A long overdue post on a rather splendid ball we attended in London, in December.

The Buttercup Ball was organized by Stuart Marsden ( the dance master for our  Victorian ball  last year – and this year’s edition too!) and was held in a lovely location of Normansfield Theatre.

The theme was Gilbert and Sullivan – so a lot of suitably theatrical attires were in evidence,  from very elaborate to very simple.

The night before a workshop was held where we practised  our steps, and had the first  glimpse of the location.

For this occasion I wore my 1883 grape dress –  and let me tell you, it wasn’t an easy thing! Since we arrived late at the hotel, we had a very limited time to eat before the workshop. Pizza Hut time.. A mistake – especially if one has to wear a corset  straight after. Here is my corset on just after the meal, and 10 minutes later photo:

Necessity is the mother of invention – and so I discovered it is much faster to button up your bodice using the button hook usually reserved for the boots!

Still, the energetic dancing dealt with the heavy feeling after the pizza swiftly, and the workshop went very well.

For the ball itself, I settled on a circa 1895 evening gown. I had been hoarding that particular silk for quite some time, and the pattern seemed just right. Plus, it looked simple.

Well, at least the skirt was – I used the Ripple skirt pattern I used for my wool skirt the year before , and it worked a treat.

construction techniques…

adding a tape to the hem to reinforce it.

The bodice  looked simple – but it wasn’t. I paired the silk  damask with a gray silk velvet, loosely basing the bodice on this existing gown from the MET

  The front has a few layers that have to work together – but to cut a long story short, the bodice fastens in front with hooks and eyes, as well as a buckle.  Am very pleased with the final result, although some bad language occurred while hand stitching the slippery velvet…

And so, the gown was all I wanted it to be – light, comfortable, and perfect to dance in.  The skirts don’t have a train to tread and stumble over, the bodice is hugging closely but breathes well, and the big sleeves mean I have a full range of movement –  ideal for dancing!

And dance we did – it was a super evening full of mirth and excellent music:-)

A few more photos from the event – no doubt you will recognize a few faces from our own ball

as you can see lots of fun was had….

And I was sorry to take off my 1895 finery – I even got to wear the winter coat i made the previous year:-)

Needless to say, I am insanely excited about our own Victorian ball this May – just a few weeks away. With a crinoline sub-theme, it will no doubt mean there will be some big skirts around! I will report on who wore what after the event….

You are a creative person and would like to run a creative business full time.  You have read the success stories, you have chatted to friends, and everything looks peachy – so you are leaving your mundane day-job and are launching a full blown craft based business. Well, before you do, there are a few things that you might wish to consider.

We have all seen the success stories in the magazines and on the telly, we have followed other crafty businesses on FB and Twitter. You see the heroes working hard and achieving their dream job, earning a reasonable income (or more) by doing what they love best.  Yes, we know it was hard, but they made it – So why not you, too?

The hard truth is that this is only a part of the whole picture. What you are not being told, or shown, is the fact that for every success story, there are quite a few failures. This can set people up with some very unrealistic expectations – ‘everybody’ is doing it and succeeding, so you fully expect  to do so too. However, the failure stories are just as important as the success ones – perhaps even more so.
These failed attempts not only make you aware of mistakes other people have made on their journey, (which you can learn from without suffering the cost to your own hide of experiencing them personally), but they also create a more realistic mind-set.
Knowing that not everybody makes it immediately and that many small creative businesses fail can make you more cautious in your approach and, hopefully, ensure that you plan better.
It will also help when you yourself run up against obstacles and encounter difficulties with your plans. You will know that in failing, you are not alone.  And if you fail – well, that is not the end of the world, and it doesn’t have to be the end of your dreams either. You will make mistakes, and you can learn from them – mistakes are valuable lessons!
Also, ironically,  accepting this fact can make you braver in some respects.  You know you are taking a gamble – you will give it your best, but you also know that if and when your best is not enough, it is not a disaster. You simply need to try again, with a different approach, or change your concept and adapt.

As a person running a craft-based full-time business, I have been approached many times by people hoping to start up, (you can read some basic advice on that here), and have followed their development, successes, and yes, many, many failures. The ones who fail at some point would often feel devastated – ‘Everybody is doing ok, only I seem to have any problems, what is wrong with me?’ I just cannot imagine how disheartening that feeling could be to a person – But if you know that you are not alone, and what you are experiencing is absolutely normal, it is much easier to get your wits together, rethink your business plan, practice and improve your skills, change priorities and succeed – even if the success turns out to be quite a different set up to what you had originally imagined.

So Dream Big – but plan realistically, or ‘Hope for the Best, and Plan for the Worst’, as they say…

dreaming big….

The most important thing I have noticed over the last decade or so of running my own business and interacting with other craft-based companies is that this path is not for everybody.
Unless you have some good capital to start with, you will not simply be making lovely things all the time, and thus earning your living.  You may be a fantastic dressmaker, shoemaker, jeweller, or whatever, but if you are starting solo, you will also need to be a good businessperson in charge of marketing, finances, stock control, public relations, research, IT, advertising, sales, supplies, trading, bookkeeping… the list goes on.
Some people take to all that straight away, some people gradually learn and do whatever is required, some hire professionals to do it for them, (not always an option for a start up). It is not necessarily difficult, but  it is mundane, often boring and frequently time consuming. In particular, all these other jobs will eat away at the time you want to be spending doing what you actually love.

Indeed, the stress connected with keeping your business afloat has even made people come to hate what they were doing. For instance, if you like making elaborate hats and find out that to in order for your business to survive you need actually to make the boring, basic models again and again, this can seriously affect your own romance with your craft.
I had to slog through a few years of just making basic Viking tunics, medieval hose and shirts – boring, soul destroying work which I hated – but  it kept the business going and it helped me to grow my customer base.

Now, 8 years on from starting Prior Attire, I am booked at least half a year in advance, and I am at liberty to choose which commissions I want to make, but I believe I wouldn’t have gotten to this point if it hadn’t been for all those years of making basics.
If you are prepared for that – great; if not, you would likely be much happier having a separate, more reliable main source of income and keeping your craft as a part-time business or paying hobby.

repetitive work – sometimes it is not as bad as it sounds!

Taking all that into consideration, you may actually discover that a part time business may be a better idea, at least to start with. I chose this route, gradually diminishing my college teaching workload over 4 years, going from full time to 0.8, then 0.5 and then finally, once I have gathered a sturdy client base and a sound reputation, I quit my college job for good.
Would I have succeeded if I had quit it straight away? To be honest, I doubt it.  I had to cover my bills, rent, food etc, and I know now that I would not have been able to do so.
If you have a capital to provide you with some financial security, or your family or partner can support you while you are growing your business, the decision is certainly easier with such a safety net. Incidentally, I find that what many of the success stories you read about do not tell you is that the person running the creative business has precisely such a backup available – As I do now as well, since I married and can count on my hubby supporting me in case my business backfires. But even then, don’t take everything for granted – in the last 3 years my husband has lost 2 jobs with periods of unemployment when I was the only breadwinner – not for long, but those months were rather scary and made me aware how important it is to have financial security and a business that will provide it.

Speaking of money – often even successful businesses are not rolling in it… rarely is a craft-based business a miracle money-spinner! If it happens to you, and you launch a unique product in huge demand, then fantastic.  But since most of us operate in a rather specialist economic niche, becoming a millionaire ‘the easy way’ simply doesn’t exist here.
Is possible to make a living? Often, yes. Riches – not necessarily.
I earn enough to provide me with a decent living, pay for holidays, hobbies, sports – and of course more silk! Could I make more if I hired staff and turned my business in to a bigger company? Most likely – but I am simply not interested in mass production and dealing with employees, at least not in the moment. To be honest, most craftspeople are not there to make a fortune anyway.  We make stuff because we love it

Maybe not rolling in it, but rolling in my investment here…..

And so, having said all that, what advice I can offer to those of you who want to take the plunge and launch creative business?
In a simple, no-bullshit sort of way, I submit the following:

• Phase it in. Don’t quit your day job until you are sure (i.e. have evidence) that your business can support you and your family.
• Do your homework and do your market research – Is there a demand for your product? Can those who will want it also afford to buy it?
• Practice – if you have never made a corset before and dream of starting a corsetry based business, wait a few years and concentrate on making samples and examples, on studying and learning. It will be time well spent! And no, making 2 does not count – make 20, 50 or more. You can always sell those early samples and prototypes more cheaply later on.

• Follow other artisans and their businesses and learn  from the way they operate. Volunteer for internship or work experience in the sector you are plan to be working in. This will also give you some basic understanding of what is in demand –  if you suddenly see your favourite millinery business trying to raise funds on kickstarter to save them from bankruptcy, it may mean that the market for that particular product is already saturated (or that they do not have a sustainable business model, despite a quality product). Don’t judge too harshly though – “shit happens” and sometimes crowdfunding can help in dire circumstances.
• Speaking of which – it may be tempting to use crowdfunding to help you start the business. I have seen companies doing just this, and some succeeded, some didn’t, so there is no saying really. I personally think that it works better once you are already established and have a higher reach of backers.
  Also, having a project funded this way could lull you into a sense of false financial security, if you are not careful. I see these methods as a last resort, but that is my personal opinion, many businesses have used them to good advantage and have used the funds generated wisely.
• Read up on legal requirements for new businesses. You will have to register yours and comply with a few basic rules – in the UK there is lots of information to be found on the HMRC website and similar, (links below).
• Many councils run free courses for start-ups and offer grants as well – do your research those options. Attending a course on tax matters like Self Assessment, basic book keeping, basic website management or stock control may sound boring, but you will be glad that you did, they are essential for any business – and since they are usually free, you are only investing your time.
• On which note – Invest your time and resources wisely. Make sure that you are using quality products and spend your time on acquiring solid skills that will serve you well in the future.
• We live in a blessed time when you can learn a great deal from the many resources online, but not everything. So invest in tuition – go on a corsetry course or two if that’s your passion, or attend an embroidery workshop, a quilting group or just plain ‘how to get best from your machine’ lesson. Be careful here, however – always check the credentials of the tutors; if possible go by personal recommendation and ideally ask previous students.
  There are all kinds of courses, from dressmaking to business management, cake decoration to web design and some are run by people with limited experience and lack of formal qualifications. Since essentially anybody can run them, you often get a case of ‘those who can, do; those who cannot, teach’ – or the other way round – there are people who are fantastic craftsmen but cannot teach for toffee… so before you spend a grand or two on a course promising everything and delivering little, do check them out first.
  Word of mouth is a wonderful thing – do ask previous attendees before you part with your hard-earned cash!
• Learn patience. Accept from the start that it will take a few years to grow. Take it easy, take it steady and enjoy the process. Accept that there will be ups and downs, and be prepared to deal with misfortunes and temporary setbacks. Learn from them!
• If you are making stuff, learn to make your items fast – but do not sacrifice on quality.(a post on sewing fast here).
  You may have to compromise between your desire to create immaculately hand-stitched items and the time and purse strings of your customers. For me the compromise was to offer a choice of both bespoke services, (with a range of options available), and off-the-peg items. ( more on that here )

• Prepare to put in some decent, old fashioned hard work. Self-discipline is essential – lots of people after quitting their jobs find that they make poorer use of their time than when they had less of it. Where there is more time to procrastinate, people invariably do so!
• Plan your workload and learn to deal with time management issues (post here)
• Keep records – bookkeeping is relatively straightforward nowadays, there are lots of software providers that will make it a breeze – I use Xero and love it.
• Use contracts – ALWAYS! It will save everyone a lot of grief (more on that here)
• Get your pricing right. Too low, and you are setting yourself up to fail. Too high – and the same may happen as there are not enough people able to afford your product – especially true if you are in a very specific niche.
• Marketing and advertising – set up a website, use social media. Set up FB pages, Instagram accounts etc, and post good quality content that will be spread by your followers. Learn the algorithms and use that knowledge to your advantage. It sounds silly, but nowadays a lot of my business comes through Facebook – social media are also great to get in touch with not only other professionals but also your potential client base. Don’t spent ages on the laptop though –  there are apps now that will let you share one post/photo etc across all your social media at once or spread them out over a specific time period.
• Make your business sustainable – keep a close eye on sales, income, expenses. At best you need to break even over the first year (unless you invest a lot and/or  can afford to make a loss if you have other income sources), but if your business doesn’t start to pay for itself and does not bring profit, it is by definition not a sustainable situation. In such cases, identify what is not working and change your approach – flexibility is de rigeur!
• Experiment with different options – I had a brief dalliance with steampunk and a bridal couture service, which although they worked well, made me realise that what I want to do most is historical stuff.  I still take a couple of bridal commissions a year, but focus my efforts and business on what I enjoy most.

• If the business is collapsing no matter what you do, then cut your losses early and get out before you are hugely I debt. ‘Fail Fast and Learn‘.
  Lots of people realise that full time is not for them and find similar work in other craft companies, or set up an alternative business, (like running a website, coaching, alteration services, running a craft shop, etc), that will enable you to both survive and still enjoy being creative as a hobby. Many people who have failed at running a dressmaking or jewellery or millinery business, (or any of many others) flourish  working  in theatre, museum or bridal shop environments – They can make stuff and enjoy it without having to put up with all the admin, taxes etc.
  Remember – there is no shame in being a hobbyist – and there is no shame in trying and failing either.

• Network well. chat to fellow costumers, creatives, join fora and Facebook groups  etc. Make friends  and support each other – you may be able to trade services too – I often barter with other folks, usually with jewellers, shoemakers, photographers etc.   A well established creative network can not only provide support but also  help out in finding work. I often recommend other costumers or corset makers when I have no spaces for another orders – and they return  the favour.   Another craft person in your niche  is a competition – but make it a healthy one. Competition is good, it drives improvement and makes for a healthy market of quality goods and services, so work with other folks, it will pay off! Plus, you may end up finding a good friend!

having fun working together at our regular stitch and bitch session…

Links – since I am based in the UK, they mostly UK links – but I bet your own country has a similar support for start ups as well!:

Running a business:

*Starting a business guide –  great introduction to all the necessary steps. Amazing, detailed and free – helped me a lot!

https://www.gov.uk/starting-up-a-business/start-with-an-idea

*another lovely site with lots of information and support  including mentoring, business tools, instructions on how to register, plan, and develop your business

http://www.greatbusiness.gov.uk/

* Great expenses guide , put simply and clearly – a must to understand what you can and cannot claim

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/courses/SYOB3/syob_3_exps/html/syob_3_exps_menu.html

* list of approved accounting software providers ( UK) – here 

• website developer with online shop I use and recommend – Create

• a great book with excellent and comprehensive business advice

http://www.craftacreativebusiness.co.uk/

Courses

Your local college: I admit I tend to avoid college run courses – I worked in a college and experienced some low quality courses first hand – but again, you may be lucky and actually happen on a brilliant one, so check first!:

a good selection here – http://www.craftcourses.com/

  local craft centres –  do check our, there are often superb courses ran by haberdashery shops, craft centres etc, my local one is here: http://www.tudorrosepatchwork.co.uk/

*super corsetry courses: http://www.schoolofcorsetry.com/

*historical sewing: http://theschoolofhistoricaldress.org.uk/

*historical costuming: on-line courses and workshops http://historicalsewing.com/ –

*haberdashery and button making – Gina B 

The list is just a start – if you know of others and can recommend them, do let me know and I will add them on – hopefully it can be turned into a comprehensive resource.

Happy crafting ( and marketing, and bookkeeping, and researching……😉 !

Well, I  thought our previous event at the venue was a blast – but  this year it was even better!

After a year of preparations, marketing, meetings, sales, dealing with emergencies and unplanned changes, sewing and general organisational madness,  the weekend finally arrived and it was amazing!

We had a subtheme of crinoline and  huge majority  of the ladies went for it The size of the skirts meant we had to limit the amount of tickets, but at least we had space to move, to sit and to eat – although some of the dances were a bit squashed still – the first polonaise and the Spanish waltz were rather cosy and it was truly a miracle seeing all the big gowns  come into play.

But let us start at the beginning….

As organizers, and to have everything  under control, we arrived  on the eve of the event, staying with a friend in a rented apartment on the Circus – very convenient as we could see the Assembly Rooms from our windows!

The morning was spent productively – I had some bonnets and shoes to decorate, and we also had a visitor – Sherri from Farthingale Historical Hats popped round with a stock of gloves and parasols, so we had a browse and made our purchases.

As always, the dance  workshop  took place first.  The workshops are always a good idea as you familiarise yourself not only with the steps, but also with other people – and I was glad to see lots of folks from the previous ball – as well as many new faces. Covering some figures and a few dances at the workshop gave us more confidence at the ball, and accounted for a much more relaxed atmosphere.

Also, practising how to move in crinoline was essential ( a short movie on how to move in one is here), and many a lady used the workshop as an opportunity to wear her hoops and learn how to walk, sit and dance gracefully and without falling over. I usually stride, with long steps – so trying to adapt to small short ones  with the crinoline, was a bit of a challenge!

People wore everyday clothing, often with just the hooped skirts, or full Victorian dress – no dress code for the workshop! I must say I loved my 1852 day  dress – being linen/cotton mix it was light, and perfect for dancing. Eleanor had her  1858 cotton gown on for the occasion (btw, there will be a separate blog post on just the dresses, with many more pictures! :-))

After the workshop it was time to relax briefly, have some food – and then change into the evening clothes.

The first hour was arrivals, drinks and taking photos, in a nice relaxed atmosphere. Lucas  set up a simple photography centre and was snapping portraits – the photos are available on  Facebook, or in a high resolution on his website .

Generally, people relaxed, chatted and admired each other’s gowns – and let me  tell you, there was lots to admire! As a professional historical costumier, and a rather strict one, I was blown away by the quality of the frockage. Many ladies made their own gowns, following the tutorials I posted here, some were hired,  some commissions from either us or other dressmakers – but in short, the variety was amazing! just a few portraits below, again, you can see more on facebook in the link above..

The dancing commenced with a polonaise  – we just about fitted in the ballroom!

(thank you Heritage Focus for submitting the photos!)

And then, with a Spanish Waltz, the dancing commenced in earnest. We had  waltzes, quadrilles, polkas, country dances – the whole lot . All not too complex and easy to follow, all fun, so people with even limited or no dancing experience could join in with no problems – and the relaxed atmosphere meant that any mistakes were met with applause and friendly laughter rather than scorn. In short, lots of fun!

And that’s the team who provided the  the music – as before Alexis Bennett and his girls were superb. Sadly our favourite Dancemaster, Stuart Marsden cancelled  just before the ball due to health reasons – but not before he found us a replacement, Jane Walton, who agreed to help us out! Don’t worry, folks, Stuart is  recovering and is already booked for the 2017 ball

Before we knew it, the finger buffet was served, and yet again Searcy’s worked wonders – the  food was amazing and plentiful!

Then it was time to pick up the pace and dance a bit more! I was unable to dance much, alas ( ankle tendinitis:-( ),  but that meant I could enjoying watching the dances and take photos and videos :-). It also gave me a chance to chat more to the guests – it was lovely to finally put the faces to the names on the tickets, and great to see people from not only all around the UK, but also Ireland, France, Germany, Switzerland and the USA!  Looks like the ball is becoming a truly international event:-)

The last dance, a free waltz for all, sounded just before midnight – and like a flock of Cindrellas and princes Charming, the  guests slowly disappeared to rest….. And to prepare for Sunday Breakfast, of course….

getting ready for the morning, wearing our day outfits

Just like last year we have booked tables at the Pump Rooms for breakfast. In fact so many people booked that there was a bit of a drama, when it turned out that  our table had already been utilised by other ball guests, but in the end it all turned out fine – and we had a stunning breakfast and some more photos….

Reinforced and revived by the food and excellent coffee, the parties broke up to do their own thing – some folks went for a walk, some were visiting parks and museums.

Our small party first went to the gardens for a short photo session…. where we were lucky to take our photo taken by a passing by photographer – so we have all three of us in one photo:-)

and then Lucas went mad with his own camera, clicking loads…

Then it was time for a carriage ride – we booked a private ride from  Courtyard Carriages and went exploring Bath in style, stopping in places to take more photos

the carriage cropped us off just in front of our apartment!

Next on the agenda was visiting the Fashion Museum, conveniently located in the Assembly rooms – we met up with friends and went exploring… followed by a collapse and coffee and cake in the apartment.

Then a nap – and drive back home, exhausted but happy!

And guess what – we are doing it all again next year!

The information is here , and the tickets are already on sale – in fact, 20% has already been sold! so I suppose I see you all back in Bath next year :-)

Many thanks  to all of you who  bought tickets, came along and behaved impeccably, having a most splendid time – you were all fantastic! without you, the ball would not have taken place and would not have become a successful annual event –  so here’s to you, our guests!

I know quite a lot of people have been expecting the account of our French adventures in Versailles –  so here it is. I am afraid it will be a rather a disappointing one, as  due to the unforeseen circumstances  in the days prior to the event I ended up being on the edge of total exhaustion. Despite managing a short nap at the hotel after arrival, I was still half awake – in fact I really doubted I could go at all!

In the end, I did  manage to get my friends dressed and get into my own gown ( I was too busy sewing last minute commissions for this event  so I didn’t get time to sort out a new frock for myself – so my old francaise had to do. You have seen it before at the ball in Bath and then in Stamford )

at the hotel, ready for the short walk to Versailles

The weather was not encouraging – but fortunately the hotel provided us with umbrellas!

And then inside, everybody left the coverings in the cloakroom and got a suitable bracelet, according to which level of tickets people had. We had bought Duc et Duchesse, the middle level which entitled us to see an aria and participate in a private tout of the King’s apartments, as well as do a dance class, It also meant food –  something I was very much looking forward to as we were starving. I was dreaming of a coffee too, to keep me awake ( hotel had no tea/coffee making facilities and no time to  have one in a restaurant).

As it turned out on arrival – no coffee available – but they had champagne instead. Tough life…

We rushed straight to see the aria – and it was amazing. Fantastic  voices, great performance, sublime music – definitely  my absolute favourite of the night. It was also great just to sit back, close your eyes and listen to the songs – and I was amazed how much of the French/Italian I actually managed to understand! very relaxing.

After the aria we had a bit of time before the tour, so, without further ado, we made towards the buffet… on the other end of the palace…. En route, photos happened….

Kelly in her new Francaise, striding like a queen through the corridors of Versailles!

another new frock for Eleanor, freshly off the press,

meeting friends…

and posing for photos…

Meeting the followers of my page! :-)))

And then, at last we were through the endless posh chambers and into the buffet.  And alas, a  disappointment. Food  was served in fashionable quantities – the canapes the size of a 10p. Most of the ones we saw served were seafood – and no doubt delicious for people who enjoy seafood.  I don’t😦  so my meal was basically one salmon pate thingy and a small cup of beetroot something.  On a plus side, lots of drinks available – champagne, and more importantly, juice and water. So yep, next time, if we decide to go back, we will know to have a hearty meal ( and coffee!) beforehand. Desert canapes were served later on – and although still on minuscule scale, they were delicious, so I have added 3 chocolatey thingies to my evening meal. I was still starving, but at least  the chocolate subdued my rumbling stomach enough for it to behave and not rumble too loudly

at the bar…

More photos followed, and we spent  some time admiring the professional dancers performing in one of the halls  – and there was much to admire, the dancing was superb!

