over at Cute Salad!!! Kimono Hoodies and Tiny Acorns!!

We will not be re-stocking these designs so this might be your last chance for our maiko inspired Kimono hoodies!!!

Custard and Frills

2009-02-23T01:48:52Z

Yesterday was a small get together with some of the local lolita, we went over to the Dairy Godmother, for frozen treats and fun!

It was great seeing every one as always, and my friend mmymoon came over for the first time too! We finally got round to swapping Xmas gifts, I was blown away by an adorable handmade necklace (soon to be poupeed) and a rocking new teacup set!

It has a great 18th century style pattern in relief that is so pretty in person, plus it's my first cup ever to go with my white outfits! I've been inspired now to collect dessert plates to go with all (or as many as possible) teacups. Fancy Girl here it comes!

Here's the gang! We dropped in at a few local shops, including the collectorama, a shop that sells comic book collectables and exotic plants! Today was more low key, just recharging ready for Monday.

Fly Fringe Tutorial

2009-02-18T14:28:01Z

Over the weekend I put together a little tutorial on how to make 18th century style fly fringe (or fly braid). You can read it over at Fancy Girl! I'm going to try get some prettier pictures for it later on I think though.

I've made a good 3.5 yards of as pretty little fly braid, and now having a hard time working it into my current project. My original plan for it just doesn't seem to set off the silky tufts very well, it's seems sad for them to look anything less than splendid after all that work that went into it.

Super close up!!.
I'm going to keep playing see what I can come up with, but I hope this info is useful to people!

Knife Wounds, Voodoo and Fashion

2009-02-11T18:36:18Z

The Disaster!
Last Wednesday was the grand finale of "Vivien's week of Curse!" I'd been cutting myself on on everything, scissors, embroidery, even paper!!! I was just thinking someone must have made a voodoo doll, when that evening I knocked a sharp kitchen knife onto my toe, and was house bound for a few days. It didn't look like much at first, but the cut was really deep (should have gone and got stitches, but Dusty had just cooked an amazing home made curry)

I've been tending to it, cleaning it 3 times a day etc, and I couldn't wear shoes, because they all messed with the cut. The only shoes I could wear by Saturday (maybe "can", I have to re-try sneakers) were these adorable but kinda ridiculous lolita shoes.

Lolita and Period fashion Musings
The result was Saturday, my first day of freedom, I decided to rock the full lolita! (anything less is disrespectful to the shoes!) Big blouse, big jumper, big headdress, and a saucy limp.

Of course it got a lot of attention as usual. Lots of people asked about what I was wearing, was it a costume? Was I in a dance troop? Was it cultural dress? etc. We all get it every time we go out in Lolita, but this time it got me thinking... I've been working on some outfits and put them away thinking "this is too much, I'll save this for a special event" or :" I don't know if the work is ready for a hat that tall again" but it seems the truth is, even in a bog standard lolita outfit, to the the rest of the world it's about as crazy and over the top as it gets. If I were to go out with a full length skirt and updated 18th century day wear on, or a small pannier, would it really be any weirder to the world at large than regular lolita street clothes?

It's funny how skewed our view of the world gets, I'm so used to seeing lolita that it doesn't even register on my "out there" scale, yet to the rest of the world, it's like fashion from Mars. It's amazing how easy it is to get desensitized to frills.

New knotting Suite

2009-02-05T21:14:51Z

My sweets Knotting shuttle is a little bit thick for my newest project, and I can't find my original one, so I made a new set of knotting accessories!

The shuttle is sturdier, and thinner than before. It has little cameos, roses, bows and tiny heart patches like ladies used to wear on their faces in it. I guess this one is a little saucier than the sweets!

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I got an embroidery machine at the end of last year, I thought this might be a good little project to test it out some more with. I'm quite happy with how the shuttles are turning out these days, I've improved my technique a bit and they seem to be handling pretty well these days! The brooch doesn't have much to do with the knotting, I just like accessories to match since it was as much about style as it was crafting!

18th Century Crafters and Craft!

2009-02-04T15:03:04Z

I had just finished Camilla when my new book arrived! Mrs Delany by R Brimley Johnson. It's an collection of letters and journals that form the autobiography of May Delany, a fascinating woman and famous crafter from the 18th century! I ran into this book whilst stalking (researching) knotting again.

