1909 Grand Ball Gown

Of all the years of the Edwardian era, I think 1909 is my favourite.  It was a year when the graceful, flowing lines of the Edwardian aesthetic met the concept of a svelte, sinuous form -- the end of the S-curve era, but with a more refined, elegant simplicity than the over-embellished fashions of the earlier years. 

This evening gown is a perfect example.  I took the pattern directly from a French sewing pattern of late 1909, but the style would have been fashionable until 1912.  The process of extracting the pattern pieces from the original, heavily damaged pattern sheet and grading it for more modern sizes is worth a small book on its own!  But I did manage to bring this lovely gown "back to life", once in a smaller size in purple silk satin, and once in taupe charmeuse in a larger size.  Both were constructed just as the original would have been, in layers over a boned silk taffeta foundation.  

The sewing pattern for this beautiful and iconic Edwardian evening or ball gown is available in my Etsy shop -- just click on the button below.  Since it is a fairly complex style, requiring good sewing skills, I recommend it for those with fairly advanced experience.   The pattern comes with a complete booklet of sewing instructions keyed to "construction help" photos on this website. 

ETSY SHOP - The Fashion Archaeologist