Then it was time for the tour of the King’s apartments. All very grand –  but strangely what I enjoyed most  was the fact that I understood enough of the guide information to interpret for Kelly and Glen. It was weird, as although I am a trained interpreter and translator, I hadn’t done it  for years, never mind in French. So the mental exercise kept me engaged and awake

my gown went well with the decor…

In fact, I  became almost invisible in the official royal bedroom….:-)

And for me that was it really. We were supposed to be attending a dancing lesson, but I could hardly stand. Kelly was not much better, so we found a place to collapse and try to stay awake for the fireworks…

the wait was long – we had another hour to go….

but even modern technology didn’t manage to provide enough stimulation  for utterly exhausted brains, and so we  left the party, very un- Cinderella like, well before the end:-( WE had hoped to get back to the hotel and get some food in the restaurant there – we were all still on a peckish side.

and yes, it was still raining….

Alas,  it is France- so everything was shut.  Hungry to bed – but at least I could let my hair down back in the hotel a bit :-)))

And that was it!

So in short – a well organised evening ( I was impressed at the ease with which people were directed to their entertainment places  etc – great way of managing such a great crowd. It also meant, since people were going to different places that I didn’t get to meet people we were planning to meet there –  probably a good thing as in my zombie state  I was  not a very good company!). Stunning music and professional dancing ( cannot say much about the short dance class and a communal dance session at the very end as we have missed it); the place suitably lovely ( again, am not the right person to judge –  I am not moved much by architecture, I am more of a nature person, so would be much more interested in the gardens, but at least it was a treat to see some of the paintings in person, and a great atmosphere.

An event that I wish I had enjoyed more – though for an exhausted and  hungry introvert, maybe not an ideal environment.😦 But a valuable lesson learnt – do not take up last minute work! I came back home  ill, and basically slept the for 3 days just to recover enough to get back to work.  A mistake I am not likely to repeat in the future…

Oh and as for the costumes – an enormous variety! a good deal of some truly amazing outfits, from late 17th century till late 18th.  unexpectedly  my favourite garment of the evening was a very simple wool frockcoat – but  immaculately tailored, with a great fit and elegance – and for me it just trumped some very splendid satin and embroidery  habits.   Some gowns were breathtaking – and there were a few divine wigs around! There was a lot of  – ok stuff  – very clearly rented from a good theatre. But there was also some pretty bizarre stuff too – modern corsets and a skirt , medieval-larpy thing or two – so sometimes it was tricky to take a photo without people showing big zips or velcro at the back😉. Having aid all that – nobody gave a damn really, and nobody was judging, sneering etc – the atmosphere was great – friendly, welcoming and relaxed. So if you want to go next year but you are afraid your stuff is not up to scratch – do your best, but don’t worry too much – just go and enjoy!

And a few more pics:-)

 for the event page – check here –

 Dresses – Mine, Eleanor’s, Kelly’s, as well as our gentlemen – me –  Prior Attire

photography  _ Timelight Photographic

Some things start unexpectedly…. last January I picked some lovely silk that just screamed Victorian Seaside Bustle frock… And so for the summer I put a few days aside to make it – and to nip somewhere on the coast for the pictures.

But in the meantime loads of things happened – and to cut a long story short, in the end, we ended up for a weekend in Brighton, with 3 dresses to photograph for my incoming book The Victorian Dressmaker,  2 different swimming suits and a couple of friends….

As I was making different styles of gowns to go with different decades, it made sense to photograph them somewhere nice. And a friend of mine, Kelly, was up for a seaside adventure, so a hotel was booked and after battling the heat and hours being stuck in traffic, we arrived at our hotel facing the sea.

and unpacked all the finery, much to the puzzlement of the hotel staff….

The weather was lovely – sunny, rather warm and a strong breeze. we decided to jump in the deep end straight away – so donned our hastily made  Victorian swimsuits, packed out picnic and a camera and hit the rocky beach…

We took a few photos fully dresses, bestockinged and corsetted first then had a modern picnic and finished with more shooting and a nice plunge into the waves.

picnic…. modern, not victorian, since it was a very impromptu affair

then more pics and a splash….

at one point the waves caught us by surprise….

And then, since I was wet anyway, I went on to have a swim with Lucas. Kelly stayed safely  on the beach, guarding our shoes, stockings and a corset. I was surprised how easy it was to swim in my suit –  the skirt, which I thought would be a concern, was short enough not to hamper any movements  after all.

General verdict after the experience was much more positive than I had anticipated. The suites were lovely to wear, comfortable ( corsets laced in a comfy mode, not super tight), not too hot – natural fabrics and skin being covered from the sun meant we were actually much cooler than the modern  folks in bikinis! Being made of cotton/wool mix, the suits dried  in a good time too. The silly caps proved amazing – sheltered not only our faces and eyes from the sun, but the flounce at the back protected our necks and shoulders. And, needless to say, great for folks  with body confidence issues!

oh, and the transpiration – Harpers bazar

The evening saw us  getting the 1887 yachting dress  on and snapping some pictures for the book – representing  the Second Bustle style. First we took photos at the band stand  and then walked over to the Brighton Pavilion

inspiration: the second dress from the left 

When we got back , quite late, we heard sad news of Kelly being unwell and unable to join us in the morning shoot for  which I made on of the dresses fitted on her.  So after a rather sleepless night ( Saturday night in Brighton, old hotel with no double glazing – no sleep…). we were up at 6, with 2 frocks to shoot.

The first one was representing a first bustle era,  a ‘Tissot’ gown – with the inspiration taken mostly  from this paining –  lots of ruffles, pleats etc and a  very light fabric suitable for a summer gown.

The frock took 10 m of cotton lawn in a popular shade of bright yellow ( quite a lot of examples on my board of this and other bright colours!), plus white cotton organdy for additional decoration and some lining

We drove  to the Brighton Pavilion – Sunday  early morning meant almost no people!

On the way back to the car we met a splendid biker who admired the gown a lot – whereas we admired his bike! so yeah, this happened…

Then back to the hotel and time to change  in to the third gown ( Kelly’s) it was a bit too big for me,  and a little but too short, but clever positioning meant we could just about get away with it…

This one was another First Bustle era style, but this time a princess cut, with an option of a polonaise… in lovely striped silk.

And  just recently we go Kelly over for a shoot in the gown – as you can see it fits her much better!  and she loved it and bought it straight away….

first unpolonaised

and then bustled up with interior tapes

The 1870 dresses will be used as day  dresses for our next Victorian ball in Bath – since the subtheme is the early bustle!

After the  shoot there was time for breakfast and we were off.  not bad for a short stay , lots of work was done – and we enjoyed it so much that next year we are making it into a public event – with a Victorian Beach picnic and a promenade, for everybody wanting to  flaunt their  historically accurate Victorian swim and seaside wear… – more details about the event here!

All three gowns will be used for the book – with detailed  photos and  step by step instruction of making them – for the progress of the book, follow us on fb!

The frocks were also used in making the video on how Victorians dealt with the summer heat – you can see it here!

 Credits:

costumes – Prior Attire

photography – Timelight Photographic

victorian boots ( Renoirs and Tavistocks) – American Duchess

Hats – Farthingale Historical Hats

When, earlier on this year, the scans of Symington corset patterns were released, (by Leicester County council, link to the patterns, etc: Leicestershire symington patterns), a lot of corset…

Source: Symington corset pattern 1907-07 experiment

Romantic era ( late 1820s and 30s) is a rather,  well, ‘interesting ‘ period, fashion wise.  Men’s garb is superb – nipped in waists, tailcoats, cravats, waistocats galore – very smart, very dashing. Women’s fashions are – a bit extreme. I used to look at the bonkers hair, ridiculous sleeves and short skirts and thin – gosh, no way! But – it has grown on me.  Yes, it is silly, yes, it is over the top, but it is also fun to make and even more fun to wear. Admittedly, the silhouette needs lots of adaptations and hair takes some work too – but somehow, it works – it is dainty, feminine and surprisingly comfortable to wear.

So I had been thinking about it for some time really ( ever since i got an original 1832 spinning wheel some 4 years ago in fact…) before last year we learnt about a 1830 ball in Belgium. It was a no brainer – a perfect excuse to make some silly romantic stuff! fortunately we have learnt about it early enough to plan our wardrobe – we had about half a year to get all the fabrics, ideas etc sorted, especially since out friend Kelly wanted to come along too, and needed a frock for it too.  But new decade also meant new set of clothing for Lucas – and I don’t really make men’s outfits from that period – i am a dressmaker, not a tailor.

Still, since we couldn’t afford commissioning, I had to tackle it somehow.  with  lots of help, advice and useful books,  I ended up making a silk waistcoat  ( my first ever go at welted pockets, eeek!),  pantaloons in cashmere, and an evening tailcoat in silk satin. There is some nice superfine and silk velvet waiting for a day coat, but that will be for next time…

and the rest of the attire…. not perfect, but wearable…

with the girly stuff, it was somehow easier –  corded petticoats were great fun to make and wear ( ad since i made mine suitable also for the 1840s, the construction etc will be discussed in detail in my forthcoming book – The Victorian Dressmaker ).

Sleeves were a bit of a challenge, and I ended up making 3 main styles from the period – the beret sleeve, gigot and folded one. Experimenting with drafting the patterns was fun too…

the beret sleeve looked quite indecent….

I have also discovered I love piping…. everywhere….

Still,   almost everything was ready on the day of departure –  Lucas’s  garments, Kelly’s, my own evening gown and a day gown -plus a half finished cloak i planned to stitch   while travelling.

After a pleasant but uneventful travel on the overnight ferry, and a short drive from Hoek van Holland to Belgium, we were settled into our hotel – we had enough time to stitch the cloak, have a wander around and eat lunch, then a nap, curling hair and dinner…

The ‘romantic ‘ look….

And then the hair was done, dressed donned and we were off to the kasteel….

And it was amazing.

The place, the dancing, the music, food – and especially company – superb.  what a sensational evening filled with dancing, photos, eating, chatting, meeting people you so far knew only from the Instagram… Loved the international  flavour too,  mostly you heard English, and of course, Flemish, Dutch and French – and y the end of the evening my brain was whirling from trying to converse in French, Spanish and the little Russian i have…

But let us have pictures speak far better than I can!

ready for the evening

The dancing!!! I must say, the short Romantic dresses are perfect for dancing. No cumbersome trains to trip over, the skirts are very light and very puffy – perfect to polka around with gusto!

Meeting people! There were some spectacular garments around!

Amazing food!

 we were also allowed to explore the place in detail

 and the person who organized it all – the dashing host, Koen de Vlieger

 The evening was amazing, and we were sorry to leave…

But then we were back the ext day, this time to shoot the day gown

I admit, I loved the look. the silhouette with huge puffed sleeves, the hat,  the  matching shawl and gloves the antique pelerine and belt buckle! The relatively plain frock in silk taffeta with no decoration apart from the piping in the bodice came to life when paired with the accessories. Again, the fashionable short skirts are a breeze to walk in, comfy boots (no heels! yay!). My favourite outfit  currently

We also met with a few of folks from last evening…

Altogether, a great event – we will be back next year…..

And I will be making more 1830s gowns, including a more modest version to go with the  spinning wheel – and  good news is, we already have a 1830 booking for an event we will be working at next summer! Exciting!

