Friday Fabulosity: Swords for Ladies Formal Wear

There have been some confused people on the internet who think a problem with Wonder Woman is that it is impossible for a lady to carry a sword in the back of her dress.

In solidarity with the well dressed ladies of the internet, and Wonder Woman herself, here is me with a sword down the back of my dress.

Friday Fabulosity: da Vinci (Possibly) Makes Sequins Plus Sequins

Or at least, he sketched a possible machine that might possibly have worked:

from http://www.leonardoda-vinci.org/Device-For-Making-Sequins.html

and also two fabulous sequined dresses, both from the Metropolitan Museum of Art:

http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/C.I.46.4.7a-c/

http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/C.I.65.47.2a,b/

and more on sequins and spangles and the history thereof, from the Dreamstress. 

Medical Monochromatic Fashion, an Evolution

I have been reading Francesco Adami's From Last Hope to First Aid: Stories from the History of Emergency Medicine. In his discussion of white coats, a color chosen for resistance to discoloring effects of antisepsis methods,  he suggests that the reader observe a number of paintings depicting doctors, from 1617 on, showing the progression from black formal gowns to white coats. So let's do that.

Anatomy Lesson of Dr Willem van der Meer 1617

Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp, 1632

The Gross Clinic, 1875

The Agnew Clinic 1889

Theodor Billroth Operating, 1890

On the Operating Table, 1902-1903

The Surgeons, 1912

The Cardiologist Henry Vaquez, 1918

Appendectomy in Geneva, 1929

The Mad Person-Who-Stitches: An Evening Dress For Elisheba

As I mentioned in my burn test post, I've been working on a dress for Elisheba.  Here it is:

My design sketch:

This dress felt like a lot of firsts: first evening dress, first time doing a little net crinoline, first time working extensively with straps, first time working with fabric chosen entirely by someone else, first time making a toile.  Writing it up, I realize that the only things I had never done before were making a toile, box pleats for the net crinoline, and the narrow (comparatively) straps.     

The dress is a princess-line, unwaisted dress with a contrasting center front panel, shoulder straps, decorative back lacing, invisible zipper in the back waist, and a mini-train.  The fabric is polyester (probably) satin with gold metallic overlay on mostly pale sky blue background with dark blue flowers.  The front panel is polyester (probably) brocade in dark blue with gold and bronze dots. 

I started with the pattern for McCall's 6382 and another dress of Elisheba's (from ebay) that has the same basic construction as the design sketch.

An Outfit Fit For A Musician

The court suit of Johann Hummel.  Yes, that Hummel!  Images courtesy of the wonderful FIDM Museum, who post about their amazing collection online!

I think this is utterly fabulous!  That embroidery!  The ruffly shirtfront (neckcloth?)!  The embroidered waistcoat!

It is a great sadness to me that gentlemen these days dress primarily in boring, unrelieved black and white for formal occasions. 

From Elisheba's Fabulous Fall Collection

Hairsticks!

From Elisheba's Fabulous Fall Collection

Miskatonic University sweatshirt, for basking in the warmth of forbidden things, paired with pink leopard print pants. An excellent choice for playing with a cat on a brisk November morning. 

Friday Fabulosity: Dresses!

One of our recent nobel laureates accepted her prize in a gown that depicted the grid cells that she discovered.  I deeply love Dr. Moser.

Meanwhile, in robotic spiders, this dress would be the best defense ever against people who are not respecters of my personal space, and I want it.