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McGrew Studios

McGrew Studios

Specialty costume, prop, decor, design & fabrication for the entertainment industries.

Appointments and Info:
801-596-2210
info@mcgrewstudios.com
Our workshops are based in Northern Utah.
Projects available across the USA - and the Universe!
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Making History: Victorian Dress

March 6, 2016 by mcgrewsadmin

Historical anniversaries bring re-enactors and history buffs out of the woodwork. We thought we’d add some youthful vigor to the Transcontinental Railroad Anniversary celebration by creating a lovely dress and sending our intern, the lovely Anna, to join in on the fun.

1840s_dress_costume1

The Union Pacific’s tracks joined the Central Pacific’s tracks on May 10, 1869, in Promontory, Utah.

1840s_dress_costume2
We took our pattern from a museum book featuring mid-1800’s dress patterns and created the outfit in a nice calico. We adore how bright and cheerful Anna looks, amidst all the dark, dour costumes around her. They look like they’re dressed for a funeral and she looks like she’s dressed for a party:)

1840s_dress_costume3

Tea dyed, linen frog closures adorn the front of her bodice plus tiny crochet lace trim on her collar and sleeves that are also finished with teeny burgundy piping. We created a straw hat for her with the matching fabric, too. Anna is wearing a corset and hoop underneath, plus a rounded ‘pillow’ to fill out her bodice, giving her the accurate monobosom silhouette of the period.

1840s_dress_costume4

1840s_dress_costume5

1840s_dress_costume6

Filed Under: Corsets, costume and fashion history, costumes, Tailoring

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