Credits:

Clothing – all me, http://www.priorattire.co.uk

boots – http://www.american-duchess.com/

shawl, hats, pelerine, gloves etc – http://www.farthingalehistoricalhats.co.uk/

location – https://www.kasteeldursel.be/

photography -http://www.timelightphotographic.com/

 1880 walking suit in bluebells

As a part of my incoming book, The Victorian Dressmaker,  I have been making a lot of new frocks. This one is one of the 5 or so different frocks representing the Natural form – and although the making up information, pattern etc will be remaining secret until the publication, I thought I would give you a sneak preview – and share some (ok, a lot of ) photos.

The photo shoot was a bit ad hoc – a friend of mine, Kelly who was working on her very first Victorian garments under  my tutelage,  finished the frock and while trying it on we realized that seasonal foliage would make a great background.  a quick plan was made for a shoot in a few days time – and I decided to change my schedule a bit so that I could make use of the bluebells as well.

And since a Natural Form suit was on the books, and i had all the fabrics for it, and the colours would worked too, I went for it. with gusto!

This was the inspiration plate…

The dress is in silk faille – looks grey but in fact is a tiny white and blue stripe, from Renaissance Fabrics. It is paired with stormy blue silk taffeta.

I drafted the pattern for the jacket ( I hadn’t made a lot of jackets so far, this one was only a second one!),  made a mock up, fitted and was ready to cut the thing. For once I had to be careful – I didn’t have much of that faille, and I wanted to have enough for all those pleats! there were some serious calculations going on  before I cut the panels for the pleats…..

And this is what my freedrafting patterns looks like…..  don’t worry, the book will have more user friendly versions….

Once jacket was assembled, it was time to do the pleats…. they  are decorated with a middle stripe of the blue and lined with cotton lawn. And in a rare moment of insanity I decided to bind the pleats too…..

I had Merlin helping out – to his utter delight, since the dress was for myself and not for a client, he was allowed to take a more active role in the proceedings…

And in the last hour before the shoot I even managed to adapt a vintage hat to a fashionable 1880 shape. I even had a matching antique Victorian ribbon to spare!

Then we all packed ourselves into a car and drove to the woods. We had been scouting around for the best places and  a bit of wood near Odell was deemed the best. The bluebells were amazing….

First we shot a few pictures of Kelly, wearing the first frock she has ever made, a transitional style between a crinoline and first bustle – worn on an crinolette ( basically a crinoline cage but with a bustle portion! ( low res images here – sorry! will update with high res as soon as hubby send over the correct file…)

I was busy too…

and then we went mad clicking photos…… results below…

I met a stranger conveniently equipped with picnic stuff and indecent things happened….

Then me and Kelly collapsed – and got up, not very gracefully….

then I collapsed again…. amidst  all the bluebells…. practicing Victorian sit ups….

And then we decided to have a walk and take a few shots with the yellow toxin ( i mean rapeseed…)

And that was it – time to undress. At least for Kelly – the width of the skirt meant she would not fit through the gates!

Back home we  indulged in a couple of more shots in our garden….

Hope you enjoyed it!

photography, as always by Timelight Photographic, and boots by American Duchess

Apart from making a lot of historical clothing   we also get to wear them a lot as we do a lot of work as Historical interpreters (shows, demos, talks etc 0 ore info here!). But sometimes  we take it a step in a slightly different direction –  and work as SA ( supportive artist, or a extra)  in film industry.

Obviously, the work is quite specialized – we have extensive wardrobes from Viking to about 1900, so our range is best fitted for costume productions. And so in the last few years we worked for film both in our SA capacity and a costumier one, hiring period clothing for other actors and SAs.

Our experiences varied a lot, as we worked for amazing teams and some rather less organized ones, but over the last  5 years we have clocked up quite a lot of film time!

We have worked for private productions, NBC and BBC, sometimes hired individually, sometimes by event organizers

Filming for BBC with David Starkey  and Lucy Worsley programme – A Night at Hampton Court

still from Regency Christmas feature for NBC   ( there is a separate post on that one here )

But most of our work has been for Horrible Histories – we feature in about 4 seasons I think! Season 7 is just about to be released – and we have done A LOT in this one….

We started by doing a single day, being subcontracted by another company, for acting and clothes hire. Although the work was great the contractor wasn’t – we ended up not being paid for months, with our items not returned  till months later, and even then not all of the items were returned and some of them were damaged. Lesson learn…. That company went bust a few months later – not surprising….

Still, it was my first  work for HH and  I liked it – and it looked like they liked me, as we did  more work in the following years….

Here at Dorney Court, for HH 5 and 6 – doing Tudor and Elizabethan stuff. Unexpectedly we ended up working with a star – Rowan Atkinson!  Check  this out- Mary Rhapsody and  Terrible Tudors – My big Fat Tudor Wedding

then at Weald and Downland Living museum   –  more Elizabethan ( Shakespeare this time)

and then The Great Fire of London – that was one of the most exhausting shots – running round over cobblestones, in dense smoke, screaming……..

 Then last year we were all over filming for about 2 weeks over 2 months – Kent, Sussex, Bedfordshire, London –  lots of travelling – and now often with friends

HH in my experience was amazing to work with – the team was superb, mostly due to the fact that over the last few years they all worked together, got to know each other and  moulded into a very efficient and professional team – who got on together and maintained a friendly and relaxed atmosphere.  The Directors, Steve  and Adam, were superb – patient, approachable, open to the actor’s suggestions, with a sharp sense of humour (goes without saying really, prerequisite for the job!), and working tirelessly long, hectic days – 7am start, 7pm ( or later) finish.

The costume department and the make up one were great at transformation – you would often see the same actor looking unrecognizable from this morning look to the afternoon one.  ot all the looks were 100% historically accurate, and some did not make up pretty – but they were suitable for the show and reflected the designers take. and boy, did we get a few interesting faces over the years!

And as people are always asking us for advice – a few things we have learnt over the last few years – maybe they will be of use for any budding extras, actors  or re-enactors!

• It is always  a ‘hurry up and wait ‘ job.  You may have to wait for 30 minutes in full kit – or 5 hours. if even then you may not go on set if the plans change. So take some  thing to occupy you – books, needlework, laptop – anything that will allow you to pass the time quietly .  Nap, or chat quietly is not on set – do some other work, but be ready to go in seconds. The main cast have mastered the skill of waiting to a perfection…. 

• Generally – do not speak unless spoken to. All the team, directors, runners, sound, managers, actors – they  are there most of the time whereas you may be there for a day or so. Even if resting, the actors may be rehearsing their lines – or just getting a nap – some of them were up since 4 am, let them rest. If they want to talk to you, they will.  If you have a genuine concern as to what you are to be doing, do ask politely, but make sure you pay attention when the scene is explained.
•   If possible ask for a copy of the call sheet on the day – once you puzzle it out, you will be able to have a faint idea of what actually you are doing and when.  It will change  on the day in some ways or another, so don’t think of it as a done deal – but it does help knowing who is in charge on that day, where you are supposed to be etc.

• Most sets forbid phones. Obey.

• If phones permitted, and you can take selfies, make sure they are generic and do not betray any of the content. It is still safer to publish any more detailed shots after the programme has been aired. Check  your contract if in doubt.

•  don’t take photos of the crew and actors, unless they are fine with it. Ask, but don’t be offended if they refuse. Often they are too happy to oblige, make the best of it
•  some sets have amazing catering – enjoy but be prepared to let the main crew eat first. Always take snacks and water with you just in case   if you are on a new set – sometimes catering is less than perfect!
•  Forget your ego. You are most often a background.  If you specialize in historical clothing, weaponry, hairdressing etc – just relax and remember this is not  about you, and you are not hired as a consultant to preach on the historical accuracy.  The Make up and Costume department will not  appreciate it – very often they are all too aware of the shortcomings but they too need to abide by the script and the designers/producers ideas. Remember TV and theatre does have different set of requirements, and you may not be aware of them. so ease up, and relax. A good relationship with the costume/make up department makes the whole experience invaluable – and may result in making friends and also, getting more work. I was very lucky to work with Ross Ebbutt from Cosprop over the last few years – and we both  understand  different perspective and different   focus  for living history and film. AS a result  not only we got on well and developed a good working relationship, but I also went on to do some more costuming work for Ros later on ( secret so far…)

  and you get to help out too, when last minute changes are needed! here adapting a bonnet for a mourning rather than bridal look…

  Hair and make up doing their magic…..

• Have a contract – most companies will issue one for you , do make sure what is required before actually coming on set.  Make sure you read it all, small print included. If you haven’t agreed to doing any stunts or any activities not mentioned in the negotiations, don’t agree to the  the spot.  Some productions insure their extras  for special stuff, some don’t – so don’t do anything risky if you are not insured and it hasn’t been agreed on.

•  Using extra / casting agencies. A good idea if that’s what you want to do for a living and are available at a day’s notice ( so not something we can do -I am usually booked up with work for up to 6 months or more…). We tried once – with the results being that we immediately chucked the agency and treated separately as the agency was not only not providing us with the information, but also not updating the  film crew – in once case I only found out we are on the next day by calling  the HH point of contact directly – and then discovered that we are apparently booked for several days more – something that the agency completely forgot to mention. So choose your agency wisely, ask for recommendations etc.   and when you find a good one, stick with them!

•  Respect all the members of the crew.  there are dozens and hundreds people involved, and although it is the actors/directors that usually are basking in the glory, being on a set makes you distinctively aware of how much work  goes into the production, and ho many different people and jobs are involved. they are all people working at the best of their professional levels, and they are ALL essential.

all that stuff!!!!

• If asked to bring your own clothing, have a few options available – much easier for the costume department to choose the look they need!
• needless to say, if you are nervous in front of the camera, this is not a job for you….

•  Enjoy. Tiring and often boring as it often is, it is also a great experience.  You get to see lovely locations, you will observe  top people working magic, your will contribute to this magic too. I  learnt so much about different jobs on the set – it is mind blowing. Seeing actors being able to adapt different accents and personalities at a switch of a scene and repeating it over and over again, with ( apparent) fresh enthusiasm; admiring  the make up, hair and costume guys who would work wonders transforming people from a 20 year old  medieval knight in the morning to an 80 year old Soviet soldier in the afternoon; marveling at the light and sound guys and the technical department harnessing the laws of physics  to their purposes; and just being impressed by  the sheer hard work everybody was putting in –  it is not a light work, but the effects are amazing.

Hope you found  it an interesting read  and maybe a useful one – and hope I didn’t scare you too much from having a go if you ever considered it

And what an amazing weekend it was! The ball was a huge success, and we all had a lovely time indeed.

This was our 3rd ball in Bath Assembly room, and the most attended by far – 130 people, with the tickets selling out 4 months before. It is amazing to see an event growing from just a small affair to a full blown ball with fringe activities, with so many people participating. And since many of them are regular ball goers the atmosphere is of friendship ad ease, with lots of lovely folk to chat to and dance with.

But let us start from the beginning.

We arrived on Friday night, unpacked and prepared  our stuff for the following day.

a big wardrobe was needed….

After a light breakfast at a local pattisserie, more organisational stuff was being dealt with, while no doubt  some folks were still furiously stitching ( or so I have heard  that our ladies from the Victoriana group,  who got shared accommodation organised by  very efficient Suzy Hudson, were still stitching relentlessly!)

Then a visit to Eleanor for a light lunch and shopping – as usual, Sherri from the Farthingale Historical Hats came round to the Circus apartment with her wares, so all the guests were browsing and getting last minute purchases sorted – fans,  gloves, bling, parasols etc.

followed by beautifully presented food! yum!

And to burn it all off,   some activity was required – luckily were were about to get to the dance practice,

Stuart Marsden, our charismatic dance maser, guided us through the more complex figures of the evening –  the dances are rather easy to follow, but some familiarity does help to enjoy them much more! about 100 people booked the workshop, and many turned out in lovely Victorian kit already – including me! I have, unexpectedly, finished my ball gown a day early – so decided to do a day bodice to go with the skirt for the dance practice

some action….

After all that prancing about  we had just enough time for a short nap, snack, coffee and  getting ready.

By the time first guests arrived, I had already   got all the logistic stuff sorted with the staff at the venue, Lucas had his photography corner set up and I was ready to greet out guests.

It was a bit cold standing at the door for an hour, but it was worth it – apart form checking the credentials, it was really good to actually meet people,  match the faces to the names, have a quick chat with the regulars etc. Some guests were very familiar…… like Zack from Pinsent Tailoring

After the first drinks , photo sessions and generic chat it was time to  start, traditionally ow, with a polonaise. The Ballroom was full-  we were at maximum capacity ( although the specification says 300 people, 130 in  big skirts  is more than enough – we won’t be  changing that for next year, better to have fewer folks but quality, and some space to dance than crowds packed like sardines!

This year, Queen Victoria was in attendance….

Waltzes, quadrilles, polkas and country dances followed…

with time to drink, pose for photos and chat in between

The break was a welcome rest – and the food as always , magnificent – provided by amazing Searcy’s

Then it was time for more dancing…and my favourite Waltz Cotillion! The musicians, our amazing Alexis Bennett and the Liberty Belles were, s always , superb!

All too soon, it was time to say goodbye –  and indeed the folks enjoyed it so much, it was tricky to get everybody out of the building by midnight – but the  venue staff  were  patient and understanding and gently steered groups of  dashing gents and rosy cheeked ladies  towards the exit…

Below, a few favorites of the portraits taken by Timelight Photographic. I must admit I was, yet again, amazed at the quality of the outfits!

I was pretty pleased with my own 1874 frock ( this year’s theme was the First Bustle period)

It is worth noting that the guests came from not only all over the UK, but also from the USA, France, Spain, the Netherlands, Germany, Italy, Finland and Poland! very exciting to hear so many different languages

Having made sure all the guests are safely out and our staff packing, and venue staff happy , securing the venue for the night, we were back to the hotel – for a quick after party…. not a long one – we were all exhausted…

Next day saw us at the usual spot – The Pump Rooms for breakfast. there were about 40 of us all dressed up for a formal breakfast… we needed that breakfast….

and all the ladies above were sporting the dresses I made so good to see them living an exciting life!

More photos were taken….

a short cat fight   over Zack…

breakfast over, we were ready for our next adventure. People were going for walks, picnics, carriage rides etc – but we have booked some fun on the river.

So  it was onward to  Bath Boating station for us…

WE got ourselves 2 rowing punts and rowed up upstream for a couple of miles, to a pub.

The weather was perfect – sunny, but not too hot, not too cold either!

We had a little picnic at the pub… …lots of laughs…. some wistfulness, some Pimms, some lemonade….

Then it was time to row back – this time ladies rowed too…. both me and Naomi participated – and our clothes survived with just minimum degree of sprinkling….

On the way back more photos were taken… Bath is full of interesting places so it would have been a crime to pass them by undocumented!

and back to hotel to pack…. urgh……

Altogether – an unforgettable weekend.  And apparently not only for me – the tickets for the next ball, April 2018 are already on sale, and already 50% is gone  in the first 2 weeks – i take it as a good sign that others enjoyed the ball too!

Next years ball’s theme is  Natural Form ( 1877-1882), so ruffles, big trains and fitted bodices galore. For fringe activities we are planning more picnics, maybe  archery  – and maybe more water fun – boating was amazing!

You can find the information here

Thank you to all of the amazing people who traveled from near and far to take part – hopefully see you next year!

 Today we are addressing  a rather sensitive issue –  what happens if people do not take  your job seriously because  your job is somebody’s hobby… It has been brewing on my mind for a few months ( years really!), and I have discussed it with lots of other professionals, and now at last have time to put some of the ruminations on paper ( well, screen…)

Yes, I love my job. But yes, I would like to be paid for it too. 

It happens to all of us, over and over, again and again – we are contracted to do a job, but people are surprised we are charging for it.  A few months back I was asked to spend  6 weekends at a historical venue nearby, from 9-5,  providing craft demonstrations and interpretation.  I was told the venue had  received a very generous National Lottery fund, and were putting lots of events for the public, some ticketted, some not,  to enhance the venue’s standing and income.  Great, I thought,  an interesting job.

But when I replied with a quote,  the organisers laughed – ‘Oh no, we meant you do it for free, as a volunteer! You know, just for fun of it, since you seem to like what you are doing? We really want quality stuff to entertain the public, but would rather spend our grant on enlarging the venue’s facilities, so we cannot afford to pay people  who dress up. But we are a nice bunch, so you will have a great time!

You can probably guess my reaction. The organisers were disappointed but not too much – we will get some free people instead then, we know it is not the same, but they don’t cost us anything.  Maybe you will reconsider – at least you will get some exposure?

Well, let us put it into a different context.  Would you be happy if  someone  who likes law took over your job in law firm for free, just because they love it? if someone was so passionate about educating  young drivers they would take on your career as a driving instructor, teaching folks for free?  A passionate amateur photographer who provides free wedding shoots  out of pure love for the art? I am not saying the hobbyists/ amateurs are bad at it, mind you –  they may be better or worse than you, but they won’t charge, since they are having fun.

In an ideal world, that would be perfect – we all do as much of what we love as we want, serving the community for the fun of it, but we have all our needs covered, so actually we don’t need to enter a paid employment.

Alas, we live in a very different world.  If you are affluent enough to  treat your hobby seriously and go to events for free, entertain the public and having a great time, it is all well – but think about all those  for whom the job would pay their bills. ( we have done and will do events for charity/ but this is possible only after we have earned enough to pay our own bills…)

True,  historical interpreting is a relatively new thing. It has emerged as a separate profession over the last few decades, but that doesn’t mean it is not a proper job  – a job that requires dedication, unusual hours, a considerable investment in learning the necessary skills, materials, props, clothing, training etc, as well as a running a business. Many people start it as a hobby, many always knew that was the job they wanted to devote their lives to. It is not an easy job, contrary to a popular belief, not an especially well paid one either – but can come with a huge professional satisfaction.

Let us have a look at a few features of a professional historical interpreter.

• extensive knoweldge of their historical field ( or fields) – often backed by a related college or Uni degree, as well as more than cursory knowledge of generic history relevant to their period. A Victorian cook would be familiar with the receipies of her period, as well as clothing, social customs and have a generic understanding of social history of the era and location.
•   top quality kit – not a Steampunk corset and a granny skirt, not a cotton tunic, but properly researched and made garments that are not costume – they are working clothes suitable to the role.  These are either commissioned, or made individually by the interpretors – but in either case they do require  a substantial financial investment.
• constant learning and honing skills relevant to their portrayed persona –  if you are a noble knight, you not only need to look like one, but act like one too, including basic combat skills and horseriding, as well as  being able to perform skills required by a knight of a given era.  A  posh Regency lady  who cannot play, sing, dance,draw, sew, embroider, ride, speak a couple of languages and is not able to run a house would be a very poor marriage prospect in the past (  though good looks and a huge dowry could level the odds) –   but these skills would up any interpreter’s game a lot too.  Craft demonstrations etc – goes without saying!  And if they posses none of the relevant skills, then the next point  is of huge importance.
•  ability to present to the public, on a small and big scale. Whether addressing the crowds, or individual members of the public, the ability to interact in an engaging, entertaining and educational manner is essential – especially if it is an educational job.  Basic acting skills and good memory  are  vital,  often a teaching qualification comes in handy.
• dealing with all the backgroud stuff – marketing, invoicing, admin, negotiating, accounting,  insurance cover etc – the list is endless.

So why a person who invested their time and resources  wouldn’t expect to be paid for the service they provide? and yet we are, quite often too…

And please, let us be clear on one subject – Volunteers are great. We seem to have a love hate relationship with them, but  to be honest, I think they provide a very useful service – especially in the cases when the organisation/ museum/  etc doesn’t have funds  for anything else.  Many museums use volunteers  on everyday basis, hiring paid specialists only for bigger events. And that is great – many places would collapse without them, and we, the paid crew during the big event, do appreciate the volunteers’ work and assistance on the day. Also, many people volunteer because their age or health prevents them from entering a full time employment and as a volunteer they can contribute their skills in a less demanding, more flexible environment.

It is when the organisations can afford professionals ( or are commissioned to provide such) but instead use free folk, without  having to fork out extra money ( and in some  instances  pocketing the extra cash, alas) that it is getting tricky.

If they are lucky, the volunteers will turn up on the day, and will be of the quality ilk. If not – they will be understaffed ( there is no contract obliging a volunteer to attend if it is raining or if they feel a bit under the weather) or have a bunch of cotton clad knights or ‘edwardian’ ladies wearing hippie  lace dresses.  I have been to events when half of participants didn’t turn up – they were volunteers, and the weather was abysmal, so only a couple of unpaid guys showed up ( respect!!! ) alongside the bunch of paid folk, who were under contract to be there no matter what envirnemental conditions…

Many museums take proper care for their volunteers too –  they provide quality, historically accurate clothing, courses, education and support, basically training a highly efficient local staff. This is great. But equally, many places just opt for the cheapest available resource – and we have all seen the plastic princesses swanning around the venue all happy to wear a nice frock in a nice place, but unable to interact with the public, unable to answer  questions or provide  any other information apart from – I am Anne Bolleyn, I know all about her and Tudor England because I have read all the books by Philippa Gregory…

At an event at Aston Hall – one of the places that manages a perfect balance between volunteers and paid staff ( as far as i know )

In short,  my point is: if the venues  have funds to provide the public with the best possible entertainment/ education – please ( if any of you read this anyway… ) do, and don’t be surprised when we  charge for being there, no matter the weather, doing the job we love. Have the volunteers as well – the more the merrier,  but understand that we are doing a job  – a job we just happen to be passinate about.

If they don’t – that is understandable, many places are really struggling – but don’t exploit people. If you are lucky enough to have volunteers willing to help you, do take good care of them. Provide education, help with quality kit – it will all be appreciated, by both the volunteers and the public, who, surprise surprise, can tell the difference in quality….

But what about all you guys who love dressing up and are happy to spend time at events for free, but having read all that above feel just a little  bit guilty for stealing  somebody else’s job?

Well, rest assured there are a number of ways – there free public events  of which there is more and more nowadays, balls, parades etc.  (below – Victorian picinc and boating trip – free, beach party, free, and a ball in Denmark –  a reasonably priced ticket!). Join a reenactment group – a quality group will help you out with kit, learning etc, you will attend the events and have fun, and the groups are often paid by organisers to be there, provide displays etc – not much, alas, usually much less than they are worth really, but enough to cover main expenses ( transport,  accommodation, public liability insurance , food).

Better still, if you dont fancy a group – but you have a friend who is an intepreter, ask them to include you in their events too.  Then they are able to provide the venue with more people for the same fee, and  you not only help your pals – but have a good time doing so too, the best of the two worlds! You will often need to be up to your friend’s standard – quality kit will be essential, but you may not be required to interact with the public if you are shy, or don’t feel knowledgeable enough. Or you can leave early if you are tired. You never know, this may serve as a sort of apprienticeship and in time you may want to take it up as a profession too!

At Holkham Hall at a very busy Christmas events – both paid interpreters and volunteers teams working together in harmony to provide the visitors with the best experience!

