Graceful Elegance

September 17, 1901, Michigan, the verge of a new era...

"Yesterday, Mrs. Adams came in for tea, I over heard her say to Mother "These last events have been emmensly disconcerting." Within a week President McKinley has been asasinated, President Roosevelt is now in office. President McKinely was shot at the Exposition in Buffalo, His last words were "It is God's way; His will be done, not ours."

Father had suggested taking me to the exposition, business took preeminence. How despertly disappointed I was when Father changed his mind! Ours is an age of innovention. Perhaps, had we gone to Buffalo, we would have seen the latest automobil, or, perhaps we were best to stay home.

Father was saying Mr. Henry Ford is not yet satisfied with his design. Mr.Ford started the Detroit Automobile Company three years ago. Investors paid heavily, Father included. Father says we must not consider this poorly, he is quite convinced that Mr. Ford will succeed. Nonetheless, his tardiness is putting such pressure on our financial state that Father said a new dress for the Sociable was quite "impossible." I cannot have a new dress.

I have pasted the above clipping from the catalog. It now appears that I will be partaking of the age of innovention, for I have decided to alter last season's dress to copy my cherished

clipping. It is not for naught that they say "Necessity is the Mother of invention." Perhaps, I will attain a ride in an automobile at this Sociable!"

* * *

When I first saw the Victorian pictures on Colleen's blog, I was enthralled. These pictures gave me the idea for Kelsey's dress. (I took a snap shot of Colleen's picture, all copyright belongs to her.) When I saw the red dress in the photo-shoot, immediately I envisioned billows of ribbons and lace for the Victorian Festival. The dress so complemented Kelsey that I decided to use the dress for her.

The design I imagined was from a small figurine that Willow had on a shelf.

I began to work at Kelsey's dress using this as the model. The above picture at the top of this posting is from an old catalog

1901. This was an authentic drawing of the dress you could order. 1900 or 1901 era is usually called Turn of Century dress.

The dress came together very quickly. We used the hoop mentioned in a previous post, I did have to cut it down a bit to size.

Also, amid the ribbons and lace, I have added a row of little burgundy flowers along the hemline of the dress. You can see them here.

I did not have to cut or alter the dress in anyway.

I am looking forward to seeing the dress and parasol together. (As it is, I haven't finished the parasol yet. It is going to be quite fancy.)

~Ashley