An excerpt in which she talks of tufted knotting confirmed a link I had made between two subjects that had been bothering me for a while, the knotting of fringes mentioned in so many books after 1750, and Fly fringe a popular trim around that time. I'd come to the conclusion they were one and the same, but of course, there is no information on the technique to be found any where, soOo...I set too squinting at some photos of dresses from the MET and V&A museums, shuttle in hand, and finally unlocked the key to fly fringe! (my fellow rococophiles will know it, but it's a sort of tufty silk braid which looks a bit like tiny flowers, it was used to trim dresses etc)

I've been practicing with some rayon thread to get a better grasp of it, and with my silk floss that just arrived yesterday to try work out my big fly fringe project!

An example of fly fringe from the MET

This is some fringe made with the rayon thread, it lacks that fluff, but you can see it taking shape!

A small roughly knotted silk piece of fringe. I'm going to start working this design with my shuttle next, and hope to throw in some pink to liven it up a bit, you can see how it really fluffs out at the tufts so much better than the rayon!
After having disappeared for about 200 years, it's exciting to breath some new life into this craft and bring it back from the dead! I'm planning to update Fancy girl with a feature on this new found knotting soon.

The book is for more than knotting quotes by the way, Mrs Delany seems to have lived quite the life! I'm only a few pages in and it's already rather exciting! This edition was printed in 1925, and it has that lovely old book feel to it as an added bonus!

More Fancy!

2009-01-28T23:29:00Z

So one of my labors of love, the Fancy Girl site had been a little neglected as of late, I've had so many ideas, and just so little time to work on any of them.

I've been stealing a few moments here and there for it lately, and now there are updates! I've added a few of my new tea items, and, since a ladies book is kind of empty without fashion plates, I started a gallery of of styles from my growing 18th Century inspired wardrobe! I'm trying to make it like a book of period fashion plates so it's taking a bit of time, only a few up so far but I'm pretty happy with how its looking.

T_SHIRT SALE!

2009-01-27T21:29:49Z

Lot's of T-shirts on sale!

Cute Salad Kid's shirts have been reduced, and to celebrate our new casual skirts we have a big sale on Candy Violet T-Shirts, with $10 off most designs!

Second Chance at Candy Violet

2009-01-23T17:53:26Z

I have some good news for any one who has been looking for an XL in some of our old designs!

After end of year inventory, we turned up 4 items which were thought sold out. We have 1 each of the following items available in a size XL...
Blue dress set of cards, Cream classic dress set, Pink skirt of cards, and a blue classic skirt. You can place an order through our Second Chance page here.

Once these are gone that will be it, and there won't be any more second chances on any other of out sold out dress set items. I hope this is good news to a few people here!!
(This notice is up for all the great people who follow our progress through our forums, mailing list and blog, and not linked to from the site)

Paris Patisserie

2009-01-20T21:32:50Z

The 2nd and last skirt in the Candy in Paris line is Paris Patisserie over at Candy Violet! Cute candy striped cotton, and 5 color cake shop print. This is for anyone interested in the sweeter side of life!

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I hope you guys enjoy this as much as I know I'm going to!

Ready to Rococo!

2009-01-17T23:10:22Z

Next week is Dusty's works big party! This year and the last 2 it's been at the Ritz, and each time I make an evening dress, this year it's 18th century style! I took my inspiration from Jean-Honore Fragonard's the Stolen Kiss with a bit of an update a la Sophia Coppola's Marie Antoinette.

Lot's of tiny pleats and a brand new bum roll!

Here are some of the accessories I made special for the project...

Hair Corsage

Purse and neck corsage

A bracelet based on a pair in the Kyoto Costume Institute

I made this corset in 1 day! My stays were giving me trouble, and I had no time to make a whole new set, so... I took a Victorian pattern I've been wearing a lot, and altered it to be super straight. It lifts the bust and gives the straight cone shape needed for a dress like this, but i can put it on in 5 seconds, and it's so comfortable! (plus I can get a good 4-5 inch waist reduction out of it)

The back can be draped up poloinaise style too! I'm leaving it down though for a more modern look to the party.
So much work has gone into this outfit, and I'm feeling pretty happy with how it turned out. I'm going to make some long sleeves for it later to go underneath like in the painting later on. Who knows I might be able to wear it for daywear as well maybe!?

I can't wait to wear this next week!