Working with a friend volunteering as a lady in waiting

These are just my thoughts on the volunteering/ unpaid jobs subjects – results of personal experiances as well as discussions with friends who are in the same business – as well as volunteers. What do you guys think? Any other suggestions?

Corsetry is currently experiencing a bit of a revival – which is great  ( if you still think they are torturous, rib-breaking, garments-from-hell, please read this first…).

However, since they were out of fashion for quite a while, people nowadays are often at a loss as to what to look out for in a good corset. Our modern clothing has ease added, whereas in corsetry ‘negative ease’ is used – and because of that, as well as shape-creating issues, it is important to understand how corsetry works, and how to be able to distinguish between a crap import, a well made but badly fitted corset, or a corset that is ticking all the boxes – well made, well fitted, suitable for the purpose and, of course, pretty :-).  In both my professional capacity as a corsetmaker as well as a regular corset wearer, I have come across  a number of questions from folks who are new to this – hence the post!

Obviously, the best solution is to get your corset made bespoke, with the pattern drafted to your measurements, with multiple fittings, and in materials/colours/ decoration of your choice. But this is an expensive affair and not everyone can afford it. ‘Made to measure’, where a generic corset pattern is adapted to your measurements is the next option down, and is a good compromise between ready made and bespoke! Buying off the rack is definitely the cheapest option – but fraught with dangers. However, once you know what to look for, you will be able to get a quality readymade corset that works for you!

Mock up fitting….

We will first look at some generic do’s and don’ts and then add more specific information relevant to historical, modern and sport corsetry.

General rules in buying corsets.

• If possible, buy from recommended sources – corsetieres/ shops recommended by corset wearers. Check testimonials, reviews and feedback before you commit.  Don’t be fooled by often artificial ratings on amazon etc – Lucy’s Corsetry channel is great for checking the quality of corset brands!
• Make sure you can see exaples of the items being worn. If the maker only presents their work on dummies or on pillows, there is no saying  how the corset will look and what it will behave like on a human body. It also shows that the pattern was either generic, or drafted to the dummy, not to a human. True, sometimes makers don’t have models available in a suitable size; that is fine – you don’t have to see every single corset shown on a body,  just make sure you can see at east some of their work being actually worn. Even the expensive, beautifully made corsets that look amazing on a dummy may not fit a human body at all – leaving you with a rather dear, fashionable pillow decoration.
•  Price – let us just have it out from the beginning. A cheap, off the peg £30 corset  would not even begin to cover the materials needed for a quality item. Perfect as a one-off fancy wear stuff, worn loose rather than snug (90% of big manufacturers corsets are alas, rather sad tubes, with minimal waist…), but a big no- no if you are after quality. Also, these can often be traced to rather unethical sewing sweatshops, where the workers’ pay is abysmal, conditions attrocious and hours long…. for a decent off the peg look for an item raging from roughly £100 to £400, or so.  The price will depend on style, materials, decoration  etc -if you want a Swarowski-covered one or one in silk with elaborate flossing, it may be more…

• Shape. As mentioned above,  many off the peg, big retailer stuff has minimal waist reduction.  People buy them based on the waist size, not realising that if the waist fits, the hip  spring  (or lack thereof…) will usually mean a rather uncomfortable item on your hips, and usually on your ribs too.   As a result you cannot lace properly to achieve the support where it is needed! Look for the pictures of the corset on its own, not on a model here – the commercial photos are usually edited to look great. The best way is to see it on another client – if the shop has feedback where clients can post photos ( like Amazon, Etsy), that’s where it is best to look. Check the measurements of the corset too –  if the difference between waist and hip is small, you are most likely dealing with a tube…. alas, more and more companies dont give hip measurement at all – always a very suspicious sign! Just type corset into Amazon and have a look….. hardly anybody bothers, (random example here). The best shops will give you the measurements of the corset itself, as well as the optimal target measurements of the uncorseted body as a guide.

 My first ever underbust was a tube too…. and for comparison,  a few years later, and have developed my first modern  pattern – not a tube…

  And the more ‘ padding’ you have, the easier it is to get an hourglass shape….  corsets are not only for size 10 – they actually work much better for  bigger sizes, as long as the correct waist to hip ratio is built in…

Here a client  size 20, in a corset,  comfortably laced ( she normally laces tighter for more support) rocking her curves!

• Fabric. Here a lot will depend on the purpose of your corset. Polyester satin is great for fashion stuff worn for a night out from time to time, but if you are a regular wearer, you will need natural, breathable fabrics. Again,  cheap stuff is usually poly brocades, taffeta and viscose lining (if included) – resulting in not only a tube but a sweaty one too, especially if worn directly on the body.  Still, if it is a fashion item , and the lining etc is natural, they are not too bad and can be a pretty option.  The strength layer is vital though, and usually a cotton coutil, broche, twill, etc is used (some are cotton with 5% viscose etc – that is great too! Modern corsetry uses mesh, bobbinet, and sometimes stretch fabrics as well. Please note that mesh fabric is still plastic, and if worn directly on a body, it will provoke sweating. If the seller doesn’t state much apart from ‘pretty brocade’ or ‘lovely taffeta’ be wary – they are most often polyester fibres. Always ask for the fibre content if in doubt.
•  wrinkles – sometimes unavoidable, but generally the smoother the corset the better! with some sport corsets, with some panels sewn on the bias, some on straight grain, wrinkles do tend to appear more often – as long as it is comfortnale, you are good though!

• Boning. Currently  the most-used boning is flat steel, spiral steel and synthetic whalebone.  Rigilene boned corsets?  Just save your money and avoid! Most good quality corsets wil use flat steel on front and back and spiral at the sides – spiral steel bends in all directions really, so it is not only more comfortable, but gives a nicer shape too!  Synthetic whalebone, though  not perfect, will have its uses – lots is used for historical corsetry to great effect. A great article on different kinds of boning and their uses  in modern couture especially can be found here .

• Also, bear in mind that more boning means more comfort and usually a better shape too –  4 bones per side won’t amount to much, and you will feel them much more – and not in a good way.  The standard is  8 – 14 per side, with fully boned corsets going for 20 or more.   Some people use the rule of ‘no more than 3inches between bones’, and it is a good start, though a lot will depend on the cut, fabric and the boning used.
  

• Flossing. This decorative stitching at the end of the bone serves an important function. It stabilises the bone in the channels, and offers an early warning system when the bone starts poking through.  Not that important in fashion items worn from time to time, but  for regular wearers, or sport corsets, I think it is vital. It is much easier to repair a broken flossing stitch than a hole in the fabric….

Amazing flossing detail on this modern corset by Sew Curvy Couture –

model : Threnody in Velvet photographer: Chris Murray

• Waist stay – takes some of the strain  in the most important place – the waist.  A quality corset would have one. below – a modern corset in mech and lace, with a visible waist stay

• Lacing – as long as it is sturdy, with minimal stretch, it is fine. I find the cotton lacing is my favourite – good quality ribbons work too, though they are a bit more slippery.

Most of the above you can ascertain from the website shop or in person, just by looking. If you are in a real shop, try a corset on and continue your evaluation. If you bought the corset from an online shop, remember that you can return in within 21 days, if unworn (apart from the first try on), so do have a good fitting session at home once it arrives, too.

• Do lace gently. If the corset closes fully without much fuss, it is too big! If the gap at the back is bigger that 3 inches – it is too small. Below – a size too small, plus a bit too high too!

•  A well fitted corset should feel like a gentle, yet firm hug – supporting your back and your boobage, with only slight restriction to your movement (if any!). If you experience any discomfort,  it doesn’t fit! Your ribcage should be snug, but you should be able to draw a big breath easily.
• Your assets should be either supported with minimal squeeze (historical corsets, Victorian and edwardian) or well contained within the upper part of an overbust corset or cups. If they are flowing over, a bigger chest size is needed.  Stays will support and flatten the boobs too –  as will some sports corsets – our corseted waistcoats flatten the chest a fair bit to limit bouncing when riding!
•  If you sit in the corset and it digs into your underarms – it is too long at the sides. If the hips feel constricted when sitting, more hip spring is needed (especially for sport corsets).
• lacing at the back should be parallel, though a slight V  or inverted V is not that much of an issue. a () or )( shape however means trouble – a great post about the lacing gap here
• In general, move a bit in it. Stand, sit, bend, do a little dance – if it fits well, it will feel great.

A few examples…

Perfect overbust fit  in a modern corset- no spillage, all well contained. Part of the new collection by Sew Curvy Couture ,Inaglo photography and modelled by Miss Deadly Red 

Nice hip spring and lovely fit in a Wyte Phantom underbust and a Prior Attire one

A customer trying riding corsets at the market.  The first one may not seem a bad fit, but it was about half an inch too high, and the hip an inch too small. The second one was a much better choice, and a much more comfortable one!

Our corsetted waistcoats that do flatten the assets a bit – designed especially for well endowed riders… The first one is my own, fits perfectly – high hip, short front. the second one is a stock item – a bit too small under arms!

Historical corsets

Look for all the above,  but with a couple of more in-depth  points

*It goes without saying – natural materials are a must. Cotton twill, drill, sateen, satin, cambric, coutil, broche, leather, silk, wool, linen – all were used to great effect.  below – silk satin with cotton coutil as strength layer

* Boning –  traditionally baleen , reed, cane, and later on steel would be used, as well as coraline boning. Nowadays sythetic whalebone is a good equivalent, cotton cording too!

• Whereas stays have a floating lining, not many hisorical corsets do – they are usually one or two layer affairs. They were always worn over the chemise, so lining per se was not needed that much.
•  I haven’t yet come across an overbust historical corset – for a good reason! overbusts, containgn the breast snuggly, started to be used espcially in the modern era when corsets are worn directly on the body and worn outside of ones boudoir – i.e. to be seen. Stays, Victorian and Edwardian corsets are midbust – supporting the girls from the underneath, and any subtle ‘overflow’ is contained by the chemise. Midbust corsets are far more comfortable for day-to-day activities and much easier to sit in –  sit in an overbust and it not only rides up your armpits, your boobs seem to be having a nice conversation with your chin too…. Underbusts started to appear in late Victorian era as sport corsets for exactly the same reason, though probably destined for the smaller-chested ladies…

• Metal eyelets and grommets from roughly 1830, slot busks from circa 1840.

Riding corsets and other sport corsets, both Victorian and modern.

• The shape. Riding corsets will be shorter in the busk ( especially if you are planning to do a lot of jumping whilst aside..) and the hip, to facilitate movement. Modern corsets can have elastic inserts at the hip and underarm. Hip measurements can actually be a bit more than usual – remember you will be sitting, and flesh does move up and around more when seated. Cheap modern tubes are torture in a saddle….
• Below client trying on riding corsets at Sidesaddle Nationals. First was much too big – second a much better choice, since the lady preferred more bust support too!

•  Choose lightweight but sturdy natural fabrics – cotton coutil, broche, sateen, cambric,  etc – steer clear of polyester, it will be hot!  Bigger plastic mesh can be used however, for ventilation – they work quite well too.
• Flossing will prolong the life of the corset.
• Strong corsetry zips work for modern riding corsets!

• Busk should be shorter and sturdy, often reinforced with additional boning just next to it or, in some cases with an underbusk
•  below – a great fit. Short front, high hip, sides not too high, 2inch lacing gap at the back 

below – testing a mock up for riding – although busk seems short, it was a tad too long for jumping – ended up with a big bruise…. and inch was taken off – and no problems!

*Tightlacing.

