GimletBlog

Part the Third: In which, mayhem and mystery having been sufficiently discussed, muslin is all that remains.   Fans of Mrs. Allen may say we saved the best for last.

As eager as we are to get to the ball, (you knew this was coming) that is getting ahead of the story just a little.  First, we would be remiss if we failed to show off the stunning display of costume and fashion in the Milsom Street Emporium, all designed and executed by Susan Pasco.   Everything was so beautiful.

It was such a treat to examine gowns, hats, and other accessories up close and marvel at the care and detail that went into making them.

This richly embroidered Georgian gown was my favorite:

Many thanks to Susan for generously sharing her collection with the AGM attendees!

(more…)

Related posts:

Part the Second: In which Team Tilney Explains It All, including the mystery guest mentioned in Part the First.  Mojo, voodoo, mist and magic abound!

Friday morning Team Tilney met in the hotel ballroom, instructed our Extraordinary Gentlemen to bar the doors, and rehearsed in earnest with our mysterious guest panelist:  a local Portland actor we hired to play Henry Tilney.    During a brainstorming session, the idea was tossed around to have a “real” Henry join our panel.  Team member Lynn Marie got in touch with her Portland theater contacts, and in short order we had our Henry on board and familiarizing himself with our presentation.

As he would be sitting in the audience prior to his introduction, Maggie warned him that as a young man in costume at the AGM, he would be an unusual sight and the other attendees would be drawn to him. (“They will come up and pet you.”) But despite this, and despite overhearing at least one very shocking assessment of his charms, what followed after the presentation was a surprise even to Team Tilney.  But that is getting ahead of the story just a little.

(more…)

Related posts:

December, the final wallpaper in the series, is now available for download from Solitary Elegance.    We conclude our tour through 1809 with the Tyrolese walking dress (on the right).  Her companion, an evening dress from 1812, is seated on the left.  The background is designed from pieces of an elaborate 1811 set of pearl jewelry for full dress.   An 1816 embroidery pattern decorates the holiday message from Pride and Prejudice.

The wallpapers aren’t specifically dated to 2009, so I hope you will continue to use and enjoy them.  Many thanks for all the kind comments and support throughout the year!

Related posts:

The November wallpaper is available for download from Solitary Elegance. This month our ladies are taking advantage of a little sunshine to take a walk (albeit very bundled up) before the stormy late autumn weather really sets in.

The two walking dresses (1814 on the left, 1809 on the right) are set against a scenic background from an 1816 issue of Ackermann’s Repository. Enjoy!

Related posts:

The October wallpaper is available for download from Solitary Elegance.  This month it’s all about Jane Austen’s Emma:  for those of you in the UK lucky enough to watch the new BBC miniseries beginning this weekend and for the rest of us who have to wait for Masterpiece and other networks to pick it up (much) later, here’s a little something to get you in the mood.

Miss Woodhouse stands on the left in an 1809 ball dress while Miss Fairfax, elegant as always in an 1813 evening dress, is seated on the right.  This month’s background is a piece of sheet music from one of Ackermann’s sister fashion journals, La Belle Assemblée.  While Miss Woodhouse is sure to appreciate the title and tune, Miss Fairfax is probably looking over the music for “Robin Adair”, a favorite for reasons best known to herself.  Enjoy!

Related posts:

Web server problems can’t keep us completely down:  the September wallpaper is ready for download from Solitary Elegance.

This month we’re examining fashions for special occasions:  a mourning dress from September 1809 on the left, and the stunning Glengarry riding habit from September 1817 on the right.  The background is derived from an Ackermann’s Repository embroidery pattern from 1816, and the quotation from Persuasion sets the autumn mood.  Enjoy!

Related posts:

The August wallpaper is available for download from Solitary Elegance.  We continue to stroll through summer with two walking dresses from 1809 (on the right) and 1811 (on the left).  This month we’ve brought the children out of the nursery for a look at the fashions well-to-do boys and girls may have worn in Jane Austen’s day.  The little rascal from 1811 has made off with mamma’s parasol.  As this month’s tableau is rather crowded, one hopes he doesn’t wave that parasol around too much, or he’s likely to poke one of the other models with it.

Related posts:

The July wallpaper is available for download from Solitary Elegance. This month shows off two promenade dresses from 1809 (on the right) and 1811 (on the left). Both ladies are employing parasols and veils to protect themselves from the summer sunshine.  Not a bad idea!

Does the background look familiar? It’s one of my favorite embroidery patterns, found in an 1813 edition of Ackermann’s Repository.  It has been decorating my crafty blog for some time, and finally has made its way into the wallpaper gallery.

Related posts: