Summer is here and here at Lily Absinthe, thoughts turn to lightweight fabrics such as cottons and linens. The color palette also changes with the emphasis on lighter, more natural colors to complement the fabric .
It was a very warm and humid day when this picture was taken and between the humidity and the colors of the creek and grass, it really sets off the dress.
Here my dress is made of vintage and antique lace and textiles include vintage block printed cotton batiste and silk summer dress, trimmed in silk bands, cuffs, knife pleats, and ruffles. Antique figured lace pieces at the neck, boned bodice, sheer sleeves, hidden hook and bar closure.
I fell in love with this fabric long ago, found it downtown upstairs in the warehouse at Levine’s, it was a sale of old and vintage fabrics. I liked it so much I bought the entire roll…I have two dresses from it.
A young Miss Molly and I at Ft. Tejon.
Now for some construction details… 🙂
It may be “just” a cotton frock, but it’s completely hand finished…no shortcuts. 🙂
All the pleats are cut from the stripes in the fabric, which was a narrow 37 inches wide. Early textiles tend to be narrower than our conventional 44/54/60 width.
When it comes to historical garments, the construction and fit are everything and if these are not done correctly, the whole look suffers. Mastering these details takes a lot time, patience, and sheer dedication and we put this into every dress we make here at Lily Absinthe. You can contact us HERE to schedule your appointment. 🙂