In my opinion, anything involving extreme shape is  best done bespoke.  A badly fitted corset worn for tighlacing and waistraining can cause medical issues. It is possible to find a good quality online as off the peg, and if you find a brand that fits you, that is great, but in doubt, go bespoke. If you need a reduction bigger than 5-6’’, go bespoke for sure, it will be some serious engineering and several fittings!

Below a bespoke male tightlacing corset – with a 20″ waist, natural waist 34″! This corset is used on a daily basis, for physical work. Made bespoke by Sew Curvy Couture

To conclude –   Good corsets are not cheap – but will last you longer, wear better and won’t cause any issues.  It is worth investting in quality if you are thinking of a more regular wear.  I hope that my guide will help you choose the best options!

For a list of corsetieres worldwide check out Lucy Corsetry map!

It was my pleasure, yet again, to organize the Victorian Ball in Bath – our 4th! This year  it was a little bit earlier, and so far the coldest spring event so far – all the dolmans, mantles, coats etc were getting some good use!

But let us start from the beginning…   Theme wise, we have continued to move  with the 19th century – we had a Crinoline theme in 2016, the First Bustle in 2017, so this time it was time for the sleek and frilly Natural Form……

The tickets sold out fast – 5 months before the event! Always a huge relief for an organiser who knows that all the costs are covered, venue , musicians, insurance, caterers, accommodation, dance master etc all paid for and happy.

The few weeks before the ball were hectic, but we were ready! as were all the commissions I was making for this event and my own ballgown… ( there will be a separate post on the ballgown making…)

As always, to avoid the traffic we  arrived Friday night and had a lovely leisurely morning- a great breakfast at the hotel plus  a quick shoot of my tegown…

Then it was time to get dressed up and off we went to The Circus, where our friend Eleanor was holding a luncheon.

For starters we had a bit of a last minute shopping, as Sherri from Farthingale Historical Hats popped over with some wares….

Shopping done, it was time to indulge in some food….

And we just had enough time to spare before the dance workshop to  get to Bath Fashion museum and see the newest exhibition ( it was its last day actually!) of the Royal Women.

Then it was time for the dance workshop.  our ilustrious dance maser, Stuart Marsden, didn’t waste much time and soon we were waltzing away and learninig the basic steps to the quadrilles. I had planned to spare my wony ankle and rest my feet, but alas, it wasnt to be – dancing was too  alluring, so i spent it twirlling away – and learinig how to dance with a long train, a good preparation before the night!.

All that dancing left us breathless and  soaked though with sweat – fortunately I had anticipated the problem and had brought with me several chemises, camisoles, 3 corsets and petticoats – so that for each occassion I had a fresh change…

A quick shower, a powernap,  and  dresingn up was in order – so that we could be at the venue well ahead of everybody, setting up and making sure all the venue staff as well as my guys are sorted, ready and happy.

And at 7 we opened the doors….. and the evening started….

I was greeting the guests on the door ( and checking the guest list/ tickets etc), and I must say, for most of the time, it felt like a private party – I knew most of the people, who have become our regulars, so it was like being surrounded by a group of friends! It was also lovely to see  the newcomers too – hopefully next year they will become the regulars

In the meantime, Lucas was snapping  portraits of the guests – a few random  collages below!

And at 8, the dancing started, with a polonaise. A bit challenging to squeeze all 130 onto the floor at the same time ( the venue capacity for that room is about 280, but we limit the guests numbers because – well,  the big skirts…… :-))) plus traditional dancing is very different from modern styles!), The video is long, but you get a good look at all the guests!

Other dances followed – waltzes, country dances, quadrilles, polkas, a gallop (a surprising amount of people  joined freestyle polkas and gallops,  most of them , including me,  collapsing half way through, with a dozen of couples  with enviable stamina making it to the end…

Buffett provided a perfect opportunity to rest, relax, grab some food, drinks and prepare for the second part of the evening… More dancing followed, finishied off at 11.45 with a Flirtation finale.

My ever favourite dance, Waltz  Cotillion was included too. Such a charming piece!

Then carriages  were called, goodbyes said and  we all retired for the night……

And in the morning – time to get to the Pump Rooms for a lavish breakfast and more photos.

After that, people did their own thing – some went for walks, picnics or sighseeing, some had to head back home. We were invited to a private boat trip – a lovely idea, though a sunnier day would probably work better !

As an organizer , and historical costumier, I must say  I was impressed with the quality of dresses – again! There were some fantastic outfits around,  clearly showing the extent of work and preparation going into this event. It is also delightful to observe how much people’s skills have improved over the last few years – both in dresmaking and in dancing. This year the dancing was superb –  the dancemaster had to explain  the steps once, and people just did it! Which is amazing for a group of folks who are not professional or even recreational dancers – most of them, like me, do it once, maybe twice a year. But we now have done it for a few years, so people remember the figures and the dances  easily – and it showed! Hugely impressive!

And let us not forget our tallented musicians…. Alxis Bennett and his team, as always delivered a fautless performance…

And so it is, done and dusted…

for another year at least!

The next Ball, with the theme of the Second Bustle Style, is now announced and the tickets are on sale – you can see more about it here

• I know, I know, I have been neglecting the blog a bit…. so am just trying to catch up on the year…. *

One sunny weekend in July, the Prior Attire team and friends had a picnic.

A victorian one too, in lovely Syon Park

Most of us stayed in a hotel nearby, and some of us arrived on the day – and the day before  we  went to see La Boheme  at the Royal Opera House in London.

And since we were celebrating the launch of my new book, The Victorian Dressmaker,  I treated my models and photographer to a ride in a big Hummer….  A bucket list, checked twice – an opera and a limo….

It was surprisigly affordable, and considering we had about an hour’s drive to the opera and back, in sweltering heat, in Victorian frocks, a cool limo was a blessing…. a rather incongrous one, but blessing nevertheless.

The opera was superb – a lovely meal before, and desserts in the interval, and the rest was an auditory and visual bliss. Including a bit of extra drama, when the lead male tenor got unwell and we had a past lead step in from the public ( a husband to  one of the lead females who was performing on the night).

Our attire was looked at and a couple of people commented on it, but  to be honest, nobody really blinked twice ( I suppose they were too busy lookig out for Stephen Fry who was in attendance on the night too).

The next day  it was picnic time! We were experiencing a bit of a heatwave, so the temperatures were a concern, but in the end,  the keyfactor was choosing the right materials. Light silk, and, even better, light cottons, worked a treat –  and parasols and sticking to the shade did the rest. I was very glad I made a Naturual Form frock out of lovely light cotton – a joy to wear in that heat!

The park was mostly empty ( It really was hot…) so it looked pretty much like a private party.

We spent several hours there – painting,  playing croquet (this game  is truly evil  – ladies with usually most correct manners gave way to a most foul language and behaviour, depending on the result of the game! shocking!),  walking around, eating, driking etc.

There was reading ( including some rather naughty texts!) music and singing… and dancing!

In short , a pretty good time was had by all and we were sad to leave!

I will try to organize somethign similar for next year:-)

and a bonus video – Naomi’s victory dance! see what i meant about the croquet and its bad ifluence on young ladies?

It sure was a rather busy spring and summer for us!  Let us have a brief recap…

1. Medieval Wedding

The end of spring  started with a medieval wedding of two friends – I made some of their finery and Lucas  ( Timelight Photographic) was their official tog – for both the prewedding photoshoot and for the big day as well

I was attending an equestrian event in Devon earlier on that day, but fiished early, packed up and drove to the venue in dorset just in time for a lovely evening with the newlyweds:-)

2. Peterborough Heritage Festival

This is our regular event, as I was  yet again portraying Catherine of Aragon, whereas Lucas was the Old Scarlett gravedigger on one day and the HIghwayman on the other. We also did a very busy school day on Friday –  kids do ask the best questions, never boring!

The weather was well, like most of the summer, scorchingly hot, but somehow we managed in our wools and silks -the natral fabrics do breathe well and covering the scin from the direct sun has a trememdous impact! as was keeping to the shade…

and a few images from John Moore Photography…

and the ‘after hours’ feels….

3. Huntingtonshire HIstory Festival

This was a cracking mid 17th century event in the centre of the town – outside displays, battle drills etc, Cromwell’s Museum tours, as well as individual displays. I was demonstrating  lacemaking techniques, and Lucas was talking about medicinal practices of the era. We were based in a lovely courtroom – and it was just a few steps to the adjoining room where the public could witness a proper trial of  the folks accuses of siding with the roualists… lots of fun! (for details check the Cromwell Museum )

It was just a one day event, but a very busy one – we wre both hoars from talking by the end!

during the day…

and a short video of the plaited bobbin lace

4.Milton Keynes : Victorian Weekend  at the MK Museum

Again,  this is our regular event where I display a variety of clothing from the era, both originals and replicas,

There is a lot going on at the museum – soldier display,  tea with Queen V, sidesaddle show,  Dickens telling stories… lots. you can see it all well captures in Timelight Photographic album here-

5. Tudor Joust at the Hampton Court

An amazing spectacle  organised jointly by Griffin HIstorical and Past Pleasures, with  international jousters. Great fun, despite the heat, and a great privilage to be invited too!

Again, proper media coverage by Photosm – here  – below a couple of images of us

And a few  behind the scenes, taken during the rample around the palace

Including a bit of a ‘glide’ practice i always fancied having a go at not as tricky as it looks, simply a lot of tiny, fast steps. Though a rumba  might work just as well

6. St. Neots History Festival

Another regular one – this year it was a multi-period event with a lot of things going on –  craft demos, suffragets, barbers, quacks and philosophers ( Lucas as Newton included),  entertainment and kids games.

I was talking about the history of the sidesaddle and  many a delighted child got to sit on my trusty old Mayhew:-). Lots of folks seems realy surprised at the construction details and could finally understand why we dont fall off that easily – the pommels give us a good purchase!

Next summer is already looking just as busy – if you fancy hiring us, the full list of what we can do is here 

In September  Julia from Sew Curvy  ( the organiser of the Oxford Conference of Corsetry) and I, together with our husbands, flew to Munich for a few days.  The lads were indulging in photography, sightseeing and beer ( not necessarily in that order) and we were busy attempting the conference organised  by the folks behind The Patterns of Fashion – The School of Historical Dress.

The book 5 was also launched there! A treasure!

The conference was held in the Bayeriche Museum and attracted  A LOT of attendees – crowds aplenty!   It was amazing to meet up with people you only knew from the Instagram or Facebook

The programme was varied and interesting, with seveal fascinating lectures, and the museum itself  was a gem too.

a few favourites below…

The biggest discovery was this – a girl’s jacket and skirt in heavyily slubbed silk…

The dress display was next door to weapons and hunting exhibition, also some fascinating objects!

and the only way to get the best angles….

The hosts of the conference  ran the show nicely,  the food was good ( that soup with sausages was amazing!) and locals friendly…

The only irritating thing – the organisers asked  us not to take any footage of the lectures – especially the slides….  and yet a few folks were doing this…. almost all the time :-(((

In the evenings we  made a point of sampling the local cuisine, and for three days we were full of potatoes, sausages, sauerkraut and pretzels…. and cake….

And since the hotel we stayed in had an excellent sellection of  gin, late evenings were spent sipping new mixtures and playing Cards Against Humanity…

On the last day we were supposed to go  on an excursion to a museum of corsets nearby – but the realisatin that the nearby means 3 hours on the coach, each way, we simply couldn’t handle it – too peopled out! And a combination of bad sleep ( Munich centre is very noisy)  and  having spent 2 days surrounded by people meant  the prospect of a busy day like that just too much for my introverted soul. We managed to swap the flights for a day early and had a relaxing morning wondering around the  town, its fabrics shops and cafes instead

   This was my first conference of this kind  and although I have enjoyed it, I discovered it was far from my natural habitat – I was exhaused afterwards!  Still, glad to have made the trip and to have met with the folks there

Last November  I had to go to Paris to do some research and business stuff – and as usual I decided to combine the business stuff with a bit of pleasure. It was Lucas’s big birthday, and so a plan was hatched…

I had a new gown to photograph, a late 1880s, Second Bustle  affair in autumnal colours, so that got packed into the suitcase and  eary one morning we boarded the Eurostar and were on our way!

Havig arrived in our hotel in the Marais district,  we decided to do the photoshoot first. The weather was a bit crap, cold and drizzle, but with more rain forecast over the next few days, this was the best we could hope for…

 The attire was on,  and off we went, to our location – Place des Vosges. It was about 10 minutes walk away, so despite the drizzle I made it mostly dry – and the drizzle and wind abated enough for about 10 minutes to allow us to shoot… The results below!

Due to the weather the place was mostly deserted – ideal!

This  period has the ridiculously huge bustle style –  and for once I had decided to treat myself, so instead of making one myself, I had ordered mine form this lovely etsy seller The Bustle  cage worked a treat,  my bum was enormous!

But yes, you can still sit in them

Interestingly enough, the hotel  we stayed in had a matching exhibit just in front of our room….

BY the time we got back, it started raining in earnest – so we changed and went out to a local place for some French Cuisine. And we were very lucky – La Vache Acrobate  was simpy amazing – lovely food ( we visitied it 3 times – it was that good!), nice atmosphere and friendly staff.

Next day was all about research  and museums  – and thanks to Lime scooters, we managed quite a lot in one day, moving swifty in between locations..  great fu too – my biggest regret was not realising they had them the day before, it would have been a blast to ride on one in the Victorian getup!

And after a busy day, Lucas”s birthday treat – a cruise and dinner o the Seine. Cruside was  lovley – the food, though posh and expensive was ok, but nowhere as nice as our previous meal…

And yes, it was raining. we got a bit wet on the way back on the scooters…

And probably as a result, I ended up with a severe laringitis  lasting a few weeks afterwards.  Still –  it was worth it!

Over the last 7 years I have organised Victorian balls and several  smaller events. What has started as a whim ( I wanted my Victorian party and yet  there weren’t any around at the time), has grown into a regular event that sells out months in advance. People from all over the world participate, many return year after year, many join in other events too.

It has become a very successful event – but the road there was not easy and it was not all plain sailing! And since over the last few moths I have been repeatedly asked for an advice on ball and event organisation, I have finally had a moment  to put some observations in writing.

The notes below simply reflect what I have learnt  over the last few days, both as an organiser and a participant of similar events.

If you are planning to organise your first  ball  I hope they will be useful, and you can learn on our mistakes

 The Planning Stage.

1.  Venue

Make sure the venue  is big enough,  affortable – and attractive too.  Remember that when people nowadays say the dance floor holds 300 people, they have modern type of dancing in mind. What  works for 300 folks shuffling  around in modern dresses will not work for the same number of people waltzing and galloping around in crinolines and panniers… Our main venue, The Assembly Rooms in Bath can hold good 250 for a modern wedding dance. But 130-140 is maximum with ladies wearing bustle dresses, and about 100 with crinoline skirts…

2.Catering.

Many venues offer in house catering, in some places you need to contract them separately.  Good quality caterers will be able to provide delicious food and cater for food allergies etc. – if they don’t,  you’d better find though who do….

Some events go for a full sit down meal – some offer a buffet.  Sit down meal is nice, but much more expensive – and people after a big meal tend to lose interest in dancing….

A light buffet, serving a variety of small items ( best are non drippy stuff that doesnt require cutlery)  will provide sufficient nourishment without weighting the dancers down too much…

3. Make sure there is a bar with a wide array of drinks….. Not only alcoholic. A water dispenser is a must – dancing makes people thirsty…

4.Timing.

Do your homework. Decide who your prospective participants are – from your town, country or international?   Then with that in mind check for any other popular events happening around. You don’t want to set your event at the same time as  another, local  or popular international event. If there is a huge event nearby, attracting people from all over the country/continent, you might be able to use it though – set up your event the week before or after, so people who travelled a long way can stay locally, have a week holiday and  enjoy two events in one trip.

Think of the season and whether your venue is suitable for it too!

5. Staff

Spend time looking for the right calibre of  staff – musicians, photographers, dance masters etc.  Quality staff will  be the making of the event,  whereas unprofessional behaviour  and low quality will cost you – to the extend that you won’t want to run the event again. Profesionals might be more expensive – but they are worth every penny!

6. Finances.

Let us be honest – don’t expect to earn much the first year. Or the second…. we just about broke even on our first event, The Spectacular Spectacular ball.  After our first Victorian ball,  I had £20 income – quite unexpectedly.  Be prepared for that- just treat the first few years as marketing exercises – and be prepared to cough up money yourself if needs be.

Plan every expense – venue, food, security, insurance, musicians, dance master,  accommodation, transport, printing and advertising costs – there is always more than you expect.

Important: If your tickets sales are not going well, you can either cover the deficit with your own money – or cancel the event and refund the tickets.  Do not change the event location,  food or staff trying to get a better deal. This is not only unethical and often illegal (Trading Act violation-  you have been selling tickets  advertising a specific set of condotions.  It is like buying tickets to go and see, let us say, Sia or Guns’n’Roses and  then finding out the organiser hired a local folk band instead. Maybe not bad, but not what you paid for…) Don’t assume that people will attend for one paticular reason ( there will be dancing!) – many people go to balls to socialise, take photos, enjoy food  and suitable location.

If you need to change anything,  and sometimes you have to, crap happens, make sure that the change will be viewed as fair exchange.  A few years back our dance master ended up in hospital a couple of days before the ball – it could have been bad, but he managed to find the replacement caller even before contacting me. (See what I mean about professional staff?) so in the end it was all ok

You will also have to offer the choice of full refund to the folks who already booked the tickets…

Ticket prices have to be reasonable – too high, and although that might promise some profit for all your work, not many tickets will sell ( especially in the first few years), so you still end up out of pocket and with a poorly attended event. Yes,  if the event becomes succesful, you will be able to actually pay yourself a fee – after all there is a lot of work involved! But even then I suggest you keep the price realistic and  if the tickets are dear, make sure  your guests get a lot for their money!

Dance workshop before the main event.

7. Dress code.

A real minefield…. but in the end, it is your party, you decide.  It is advisable to make the first two or three events less strict, but within reason. Our first one was a  mix  of Victorian, fantasy, steampunk – and it simply didn’t work. Next one was a generic Victorian – and that worked much better.  Over the years our dress code has become much stricter,  but if your event works, people will put an effort into making sure they comply with the code.

Yes, you will always get a few who don’t – but often it is the case of just not being aware of the generic level. Often folks see that their ‘Victorian’  fancy dress bought on ebay differs a lot from what other people are wearing – and next year they  know better and return  properly attired.  Personally, one of the biggest  delights  for me that has come from organising the ball and getting a bit stricter every year, is seeing people improving year by year – becoming more knowledgeable, their sewing skills are getting better and better too. A real  joy to behold.

Under no circumstances criticise people’s attire though, no matter what they wear.  And do not allow others bitching about too! If needs be, have a quiet word  after the ball, if they want to come back, but do not spoil their enjoyment at the event.

The easiest way to avoid situation like that is simple to be open about the dress code  in your description. And providing a lot of  resources, links to shops, providers, patterns etc helps too!

So you have  all those things planned,  venue booked, deposits paid,  contracts signed.  Time to do some martketing work – and sell tickets!

Point of sale.

Make sure  the event information is clear,  and it is easy to find. And easy  to purchase  the tickets too!

It is best to invest in a basic website with a shop –  not only you have all the infomration, sales, ticketing etc in one place, but also people are much more willing to buy tickets from websites rather than arrange private bank or Paypal transfers.

Make the process as simple as possible – the fewer clicks needed to complete the transaction the better!

If your audience is local – no need to use other languages,  the website is ok with your native language! However,  if you are hoping to  attract international crowd, English is a must.  Do add translation in your own language underneath the English text,  if you want the important thing is, people get discouraged if they go to a page/website and don’t see a language they understand at a first glance…

Use the Early bird  pricing system – a discount, even slight, is always  effective!

State terms and conditions clearly, both on the information part and on the ticket receipts.

Adertising

Here our lives are made easier by social media.  Set up a page and an event on facebook, use twitter, blogs, Instagram etc to advertise and spread the word.

Same notes about the clarity and language apply.  Links should be clearly visible – you will still get folks  asking about basic info or how to buy despite all that, but at least you are limiting their number – and saving yourself time.

Sponsor posts if needs be,   share engaging and pertinnent content, keep people updated and engaged. For the first event you may not have photos of foks dancing at your location, but take  and share photos of the place – that is a good start.

If you can, suggest fringe activities.  You can offer additional, free activities the day before or the day after.  We usually have a breakfast at the Pump Rooms the next day, followed by some boating,  picnics or carriage drives.  It is just a bit extra to organise –  but keep it simple and ask people to book their own tables, boats etc – that  will make a massive difference and will mean you don’t have to be finantially responsible if someone doesn’t turn up.

In time,  people would often end up having their own private parties, luncheons, etc,  and it all benefits the event – and the participants!

A few examples…

 At the event.

The time has come! The day of the ball!  Alas, for you it means quite a lot of stress,  and some more work.

Meetings with the venue staff and managing the day, meeting with caterers, ensuring all the meal options are up to date etc, answering emails from panicked folks who forgot the address, tickets,  bustle cage or are lost in the town….

You need to be available and to deal with all those emergency swiftly.

At the ball, do enjoy yourself but keep an eye on the event too –  notify security if you have some  guests who overindulged at the bar and are behaving loudly, provide emergency sewing kits ( always needed),  adjust dance programme a tad if you see that everybody is flagging and there is a gallop next,  ask the veue staff to open/close windows, dim lights, provide water as needed,  liase with the catering team about any problems, meal times etc.

In time,   if your team is performing well, you will realise that you actually can dance more and fuss about less – you get more efficient in planning  ahead and you will be able to spot any problems before they actualy develop This year, our 7th event was actually the first I danced the majority of dances instead of the  usual 2-5 …

Make sure you allow enough time for people to leave too…  This is a difficult part, as folks enjoyed themselves, want to stay and chat –  but the venue  and all the staff are hired only till the advertised time.  We did overrun once, as folks were chatty, posed for photos etc. As a result I had to cover a hefty bill of several people working overtime….

When all the  guests are gone, you still need to make sure yur team is packing up and help them  if needed.   Organise transport to hotels if required, debrief the event manager, check if there is no lost property etc around.

And then you can go home and collapse.

After our ball ( 2 day event basically), I sleep for abour a day and a half, with  short lucid moments when i try not to fall asleep….  I tend to book 2 days off after now, so that I can recover.

Well, this is more or less what I have learnt over the years. No doubt there is a lot more stuff  I will learn in the future! I hope it will provide a bit of a insight and a guidance if you are planning your own event. It is a lot of work – but worth it!

Oh, and our next Victorian ball  is on May 2nd – you can get more information and tickets here!

Hello everybody! just a short notice that thing blog will be closing down. I will be updating and moving any relevant posts to the blog hosted on my website ( http://www.priorattire.co.uk) -feel free to follow me there!

Some posts will be re worked for a different media and published on my YouTube channel instead – more user friendly for many people!

Thank you so much for following me through the years, hope you will continue to keep me company on my website or on other Prior Attire social media!